Chopped Salad with Creamy Garlic Vinaigrette

Chopped Salad with Creamy Garlic Vinaigrette

2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
1 cup grape tomatoes
1 cucumber, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
½ cup shredded mozzarella

Process the garlic, vinegar, egg yolk, sugar and mustard in a food processor. Stream in the oil with the processor running. Salt and pepper to taste. In a large bowl, toss the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper and mozzarella with the prepared dressing. Serve.

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BLT Wedge Salad

BLT Wedge Salad

6 slices of bacon, cut into ½ “ pieces
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons pepper
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 head of Iceberg lettuce
18 grape tomatoes, halved

In a small skillet, fry the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Drain on a paper towel and cool. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, vinegar, pepper and garlic salt. Cut the lettuce into 6 wedges. Place the wedges on serving plates, top each with the bacon, tomatoes and dressing, serve.

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Basil Vinaigrette

Homemade vinaigrettes are incredibly easy to make when you use a mini-food processor. Add everything but the oil, stream it in with the processor running and you have vinaigrette. And it is so much better than anything you can find in a bottle. I usually have a bottle of homemade vinaigrette of some kind in our refrigerator to go along side the giant box of mixed greens from Costco. Those mixed greens last forever, I'm not sure what the secret is.  This recipe takes vinaigrette to the next level with the addition of sweet basil.  Be sure to taste the vinaigrette with a small piece of lettuce, add more sugar if necessary.

Basil Vinaigrette

¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup white vinegar
¼ cup chopped basil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients except the oil in a mini-food processor. Pulse to combine. Stream in the olive oil with the processor on to emulsify the dressing. Serve over mixed greens.

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ABCLT Chopped Salad

In the summertime, I could eat a salad every night for dinner. I do get picky about proteins in my salad, I always prefer them to be warm, cold meats just don't do it for me. I made this salad the first night back from our amazing vacation to Fiji and New Zealand. I didn't have high culinary expectations for either location, but I was pleasantly surprised by both...especially Fiji.   This salad is a take on one of my most favorite sandwiches, the ABCLT.  C was happy to trade his tomatoes for my croutons and Miss F was with my parents, so there was minimal whining about having a salad for dinner.

ABCLT Chopped Salad

4 slices bacon, chopped into bite sized pieces
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 cups chopped green leaf lettuce
2 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 avocado, seeded and chopped
¾ cup croutons
½ to ¾ cup ranch dressing (I like Confections of a Foodie Bride’s recipe)

Heat the bacon in skillet over medium low heat, cook until crisp. Remove the bacon to a plate and drain all but 1 tablespoon of the grease from the skillet. Add the chicken and pepper, sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

In a large bowl, toss together the chicken, bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and croutons. Pour ½ cup of the ranch dressing and toss well to coat. Add more dressing if necessary. Divide among for plates and serve.

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Southwest Chicken Chopped Salad

Miss F spent five blissful days at "Camp Grammy and Grandad", which meant that we could have salad as an entrée without any whining. Or so I thought.  As soon as I plated the salad, C asked what we were having as an entrée...um, salad?  This salad is summer on a plate.   Fresh corn, avocado, tomatoes, bell pepper...all sweet and delicious.  I appeased C with the crushed tortilla chips and cheese, I could have lived without both.  The salad recipe is my own, but the chicken cooking technique comes from The Kitchn.  It is so incredibly easy and cooks chicken perfectly every time.

Southwest Chicken Chopped Salad

1 avocado
¼ cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup olive oil

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon butter
2 ears of corn, shucked and kernels cut from the ear
Juice from ½ lime

1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 avocado, seeded and chopped
½ cup shredded Colby jack cheese
½ cup crushed tortilla chips

Place the avocado, vinegar, water, sugar and salt into a food processor. Process until smooth. Stream in the oil and process until emulsified; set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat the chicken with the vegetable oil, salt and pepper. Place in a glass baking dish. Cover the chicken with a sheet of parchment paper, tucking it around the chicken. Bake until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees, about 30 minutes or so. Remove the chicken and set aside to cool. When cool, cut into bite sized pieces.

Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the corn and lime juice, sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until corn is tender.

In a large bowl, toss together the chicken, corn, lettuce, tomato, bell pepper, avocado, cheese and tortilla chip pieces. Pour over half of the avocado dressing and toss well to coat, adding more dressing as necessary. Divide among 4 plates and serve.

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Creamy Cucumber Salad

My grandmother made an amazing cucumber salad. But like many of her amazing dishes, there was no set recipe. It always went a little of this, a little of that...taste taste taste...then something perfect was served. She made a pie crust with vegetable oil that was insanely delicious and I don't know anyone who was able to successfully replicate it.  The only real success this year in my mom's vegetable garden has been cucumbers.  There have been a few tomatoes and bell peppers, but cucumbers have dominated the show.  C and Miss F refuse to try cucumber salad, so I keep it in a dish in the fridge and snack on it at random.  Or pull it out as a side for dinner in a single serving bowl.  This is the best I have been able to replicate my grandmother's dish, it is especially nice with homegrown cucumbers.

Creamy Cucumber Salad

¼ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 large cucumbers, sliced

Whisk together the sour cream, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir in the sliced cucumber. Cover and chill for at least one hour. Serve.

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Greek Salad

I love Greek salad. I have been so lucky to receive a ton of lettuce from my mom's garden. Neither of us are sure what kind of lettuce it is, but it is delicious and perfect for Greek salad. No one else at dinner would touch the salad. I can usually count on C to have salad and Miss F to at least eat the lettuce. But this night, they were both too into naan and chicken souvlaki to have any.  I will be making this salad often this summer, hopefully with tomatoes and cucumbers from the garden, though I doubt the lettuce will make it much longer once it starts getting Houston hot.  The dressing is adapted from Ina Garten.

Greek Salad

1 clove garlic
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup good olive oil
4 cups chopped lettuce
½ red bell pepper, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
½ cucumber, chopped
¼ cup feta, crumbled
Handful of black olives

Add the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper to the bowl of a mini food processor. Stream in the olive oil with the processor running. In a large bowl, toss together the lettuce, bell pepper, tomato, cucumber, feta and olives. Toss the salad with the dressing and serve.

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Balsamic Pear Salad

Miss F has been eating salad more often, which means I have been eating salad more often. There were gorgeous pears at the grocer this week and this salad was the perfect way to showcase them. I was shocked when C devoured the whole thing, I never figured him to be a pear-salad loving guy. Sweet balsamic dressing is one of my most favorite salad toppings and it works beautifully with fall pears.  I used Anjou pears, but Bosc pears would work just as nicely.

Balsamic Pear Salad

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ cup olive oil
4 cups chopped romaine
1 pear, sliced
¼ onion, thinly sliced

Whisk together the vinegar, mustard and sugar. Stream in the olive oil, whisking constantly. Toss the romaine, pears and onion with the dressing. Serve.

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Seared Salmon Salad with Avocado Vinaigrette

All salads need avocado in them. I could probably eat any combination of vegetables and with lettuce as long as there were chunks of avocado nestled somewhere in the greens. I first discovered avocado vinaigrette in a recipe swap I participated in. This salad is simple and delicious, perfect for night's when C is out and it is just Miss F and myself. She will eat salad, but only with ranch dressing. She is okay with salmon, but it isn't her most favorite fish. Her favorite fish is fish sticks, go figure. I tried one the other day, I hadn't had one since I was a kid. They were pretty much breaded bread, not an ounce of fish inside.

Seared Salmon Salad with Avocado Vinaigrette

1 avocado
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil

½ pound salmon, portioned into 2 filets
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

4 cups mixed greens

Peel, seed, and dice avocado and place half of it in blender or food processor. Add sugar, salt, lime juice, water, and vinegar. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in oil until a creamy emulsion forms.

Rub the salmon filets with the oil and generously season with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet over medium high heat, add the salmon to the pan skin side down and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes. Flip the salmon over and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes more, until the salmon is cooked through.

Toss the mixed greens and remaining diced avocado with the vinaigrette. Divide among two plates and top each with the cooked salmon filet. Serve.

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Romaine with Creamy Italian Dressing

I love salad. Growing up I hated salad and we had it every night. I have been getting better about serving salad more often with dinner and Miss F has finally started to eat it, though she only eats lettuce and croutons. It's better than nothing, right? This salad dressing has the perfect tartness I look for in a dressing, the mayonnaise and parmesan amps up the richness. Once again, my mom's garden was a huge supplier for my dinner party salad. The only thing that didn't come from the garden was the red onion. This recipe is adapted from AllRecipes.

Romaine with Creamy Italian Dressing

½ cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar

5 cups romaine, chopped
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cucumber, chopped
½ red onion, sliced thin

Combine all the dressing ingredients in a blender until well mixed. Taste, add sugar if needed. Toss together the dressing with the romaine, tomato, bell pepper, cucumber and red onion. Serve.

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Shrimp Ceviche Salad

I love ceviche. When I saw Confections of a Foodie Bride's recipe, I knew I wanted to make some, but I wanted to use shrimp and put it on an entrée sized salad. Shrimp Ceviche Salad was born. I made a simple lime vinaigrette, I didn't want to get to fussy. I barely used any salt and pepper, it didn't really need too much.  I wanted to keep it light, since we were having whoopie pies for dessert, but this would also be excellent with a few fried tortilla wedges on the side to scoop up the shrimp and salad.  I will try the original ceviche recipe next time I get down to Kemah to pick up some fresh snapper.

Shrimp Ceviche Salad

½ pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ cup fresh lime juice

¼ cup lime juice
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ cup olive oil

3 cups mixed greens
2 plum tomatoes, diced
1 avocado, peeled, seeded and diced
½ red onion, sliced thin
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Toss the shrimp with ½ cup lime juice in a small dish. Set aside for at least ten minutes, until shrimp are pink.

Whisk together ¼ cup lime juice with the sugar. Stream in the olive oil, whisking the entire time. Salt and pepper to taste.

Toss together the greens, tomatoes, avocado, onion and cilantro with the lime vinaigrette. Divide between two plates and top with the shrimp ceviche. Serve.

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Greek Shrimp Salad

After my trip to Aspen for our wedding anniversary, I knew I wanted to eat lighter. The food I enjoyed on the weekend getaway was amazing, but it was all quite rich. I adapted this recipe from my recipe for Shrimp Gyros, with a Greek vinaigrette from Ina Garten.  This salad totally filled my cravings for something healthy and I prepared it in under 15 minutes.  Miss F only ate the shrimp, I am still working on getting her to try salad.  Anyone have any tips to get a five year old to try lettuce?  Feel free to add olives and feta to this salad, I don't enjoy either, but I realize they are traditional to a Greek salad.

Greek Shrimp Salad

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ cup red wine vinegar
pinch of sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Juice of two small or one large lemon
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 cucumber, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
½ red onion, sliced
1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped

For the vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Still whisking, slowly add the olive oil to make an emulsion. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together one tablespoon of olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper. Toss the shrimp in the marinade and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes. In a large sauté pan, heat the remaining olive oil over medium high heat. Sauté the shrimp for 5 to 6 minutes, until pink and cooked through.

Toss the cucumber, tomato, onion and lettuce with the vinaigrette. Top with shrimp and serve.

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Cucumber and Tomato Shrimp Salad

This dish was inspired from my spring dinner party. For lunch the next day, I had leftover shrimp, cucumber and tomatoes...so Cucumber and Tomato Shrimp Salad was born and it was the perfect lunch. And I have had it a couple times since I enjoyed it so much. I love a good cucumber and tomato salad and the addition of chilled roasted shrimp puts it over the top.  This combination would be equally lovely served over top of mixed greens as well.  My mom has planted cucumbers and tomatoes in the garden again this year, so I hope to be having it garden fresh this summer.

Cucumber and Tomato Shrimp Salad

½ pound shrimp
1 teaspoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 English hothouse cucumber
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
¼ cup chopped fresh dill
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon sugar
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place them on a sheet pan with the olive oil, salt, and pepper and spread them in 1 layer. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes, just until pink and firm and cooked through. Set aside to cool. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Cut cucumber in half by slicing down the middle lengthwise. Scoop out the center seeds. Cut into thin slices and place in a colander with the salt.. Toss with salt and let sit in sink at least 30 minutes to drain the water out. While the cucumber is draining, make the dressing. Whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, dill, garlic, sugar and black pepper in a medium bowl. Pat the cucumber dry with a paper towel, then toss it and tomatoes with the dressing. Top with the chilled shrimp.

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Crispy Chicken Salad with Avocado Ranch

The original recipe for this salad called for Buffalo chicken, which I usually adore. The issue was that I had eaten my weight in super spicy crawfish for lunch and I was ready to dial down the heat. I will definitely be using this breading recipe a lot in the future, Miss F was a huge fan of the chicken strips. She wouldn't touch the salad, so she had fruit with hers instead. The whole meal is on the table in less than 30 minutes and I was left with a generous amount of leftovers for a lunch salad the next day.  Feel free to add crumbled bacon, shredded cheese or even cucumber to the salad mix.  Most anything would work great with the tasty dressing.  Thanks to Smells Like Home for the inspiration.

Crispy Chicken Salad with Avocado Ranch

2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
½ cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Cooking spray
1 pound chicken tenderloins (or breasts sliced into ¾ inch strips)

½ of an avocado, scooped from the skin and roughly diced
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
up to ½ cup buttermilk
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

4 to 5 cups chopped romaine
2 tomatoes, chopped
½ avocado, scooped from the skin and roughly diced

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.

Add the Panko to a shallow dish. In a second shallow dish, whisk together the flour and salt. In a bowl, whisk together the egg, water and mustard.

Spray a wire rack with cooking spray (rub the wires to make sure they are well-coated - this will prevent the breading from sticking) and place over a rimmed baking sheet. Working in batches, dredge a few pieces of the chicken in the flour, then the egg whites, and finally the breadcrumbs to coat, shaking off the excess between each step. Lay the coated pieces on the prepared wire rack and repeat with the remaining chicken. Spray the tops of the chicken pieces lightly with the cooking spray. Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the breading is lightly golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

While the chicken bakes, place the avocado, mayonnaise, sour cream, olive oil, lemon juice, ¼ cup of the buttermilk and garlic in the food processor. Process until smooth. Add more buttermilk until the desired consistency is reached. Stir in the parsley, salt and pepper.

Toss the lettuce, tomatoes and avocado with the dressing, top with the crispy chicken. Serve.

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Roasted Salmon with Thyme Vinaigrette

I am very particular when it comes to lunch. I really dislike having a cold lunch, even if I am having a salad, I prefer to have whatever meat is served with it warm.  Even when I have a salad at Panera, I have to request that they warm the chicken.  This salad fits the bill perfectly and comes together in about 30 minutes.  The vinaigrette is perfect over the roast salmon and just plain mixed greens is the perfect complement to the fish.  This is a beautifully simple recipe from Williams-Sonoma and will be a great addition to my regular lunch rotation.  It would also be delicious with sliced English cucumber.

Roasted Salmon with Thyme Vinaigrette

1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced shallot
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 salmon fillet, cut into two equal portions
3 cups mixed greens

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard and vinegar, gradually whisk in 2 tablespoons of oil. Whisk in the shallot and thyme, season to taste with salt and pepper. Brush a baking dish with the remaining oil and add the salmon, skin side down. Spoon half of the vinaigrette over the salmon and let marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature. Roast the salmon for 15 minutes, until just cooked through. Toss the lettuce with the remaining vinaigrette, divide between two plates. Serve the salmon alongside the salad.

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Mixed Greens with Creamy Dijon Vinaigrette

My father has a couple food hang ups. He won't eat raw seafood and he won't eat anything with raw egg in it. I have no problem with either practice, especially the raw seafood part. I think he is missing out on so many delicious things, especially sushi, but he stands firm. So when I hosted my parents for dinner, I didn't tell him until afterwards that the salad dressing had raw egg in it. Oops! This dressing comes together quickly and is one of my favorites. I usually make it with my mini food processor to make the emulsification process even easier.  The recipe is loosely based on one from The Barefoot Contessa.  If Ina Garten is okay with raw eggs, then so am I.  And who wants to miss out on eating raw cookie dough?  Certainly not me.

Mixed Greens with Creamy Dijon Vinaigrette

1 egg yolk
¼ cup white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

6 cups mixed greens
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped

Whisk together the egg yolk, vinegar, Dijon, salt and sugar. Add the olive oil in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Toss the greens, tomato and cucumber with the prepared vinaigrette. Divide onto 6 plates and serve.

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Shrimp Fajita Salad

One of my favorite items to order from Pappasitos is the fajita salad. I wanted to recreate something like it at home, but using shrimp instead of chicken.  This is a fresh salad that really fills you up.  Miss F won't touch the lettuce, but she was fine with the rest of it rolled up in a tortilla and baked with a little shredded Colby Jack cheese.  I don't remember when I started enjoying salad, but it certainly wasn't at five years old, so my expectations of her actually eating this were low.  I cleaned my plate, it was delicious.  You could also add shredded jack cheese, drained black beans or even crushed tortilla chips for some crunch.

Shrimp Fajita Salad

1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 pound shrimp, peeled and de-veined

3 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups lettuce, chopped
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
½ red onion, peeled and diced
1 avocado, peeled, seeded and diced

Whisk together the lime juice, oil, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir in the shrimp and allow to marinate for 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature.

While the shrimp are marinating, prepare the dressing. Whisk together the lime juice, sugar, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Add the oil in a small stream while whisking constantly.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, add the shrimp and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes until the shrimp are pink.

Toss the lettuce, corn, bell pepper, onion, avocado and cooked shrimp with the dressing. Divide among four plates and serve.

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Spinach and Apple Salad with Crispy Almonds

I have been making this salad for years. I served it at one of my first ever dinner parties and I have served it often with our Thanksgiving dinner.  I prep the dressing in advance, just be sure to slice the apples right before serving so they do not brown.  The almonds do stick together after they cool, but they are easily broken up for serving.  The recipe comes from Epicurious, my go to recipe site from back in the day.  My friend Courtney even took the leftover salad home with her from the dinner party, so I think that makes it a success!

Spinach and Apple Salad with Crispy Almonds

¼ cup minced onion
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
¼ teaspoon paprika
3 tablespoons sugar
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
¾ cup blanched slivered almonds (about 3 ounces)
1 10- ounce bag ready-to-use spinach leaves
2 medium-size red-skinned apples, quartered, cored, thinly sliced

Combine onion, cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, sesame seeds and paprika in small bowl. Mix in 2 tablespoons sugar. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add almonds. Stir until almonds begin to color, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon sugar over. Stir until sugar melts and begins to turn golden, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer almonds to bowl and cool. (Dressing and almonds can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover separately and let stand at room temperature.)

Combine spinach and apples in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Mix in almonds. Serve salad, passing any remaining dressing separately.

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Recipe Swap: California Club Chopped Salad

The theme of this month's swap was lunch. I usually have leftovers for lunch, so it was a treat to make something special just for lunch. Before I received this recipe in the swap, I had already pinned it to make. In fact, I had it on my meal plan one week and wasn't able to make it. Turned out to be a happy coincidence because I really loved this salad from the amazing Barbee Housewife. I was wary of the dressing, being that I am not a huge fan of mayonnaise, but it was fantastic. When I tossed the salad together, the avocado almost melted into the dressing, which was just lovely. Thanks so much to Taste of Home Cooking for hosting another great swap.

California Club Chopped Salad

6 slices bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces
1 chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
4 cups Romaine lettuce, washed and thinly sliced
½ pint grape tomatoes, quartered
¼ cup blue cheese crumbles (I omitted)
1 avocado, diced
½ cup black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lemon, about 3 tablespoons (I used lime juice)
2/3 cup of mayonnaise

Cook the bacon in a sauté pan until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon. Cook the chicken pieces in the warm bacon grease over medium high heat until cooked through, about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the bacon, chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, blue cheese, avocado, black beans and corn. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, lemon juice, and mayonnaise. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss the dressing with the salad.

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Mixed Greens with Candied Creole Bacon

If Miss F would eat salad, this would be the salad for her. Topped with sweet and spicy bacon, it is her dream. Be sure to watch the bacon closely when baking. I had a couple pices get over cooked because I wasn't paying enough attention to them. This was after I drained off the bacon grease in a bowl. The same kind of bowl that I warmed the honey in. Do you see where this is going? I basted the bacon with what I thought was the honey, but it turns out that was still in the microwave. And I had just brushed the bacon in its own grease. Fun times. Thanks to Zatarins for the inspiration (even though I used Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning, I think Old Bay would work as well.)

Mixed Greens with Candied Creole Bacon

8 ounces thick-cut bacon slices
¼ cup honey
1 teaspoon Creole Seasoning

¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup olive oil

6 cups mixed greens

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange bacon slices in single layer on foil-lined baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until the bacon edges begin to curl. Remove pan from oven. Drain drippings. Microwave the honey and Creole Seasoning in small microwavable bowl on high for 30 seconds, stirring after 15 seconds. Brush bacon with honey mixture. Bake 10 minutes longer or until bacon is browned and crisp. Cool bacon on wire rack. Break into bite-size pieces. Set aside

In a small food processor, combine the vinegar, honey and mustard. Stream in the olive oil with the processor running. Run until smooth and emulsified.

Toss the mixed greens with the dressing, sprinkle bacon pieces over top.

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