Mexican Bean Salad

I am so ready for warmer days. I think that maybe I have said this a few times lately in some of my other posts. We keep getting these warmer-weather teasers around here, just enough to help us believe that there really is life after winter. The leaves of my daffodils and tulips have pushed their way up through the soil which always gets me excited, and I noticed that the lilies are sending up some greenery as well.  Yippee!  Salad days will soon be here.

So, to help give some encouragement to anyone else who is experiencing the ‘are-salad-days-really-just-around-the-corner?’ feelings, I offer you Mexican Bean Salad. The beans give it a more substantial feeling and the fresh red peppers, crispy corn, and beautiful cilantro bring a festive, kick-up-your-heels feeling.

I got this easy recipe from my sister in-law, Julie, who is hands down the queen of make you feel good party food. She has great quick and easy foods that not only taste great, but can easily be multiplied or reduced to accommodate larger or smaller numbers of people. This salad is very versatile; we had it last night with steak and baked potatoes, however it works just as well along side a hamburger, sloppy joes, fried chicken, or pulled pork barbecue sandwiches.

Mexican Bean Salad

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Prep Time: 15 mins | Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins | Yield: about 9 cups

Simple and fast to prepare, this salad is a great accompaniment for hamburgers, sloppy joes, barbecued ribs, pulled pork sandwiches and many other summertime favorites!

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Ingredients

• 2 (15 ounce) cans black bans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 ounce) cans white beans (I used cannellini), rinsed and drained
• 2 cucumbers, seeded and chopped
• 2 cups frozen corn, rinsed under warm water to defrost (I used a good quality frozen sweet corn from Costco)
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 packet Good Seasons Italian dressing, prepared per packet instructions
• jalapeno or avocado, optional (I did not use these)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Italian dressing per package instructions.
2. Stir the remainder of the ingredients together in a large bowl.
3. Pour dressing over the beans and vegetables. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate so that the salad can chill and the flavors can blend well.

Recipe @ that’s some good cookin’ by Julie

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Tuscan Bean Salad

Lentil, Quinoa and Orzo Salad

Tomato Salad