When I post recipes like this Perfect Picnic Corn Chip Salad, I inevitably get emails from people shaking their heads or finger-wagging saying “this is not an Amish recipe, shame on you for posting it." I’ve said before that Amish cooking is very difficult to define.
There are plenty of “classic recipes “that do capture the essence of Amish culinary culture, staples like shoofly pie and chicken corn soup. But then they’re also legions of “adopted recipes “that will get passed into an Amish community and become very popular, like this Perfect Picnic Corn Chip Salad. I've seen this exact recipe in several settlements.
Perfect Picnic Corn Chip Salad is right up the wheelhouse for many Amish cooks. First of all, you’d be surprised how popular salty snacks are in Amish communities. Sometimes it’s a little disheartening to see how a once very locavore diet has become filled with canned and bagged processed foods. This is the case in many Amish communities, whenever I visit an Amish home I see bags of chips, potato chips, Doritos to a lesser extent, and Fritos corn chips are very popular, I have found. So, what could be better than Fritos in a salad?
I’m not sure who dreamed up this recipe originally, but they were genius. It’s got a little bit of everything in it: “healthy “stuff in the form of lettuce… I guess… But the rest is sort of not so healthy: bacon, cheese, eggs, miracle whip salad dressing, and sugar. So, yes, if you are on a diet, don’t for a second think the salad is healthy. But if you are not on a diet, and you just want a good salad that makes for a fun conversation, then look no further.
I do know that many Amish who make this will add lettuce grown from their garden into it, and perhaps some garden carrots. This would make it a hair healthier, but not much....So, let's get started!
Corn chips are the star of the show, I wouldn't skimp on these...I mean, you could use a generic brand, but I'd go for the real thing.
The dressing is really easy to make and not very healthy: Miracle Whip, sugars, and vinegar, basically.
I don't like chopping eggs, not patient enough, but here they are!
At least my bacon turned out nice and crisp but, geez, this salad is something!
I just put the corn chips in a gallon-sized zip bag.
And then I just used my fists and crushed them, a good way to take out any anger you might have pent up!
Makes a perfect salad for a potluck or picnic! This recipe version makes a lot of salad, so feel free to halve this recipe if you're just making it for a few people.
🥗 Perfect Picnic Corn Chip Salad
1 head iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce
1 /2 pounds shredded Cheddar cheese
1 pound bacon, fried and crumbled
6 hard boiled eggs, chopped
2 1 /2 cups corn chips, crushed
1 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 /4 cup milk
1 /4 cup brown sugar
1 /4 cup white sugar
📋 Instructions
Boil eggs, cool, and peel.
Toss together lettuce, cheese, bacon, and eggs.
Mix together salad dressing, vinegar, milk, and sugar and toss with lettuce mixture.
Add in corn chips and toss just before serving.
🥗 More Popular Amish Salads
Ultimate Tossed Salad - A little healthier!
Haystack Salad - Another popular one!
Famous Macaroni Salad - so good!
Refreshing Fruit Salad - wow!
🖨️ Full Recipe
Perfect Picnic Corn Chip Salad
Ingredients
- 1 head iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce
- 1 1 /2 pounds shredded Cheddar cheese
- 1 pound bacon, fried and crumbled
- 6 hard boiled eggs chopped
- 2 1 /2 cups corn chips, crushed
- 1 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 1 /4 cup milk
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Boil eggs and set aside to cool.
- In a LARGE bowl, toss together lettuce, cheese, bacon, and eggs.
- In a smaller bowl, mix together salad dressing, vinegar, milk and sugar and toss with lettuce mixture.
- Add in corn chips and toss just before serving.
Linda Bolt
Great recipe, and timely for me, as I just discovered corn chips in my pantry this morning, and was wondering how to use them up!
Wondering if there is a lot of celery planted in their garden this year? 🙂
Kevin
Linda, we'll see about the celery! And if you do make the salad and are able to take some photos of it for me to post, that would be great!
Kentuckylady717
Great article from Lovina. She said they had to de-tassel the corn, just what does that mean ? We grew corn and I don't recall that....guess my dad just did it and we didn't know about it LOL....
Also, what does she do with the rhubarb juice she makes ? Very interesting....as rhubarb is very sour....so that would take a lot of sugar.....does she cook with it, or do they just drink it as a juice , maybe mixed with other fruit.......
Love reading Lovina's msgs. sounds like there is always fun at her house 🙂
Wendy P
I'll let a farmer answer the question about the corn - but the rhubarb juice recipe has been given out on this website before. You should be able to search and find it.
Growing up, I had a similar relationship with our gander that Kevin has with Lovina's rooster. I love geese now, but as a child they always got the better of me!
Gert
Does Timothy live on his own? I always thought the men (women too) stayed with family until they married? Why can't he do his own laundry, housework, etc.?
Kevin
Timothy does live on his own and that - at least in some Amish settlements - is quite common before marriage for the man to buy a house, begin to establish roots, etc. As far as doing his own household chores, Lovina wrote in the column that he's just been extra busy lately at work so he was behind so he called in reinforcements to help him catch up!:)
Becky E
I can't wait to try this. It looks very good. By the way, I saw your spelling of anecdote and for years I have been pronouncing it ancedote.
Linda Marshall
This salad looks good, will try it the next time I have family over. You could get an egg slicer, for your eggs. I slice it in one direction, and then turn it and slice it again.
Then the pieces are small enough for most anything.
Kevin Williams
Good idea about the egg slicer!