My Favorite Sunday Supper

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My Favorite Sunday Supper

By Elizabeth Taliaferro

Have you ever had Cornbread Salad? It’s hands-down my favorite summer supper. I can assure you there are more recipes for cornbread salad than you can shake a stick at. But I actually don’t use a recipe at all, and that’s the beauty of it. Improvising with the ingredients I have on hand keeps it carefree and spontaneous.

I start off with a small batch of cornbread that’s not sweet. (I’m not a sweet cornbread fan, but sweet works just fine, too.) Once it’s cooled, the cornbread’s cut into bite-size pieces.

Now for the salad assembly, which I do hours in advance: First, I layer half the cornbread pieces in my biggest salad bowl. (I’ll tell you why I use a big bowl later.) Let me stop right here and say that homegrown tomatoes have always been the star of my cornbread salad, which is why I only make it in July, August, and September. I use more tomatoes than any other ingredient. Alright, so I top the cornbread pieces with a really thick layer of chopped tomato sprinkled with salt, then add a shallow layer of any or all of the following: shredded lettuce, whole kernel corn, chopped green or sweet onion, kidney or black beans, chopped cucumber, cooked crumbled bacon, and shredded cheese. Next I spread a nice thick layer of ranch dressing over it all.

Then I repeat the layering process, ending with a layer of ranch dressing.

It’s best to cover and refrigerate this for at least 2 hours. I prefer to toss it before serving so that the juices from the tomato and the creamy dressing coat all the ingredients. The tossing is why I use my biggest salad bowl; otherwise, you’d be looking at a mess.

Cornbread salad is perfect alongside anything coming off the grill—pork tenderloin, flank steak, chicken, or fish.

Bobby Deen did a lightened version of cornbread salad for the magazine. For his Tex-Mex Cornbread Salad, click here.

Until next time, stay cool and eat well.

Elizabeth

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Reader Comments:

I love corn Bread and like salad. Hay y all Feeling good today.

By Donna marie Eichhorn on October 28, 2012

This looks delicious! I have a great jalapeno cornbread that would be nice on this.

By Laura on September 30, 2012

HI Paula,, my name is Judy and I cook alot of Pasta on Sunday's, it's Tradition in my Family. Do you have any Fresh Idea's on any Pasta Dishes I could try to make on a Sunday Dinner night ? Thanks for any Help you or the Boy's an give me// Have a Great Day

By Judy Holmes on September 14, 2012

Great recipes and very delicious. Hope that you could published more recipes that is quite delightful and sweety taste to all.

By McKesson Platinum on September 04, 2012

This LIGHTEN UP Crap with you and your BOYS is not going to fly, Diabetic or not people want REAL southern FOOD TASTE...With our economy people can not afford "ORGANIC" prices, Go back to the GOOD old days, LOVE PEOPLE COOK them TASTY FOOD.That is all I have to say, Tina Marie.P.S. Their show will not air long Paula, take them back to the good old days.

By Tina Marie Petroff on September 04, 2012

My mother is from Hartsville S.C. and she loves the non-sweet cornbread.Growing up she used to put cracklin in her cornbread.My grandmother used to put her cornbread in ice-cold buttermilk.

By Holly Winter on September 04, 2012

LOVE YOUR RECIPES!!!!!

By MAXINE MARTIN on August 21, 2012

Pauladeen.com

My Favorite Sunday Supper