Recipes

[IamMrsG]

I'm tired -- just finished putting a coat of primer on the kitchen walls in preparation for painting soon.  So, dinner tonight is another quick and easy one.  (At first glance, it may look involved, but, believe me, it's just bacon, lettuce and tomatoes dressed with a red wine vinaigrette/dressing.) 

BLT Salad with Basil Mayo Dressing

1/2 pound bacon
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
4 medium slices French bread, cut into 1/2 inch pieces **
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon canola oil (I substitute olive oil)
1 pound romaine lettuce - rinsed, drained, and torn into bite-size pieces
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble* and set aside, reserving 2 tablespoons of the drippings.

In a small bowl, whisk together the reserved bacon drippings, mayonnaise, vinegar and basil and let dressing stand, covered, at room temperature.

In the same skillet over medium heat (there shouldn't be much bacon grease left), toss the bread pieces with the salt and pepper. Drizzle with the oil, continue tossing and cook over medium-low heat until golden brown.

In a large bowl mix together the romaine, tomatoes, bacon and croutons. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well.

Mrs. G's notes:   *I always freeze bacon, so instead of crumbling after cooking, I just cut it into pieces while it's still frozen and then fry it.

**This is really good served with warm French bread (which is also what I use to make the croutons) and a Shiraz wine. 

[IamMrsG]

I want to explain about the French bread we use so often.  I buy one baguette every week.  Once home, I cut it into 3 equal sections and freeze it inside the bag it comes in.  

When I need some for dinner, I take out a frozen section just as I begin to start preparing dinner.  Bread thaws quickly.  I dip the bread quickly into water, let it sit a few minutes to absorb the water, then bake it for 5 minutes in a preheated 375º oven.  We have a great bread knife and board -- the knife is actually a hacksaw blade inserted into a cherry handle, and is used only for slicing bread and is never in water.

For the croutons in this recipe:  When DH and I do not finish a section of bread, I hunker whatever is left into large pieces and freeze it.  Later, those hunkered pieces are what I use to make croutons.  You can fry them in garlic butter, bacon grease or in any flavored oil and herbs you prefer. 

Clear as mud?