Tex-Mex Layered Salad

My sister shared this recipe with me a few years ago - it's always a big hit at potlucks and picnics. I'm sharing it with you as part of Frugal Upstate's collection of Frugal Foods, where this week's focus is beans. Enjoy!

1 ½ cup ranch dressing
½ chopped fresh cilantro
1 teas. Ground cumin
2Tb. Fresh limejuice
2 cups chopped tomatoes
8 scallions, chopped
1 package- 10 oz. Iceberg lettuce salad
8 oz. Package shredded Mexican style cheese
15. Oz. Black beans, rinsed and drained
11. Oz. Mexi-corn, drained
4 cups crumbled Jiffy corn bread, cooked

Place the dressing, the cilantro, cumin and limejuice in a small mixing bowl. Wisk to combine and set aside.

Place the tomatoes and scallions in a mixing bowl and stir to combine.

Prepare the garnish: Set aside, in separate containers, ½ cup each of lettuce and cheese and ¼ cup each of beans, corn and tomato and scallion mixture. You’ll use these for garnish.

Make the salad: Place half the remaining lettuce in the bottom of your serving bowl. Then, scatter 2 cups of corn bread over the lettuce. Pour ½ cup of the salad dressing over the cornbread. Place half of the beans over that, then half the corn, then ½ the tomato mixture, and then ¾ cup of cheese over that. Repeat the layers again with the rest of the ingredients.

Garnish the salad by creating concentric circles of the set aside ingredients from step 3 on the top of the salad. Serve at once or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Serves 8 as a hearty side dish