Monday, September 13, 2010

Choose Your Own Adventure: Salad or Sandwich?

When you have 8 kids, 3 of whom have special needs, I'm guessing you don't always have the time/energy to ensure that your bread box is stocked with ciabatta (of course, I only have 2 kids, so I always have ciabatta on hand -- NOT!). Thanks to this "failure", one of my dearest friends created the freshest, tastiest salad on earth.

However, feel free to use the same ingredients and pile them on ciabatta bread to make an equally scrumptous sandwich.

Remember the children's book series "choose your own adventure"? Yeah, it's kinda like that.

This is another one of those "a little bit of this and a handful of that" approximate recipes, but I have yet for the proportions to turn out anything other than DELISH!

Caprese Bacon Salad
by Maureen

Dressing (enough to fill one regular sized mayo jar):
5 cups fresh basil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
5 cloves pressed garlic
1 1/2 tsp hot sauce
2 1/2 cups mayo
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup olive oil

- In a blender, blend basil, lemon juice, garlic, hot sauce, and mayo until basil is chopped and the mixture is evenly green.
-Add balsamic vinegar and olive oil and blend until mixed.

The dressing should top a humongous salad of chopped romaine lettuce, tomatoes, small fresh mozzarella balls, and chopped, crispy-cooked bacon. The portions are up to your disretion.

This makes enough dressing to serve a huge crowd, so it's perfect for a party. Just remember not to top the salad (or sandwich) with the dressing too early, or you'll end up with mushy, wilted lettuce.

To maximize this recipe's full potential, use the freshest local ingredients you can find. It's amazing how beautiful this salad becomes when you make it with an array of different heirloom tomatoes. Hurry up and grab them before the season is over!!!!

3 comments:

  1. Wow, that was Maureen who made that scrumptious salad at the picnic???? That was so we good, we were raving about it! Thanks for the recipe! I am also dying for the recipe to the dessert you brought to the picnic....you know the cinniminy roll one??? mmmmm.....

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  2. Kelly,
    Keep your eye on future posts. You never know when the "Sopapilla Cheesecake" dessert recipe might just pop up!

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  3. How hilarious!!!

    I'm so happy you liked the salad that much. . .next I am going to make you the sandwich!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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