Ingredients:
- 1 11.5-oz. package cornbread mix
- 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 cup chopped pickled jalapenos
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 12 oz. thick-cut bacon
- 2 15-oz. cans pinto beans
- 3 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 1 orange bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 5 green onions, thinly sliced, plus more to serve
- 1 1/2 cups thawed frozen corn
Ingredients for the dressing:
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 1-oz. packet ranch dressing mix
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, seeded
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
Directions:
- For the cornbread salad: Heat the oven to 375 F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cornbread mix and 1 cup of cheddar cheese.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter and jalapeños. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the cornbread mix and whisk until well combined.
- Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Pour the cornbread mixture into the prepared pan. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Allow to cool completely before cutting into 1 1/2-inch cubes.
- Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the bacon on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Allow to cool completely before crumbling.
- For the dressing: In a blender, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, ranch dressing mix, chipotle peppers, lime zest, lime juice and cumin. Blend until smooth. Remove the dressing to an airtight container and refrigerate for 30 minutes to thicken.
- Drain and rinse the pinto beans. In a small bowl, combine the tomato, bell pepper and green onion.
- In a 3 ½-quart trifle dish, add half of the cubed cornbread. Layer in half of the pinto beans, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, half of the bacon, half of the corn, half of the tomato mixture and ⅔ of the dressing. Repeat the layers one more time, beginning with the cornbread and ending with the remaining dressing.
- Chill for 2 to 4 hours. Serve cold with more sliced green onions.
