Cornbread Salad

This is a great side dish! I took it to a surprise birthday party dinner this weekend (Happy "Surprise 45" again, Darren Pierce!) and was asked to share the recipe. I prepared it in a glass trifle dish so the layers could "show off"- very nice presentation and SO EASY!! You'll love it! -Lisa

Cornbread:
1 T. vegetable oil
3 cups buttermilk
2 eggs
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat bottom and sides of a 10-inch cast iron skillet with vegetable oil and heat in oven. In medium bowl, combine buttermilk and eggs, and stir. Add cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder and salt, while stirring briskly. (This is a VERY thin batter, but it works!!) Pour batter into hot skillet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Dressing:
1 package ranch style dressing mix
8 oz. sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 recipe cornbread
2 (16 oz) cans pinto beans, drained
3 cups shredded cheddar
3 large tomatoes, chopped
½ cup chopped green bell pepper
½ cup chopped green onions
1 (15 oz) can corn, drained

Combine ranch dressing mix, sour cream and mayonnaise and set aside. Place ½ of the crumbled cornbread in the bottom of a large serving bowl. Top with 1 can of pinto beans. Follow with ½ of the cheese, tomatoes, bell peppers, green onions, corn and dressing mixture. Repeat, ending with the dressing mixture. Cover and chill at least 2 hours before serving.

Note: for a spicier version, add ½ cup chopped jalapeno peppers to cornbread recipe. Also, add ½ cup chopped chile peppers and 1 ½ cups bacon pieces to the dressing mixture.