Cari's Vintage Kitchen: Cobb Salad

I have often strolled through the produce section of my local grocery store, coming across a plastic tub with old hard-boiled eggs, imitation bacon-bits, and watery ham chunks; piled on top of a bed of wilted lettuce. They call it a "Cobb Salad". If my description wasn't off-putting enough, keep in mind that the store often charges WAY more than the salad is worth, and if the salad goes on sale, it's because it is nearing its expiration date. Salad should be fresh- that's why it's so good for us. Fresh ingredients are the star of my version of Cobb Salad. Feel free to change up the proteins and toppings to the salad.

Ingredients:

Head of Romaine lettuce

1 Avocado

3 Hard-boiled eggs

6-7 mini fresh mozzarella balls (found in the olive bar of your grocery store)

1 C. Cherry tomatoes, halved

3 slices bacon

1 Tbsp. Olive oil

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 375. Coat bacon in oil and season with black pepper. Bake for 10 minutes. Cut into small pieces.

2) Slice three hard-boiled eggs neatly with a sharp knife.

3) Neatly slice tomatoes in half.

4) Neatly slice mini mozzarella balls.

5)Dice avocado into cubes.

6) Slice romaine lettuce finely. Wash and shake dry in a colander or strainer.

Arrange:

1) Put romaine lettuce in a serving bowl, and level out the top.

2) Starting at one end, arrange mozzarella in a column.

3) Next, arrange tomatoes.

4) Arrange hard boiled egg slices. You will likely have to overlap or double stack the egg slices. Try to keep the yolk intact for presentation.

5)Next arrange avocado.

6) Last is the bacon.

Presentation is key! We eat with our eyes first! As a general rule, put what you have the most of in the middle- it has more room to fit all the ingredients. If you only have a little cheese, or a little bacon, put those on the end!

Serve this salad with the dressing of your choice. I like to use "Good Season's Italian dressing", because my grandmother has been using it for years. The taste is far superior to regular bottled Italian dressing. It can be found in the salad dressing isle, but is sold in a small packet, and you add your own vinegar, oil, and water. I highly recommend using extra virgin olive oil for any homemade salad dressing.

If you want to go the extra mile...

Coat a few slices of French baguette or Italian bread in the left over oil used to cook the bacon. Then, cook under the broiler for NO MORE THAN ONE MINUTE PER SIDE! Seriously... watch the bread. Mine burnt a little around the edges in a matter of 10 seconds.

This serves 3 people as a dinner, and four as a lunch.