BLT Salad

Hot summer days make me not want to cook dinner.  I mean nothing.  Thankfully, I found this recipe for a BLT Salad as a part of a cooking class I taught.  The theme was Summer Entertaining, and this salad had us all swooning.   The recipe is adapted from Williams-Sonoma Cooking Together, by Erin & Tatum Quon.  It is fantastic. 

Recently the guys had Poker Night with beer and dips, and I made my BBQ Chicken Dip for Mr. Preppy to take.  The girls had salads and wine and a new game (no Bunco in the summer), Telestrations.  Which is perfect for a group of 8.  It's like Pictionary and telephone.  The best part is you can carry on conversations while playing, an important fact when 8+ women are together.   I made the salad with Greek Yogurt instead of sour cream for the ladies, and they loved it.  It is fantastic as written though.  I love a recipe that allows you to add and subtract based on your tastes and your diners.  I made it for dinner one night and cooked more bacon, as that was all Mr. Preppy was getting for dinner.  He has asked for it again, and again.  You can change out the bread if you like, whole grain, sour dough, whatever. I especially love it with chunks of avocado.  No rules.

BLT Salad

8 bacon slices, cut into bite sized pieces
1 baguette, cut into cubes
2 T olive oil
1/2 cup sour cream
2 T lemon juice
2 T grated Parmesan Reggiano
1 t salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 head romaine lettuce chopped (lettuce kind of scrawny, so I used a lot more)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

Cook the bacon either stove top or oven, which ever method you prefer. Drain and pat the grease off.  Spread the bread on baking sheet and drizzle with oil.  Toss to coat.  I also toss a little of the bacon grease on there.  It gives bacon essence to the croutons. Bake at 400˚ for about 10 minutes, until browned and crispy.

In a blender, mix the sour cream. lemon juice, Parmesan, salt and garlic.  Puree until smooth.  Adjust the seasoning if desired.  In a large bowl, toss the lettuce, croutons and tomatoes with the bacon and dressing to coat.  Serve immediately.

So, what are you waiting for?  Get in there and cook!