Recipe: Corn Bread Salad

When you make a dish almost (if not definitely) weekly, it needs to be shared. It's begging to be eaten and loved by your friends, family, and um, everyone else. A lady at my church has been recently opening her house to a few new friends and I get to be one of them. She is a fantastic cook and loves to entertain, and frankly, I love to eat and be entertained! Awhile back she made this as a side dish and I haven't stopped making it since (she gives us all the recipes for everything she makes those nights). I must have made it at least 10 times since late February. That is not an exaggeration, either.

Without further ado, I give you the best side/salad dish ever: Corn Bread Salad!

*1 loaf prepared cornbread, left out for several hours (you want it harder)

*1 red onion, diced

*1/2 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled

*1 tomato, diced (optional)

*2 jalapeños, seeded and minced

*1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

*3/4 cup celery, diced (I usually add 1 or 1 1/2 cup, love the crunchy texture!)

*1/2 cup corn (optional)

*1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper

*1 cup mayonnaise (yes, you read that right...)

In a large bowl, crumble cornbread into bite size chunks and toss with remaining ingredients, except mayo. Gently fold in may and chill for 1 hour and serve.

I don't have any reference as to where this came, other than my friend, but you know me, I never follow a recipe exactly anyway. Some things I list as optional aren't considered optional in the main recipe, but I don't think those two items add or subtract much flavor anyway, and I don't have tomatoes in winter, so that's why they're optional!

This would make a very cheap salad in the Summer, when everything included is on sale, but even in the winter, I can't get enough of it! Enjoy!