Tex-Mex Layered Salad 1� cups
bottled ranch salad dressing or reduced-fat sour cream
� cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 cups chopped tomatoes (from about 4 medium-size tomatoes)
8 scallions, both white and light green parts, chopped (for 1 cup)
1 package (10 ounces) iceberg lettuce salad
1 package (8 ounces, or 2 cups) pre-shredded Mexican-style cheese
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (11 ounces) yellow corn kernels with peppers, drained
4 cups crumbled corn bread
Place salad dressing or sour cream, cilantro, cumin and lime juice in small
mixing bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside. Place tomatoes and scallions in a
mixing bowl and stir to combine.
To prepare the garnish, set aside, in separate containers, � cup each of the
lettuce salad and cheese, and � cup each of the black beans, corn kernels, and
tomato and scallion mixture.
Place half of the remaining lettuce salad in bottom of 4-quart glass serving
bowl or trifle dish. Then scatter 2 cups of the corn bread on top of the
lettuce. Pour � cup of the salad dressing over the corn bread. Place half of the
remaining black beans on top of the corn bread, then add half of the remaining
corn kernels. Sprinkle � cup of the remaining cheese over the layer of corn.
Place the rest of the lettuce salad on top of the corn. Place remaining 2 cups
of corn bread on top of the lettuce. Pour � cup of the salad dressing over the
corn bread. Layer the rest of the black beans on top of the corn bread, followed
by a layer of the corn kernels and then the rest of the cheese. Pour the
remaining � cup of salad dressing over the cheese and scatter the rest of the
tomato and scallion mixture on top.
Garnish the salad by creating an attractive pattern using reserved lettuce
salad, cheese, black beans, corn kernels, and tomato and scallion mixture.
Arrange remaining lettuce in ring around outer edge of salad. Arrange remaining
cheese in ring inside lettuce. Fill center of cheese with remaining black beans.
Place remaining corn on top of beans. Pile remaining tomato and scallion mixture
on top of corn. Serve salad at once, or cover bowl with plastic wrap and
refrigerate up to 3 days.
Makes 8 servings. |