yummy in your tummy fiesta salad.

We went to a work cookout for the interns from Justin's work a few weekends ago, and the hostess made this awesome salad, that she said she basically copied from a resturant her and her husband used to go to in Seattle...so I figured I could copy it too. I have a new addiction.

need:
romaine lettuce
cilantro (1/2 bunch diced up...no stems)
a little basil
light sweet corn
black beans (drained and rinsed)
diced tomatoes or salsa
tortilla chips ( I prefer the whole grain ones from tostito's)
ranch
cumin

(optional...but tasty additions that I added)
rotini pasta
a little diced onion
small cubes of mozzerella...
a little lime juice.
grilled chicken

1. lettuce and cilantro in a bowl an mix well. Set aside.

2. mix your cooked pasta, a teaspoon or two of lime juice mozzerella, tomoatoes, black beans, corn, chicken and basil together well.

3. add to lettuce mixture and mix up.

4. add cumin to ranch...Mix to taste. You'll need a bit to get that southwestern taste...but you know it when you taste it. If I had to guess I would say 6-8 tablespoons for a standard size bottle of ranch.

5. I put my ranch in a squeeze bottle. Crush my chips a bit in a plastic baggie and put in a small bowl to top salad with.

6. serve salad...top with chip bits and ranch and enjoy.