Easy Caesar Salad w/ Cornbread Croutons

waste not, what not...

It is a winter wonderland here in Cincy. We've been getting snow since Monday and it's only stopped briefly. I think we have about a foot as of today...it's just a bit much. But, it is February. Given the weather we've had, I haven't made it to the store this week. So, I was quite limited for this post to what I had in my refrigerator and/or pantry. So, I'm getting creative with this series. I'll be focusing on corn meal and the variety of things you can make with this versatile ingredient.

To start off I've made a simple Caesar salad. To put a twist on this classic salad I'm using leftover corn muffins I made earlier this week to create cornbread croutons. If you don't have leftover cornbread, just buy a pre-made loaf from the store. I like the Jiffy Cornbread mix personally and use it all the time. Other than the croutons, this salad is pretty standard. I'm finishing it with a dressing from Anne Burrell of Food Network fame and lots of cracked black pepper. If you are stuck inside like me and have these ingredients on hand, make this salad tonight. Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 4
Salad
2 C Cubed Cornbread, 1 inch pieces
1 Romain Heart
1/2 C Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Cracked Black Pepper

Anne Burrell's Caesar Salad Dressing
1/2 C Grated Parmigiano Cheese
1 Lemon, zest & juice
1-2 Cloves Garlic
1 T Dijon Mustard
2-3 Anchovy Fillets (I used 1 T anchovy paste)
2 Shakes Worcestershire Sauce
1/3 C Olive Oil
Kosher Salt, as needed

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Make the croutons: Put the cubed cornbread on a large baking sheet. Cook for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through. The croutons will be dry, crisp, and browned. Set aside to cool.

Make the dressing: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the parmigiana, lemon zest and juice, garlic, mustard, anchovies, and Worcestershire sauce. Puree until the mixture is smooth, 15-20 seconds. With the machine running, add the olive oil through the feed tube. Let the processor continue to run another 10-15 seconds. Taste and season with salt if needed.

Make the salad: Chop the lettuce and divide among 4 bowls. Top with the cornbread croutons, shredded Parmesan, Caesar dressing, and lots of cracked black pepper. Toss lightly and serve immediately. Note: To make this a dinner, split among two large bowls and add some cooked shrimp or chicken! Stay in, stay warm, but eat well. Enjoy!

Mexican Style Cornbread

what vegetable can you throw away the outside, cook the inside, eat the outside, and then throw away the inside?

CORN! Fresh on the cob corn bursts with natural sweetness this time of year. It is the perfect accompaniment for so many meals. I will never forget the summer of my 7th birthday when my mama had to cut my corn off the cob. I had lost both of my front baby teeth and it was impossible for me to eat. I was so disappointed!

This cornbread recipe calls for cutting corn off the cob too, but I promise you won't be disappointed. My family has been making this for many years. I'm not sure where the recipe came from, but it is easy and delicious. It also makes a ton. Serve this at your next cookout - here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Serves 8-10
1 Box Miracle Maize Cornbread Mix (plus ingredients on back to make cornbread)
1 Can Cream Style Corn
2/3C Salsa Con Queso (suggest Tostitos)
1 Ear Corn, kernels cut off
1 Jalapeno, sliced
Butter, for greasing

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a large caste iron pan or 13x9 baking dish. In a large bowl prepare the cornbread mix according to package directions (omit the oil). Stir in the cream corn and salsa con queso. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and top with the fresh corn kernels and jalapenos. Bake for 28-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Allow the cornbread to cool for 2-3 minutes and then slice and serve. Perhaps you could tell my corn-y joke too??