Potluck season presents several serving options

Lots of recipe requests came in from a recent community potluck meal. Kerry Scheller brought Mexican Corn Bread Salad to the event and she received many requests for the recipe and chose to share it here. The secret to this recipe, I believe, is corn bread muffins. They have more crust surface and this makes the salad more substantial, not soggy as some cornbread salads get when they sit for awhile.

This is a layered salad you can make several hours ahead of serving, ideal for potluck events.

Mexican Corn Bread Salad

Dressing:

1 package (1 ounce) dry ranch dressing mix

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

Salad:

6 cornbread muffins, either homemade or from a mix

1 can (16 ounces, black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (16 ounces) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

2 red peppers, seeded and chopped

2 cans ( 15 1/4 ounces each) whole kernel corn, drained

3 tomatoes, chopped

4 scallions, chopped, plus

1/4 cup chopped white onion

8 slices bacon, cooked crisp, drained and crumbled

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

2 cups shredded cheddar and Mexican cheese blend

Mix together in a small bowl, dressing ingredients and set aside.

In a large serving bowl, crumble 3 of the cornbread muffins.

Add a layer of half the black beans, half the garbanzo beans, half the red peppers, half the corn, half the tomatoes, half of the dressing, half the bacon, half the combined onions, half the cilantro and half the cheese.

Repeat the layers in the same order. Cover and chill at least 2 hours for the flavors to blend. Yield: 12-15 servings.

Note: Bottled ranch dressing may be used in this recipe if you prefer.

Corn bread muffins are easy to make. My favorite recipe comes from the 1960’s era Mrs. Wrights Cornmeal bag. For corn bread bake the batter in a 9 x 9 inch baking pan or for muffins, 10 to 12 well greased muffin cups.

Mrs. Wrights Cornbread Muffins

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 tsp baking powder

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp salt

2 large eggs

1 cup whole milk

1/4 cup melted shortening or vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease 10 to 12 muffin cups and set aside. Note: Baking spray makes this job easy.

Combine flour with sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl.

In a small bowl, beat eggs slightly, stir in milk and melted shortening. Combine with the dry mixture, stirring only until dry ingredients are just moist. Batter will be lumpy.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Yield: 10 to 12 muffins.

Kerry also shared Chocolate Marble Cheesecake, a dessert she brought to the same event. It too, garnered many requests for the recipe. For those who have the out of print, The Staff of Life II, Memorial Hospital Auxiliary Cookbook, you will find the recipe on page 145.

This is a crust-less cheese cake, making it ideal for gluten free diets, but so yummy good, no one will miss the crust.

Chocolate Marble Cheese Cake

1 cup granulated sugar

3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

5 eggs

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 package (4 ounces) German’s Sweet Chocolate, melted and cooled

Garnish:

Whipped topping or whipped cream

Crushed Heath or Butterfinger candy bar.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 10 inch pie pan and set aside.

Combine sugar and cream cheese in a large mixer bowl and blend well. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla.

Measure 2 cups of the mixture into a small bowl, fold in cooled chocolate and set aside.

To the remaining mixture, add the lemon juice, blending well. Pour this mixture into the prepared pie pan. Spoon the chocolate mixture on top of the lemon mixture, then run a knife through both to marbleize.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until set. Cool at room temperature, then refrigerate until serving. Garnish with whipped cream or whipped topping and crushed candy bar. Yield: 10 to 12 servings.

Note: Like all cheese cakes, cool completely at room temperature before chilling. This helps prevent the surface cracking.

There were also a number of requests for a slaw type salad at the same event. The recipe included sesame rice cracker/noodles. If you were the maker or know who the maker was, please let me know so we may try to obtain the recipe to share.

The Easter community breakfast included many breakfast casseroles. So convenient because you prepare and refrigerate over night to bake the next day, most include bacon or some form of sausage. For those trying to limit salt, Ground Beef Strata, a breakfast type casserole is a lower salt variation.

Ground Beef Strata

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

3 cups cubed French or garlic bread

2 tsp prepared horseradish

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

1 can(10 3/4 ounces) cream of mushroom soup

1 can (8 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained

6 eggs, well beaten

3/4 tsp dry mustard Tbsp ground sage

Dash ground black pepper

1 tsp onion or garlic powder, if bread is plain

2 1/2 cups milk

2 Tbsp chopped chives or onion tops

Brown ground beef and season with sage, black pepper and onion powder, if using.

In a well greased 9 x 13 inch non-reactive baking pan, layer bread cubes, well drained browned meat and cheese.

Mix together remaining ingredients and pour over casserole layers. Cover with foil and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Bake 1 1/2 hours, removing the foil the last 10 minutes of baking time. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

Share your favorite recipes by sending them to: Welcome to My Kitchen, c/o The Odessa Record, P.O. Box 458, Odessa WA, 99159, email therecord@odessaoffice.com or drop them in the Welcome to My Kitchen mail tin in The Odessa Record office. Plant cool weather crops, peas, spinach, potatoes and onions now.