Southwestern Panzanella

This recipe is a variation of a classic Tuscan salad that is made with bread and tomatoes.  We were making Mexican Spiced Grilled Chicken so I decided to make a few changes to the recipe to make it more Southwestern.  Here it goes:

Ingredients:

For the Bread:

- 4-5 c. French or Italian bread, slice into 1" squares

- 3 T olive oil

- 1/4 tea cayenne pepper

- Salt & Pepper

For the Veggies:

- 1 carton cherry tomatoes, halved

- 1 red bell pepper, 1" diced

- 1 yellow bell pepper, 1" diced

- 1 medium cucumber, peeled and 1/2" diced

- 1/2 c. corn

- 1/2 c. black beans, rinsed and drained

- 1/2 c. red onion, diced

- 2 T cilantro, chopped

For the Dressing:

- 1/2 c. olive oil

- 1/3 c. apple cider vinegar

- 2 T dijon mustard

- 1 1/2 T sugar

- Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F.  Toss the bread, olive oil, S&P and cayenne pepper together and place onto a baking sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown, stirring every few minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool.

2.  In a large mixing bowl, combine veggies and bread together.

3.  Whisk all dressing ingredients together and add to veggie and bread mixture.  Toss together and Salt & Pepper to taste.  

4.  Let sit for 10-15 minutes prior to serving to let flavors soak in.  Enjoy!

       

                                                                            Finished Panzanella

        

                                                                          Golden Brown Bread