foods from my childhood

This may seem hard to believe, but for about a year or so my dad (when he was about 28) was a bit of a house husband in that he did most of the cooking -- and even the laundry (but that's another story for another time). One of his favorite dishes was this Italian salad. It really wowed guests.

I recreated (and updated) it for B, and now it is known as salad-ala-dad (he liked all the "a's", "l's" and "d's" too). It is essentially a deli sandwich in a bowl. Enjoy!

salad-ala-dad

* * * * * * * * * * * * i n g r e d i e n t s * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
your favorite lettuce mix (we won't tell if you use the bagged kind)
salt & pepper to taste
red onion, finely chopped (about 1/4 of a small onion per person)
boiled ham (about 1/2 slice per person)
Swiss cheese (about 1/2 slice per person)
thinly sliced salami (about 2 slices per person)
cucumber slices, tomatoes, and/or radishes (if desired)
your favorite vinaigrette (from a bottle is okay -- Seven Seas was what was used in the original)
croutons (recipe follows)
a bowl with a lid
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Place washed and dried lettuce in bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover bowl and shake until combined.

Tear ham, cheese, and salami into bite size pieces and add to bowl along with onions, remaining vegetables and croutons. Cover bowl and shake until well mixed.

Now add your dressing, and again cover and shake. You may want to add a little bit at a time and repeat until you have the proper amount of dressing. You do not want to add too much, or you will have a soggy salad!

croutons

* * * * * * * * * * * * i n g r e d i e n t s * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
leftover baguette or other crusty bread, cut into cubes
1-2 TBSP olive oil
salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Preheat over to 300 degrees.

Put bread chunks in a bowl with a lid. In a separate small bowl or plate combine the oil and spices.

Add the oil mixture to the bowl, seal, and shake.

Place the bread on a baking sheet and bake for 8 - 10 minutes, or until light brown.

Let cool before adding to your salad.

Other tips: I like to make croutons from leftover bread while I am cleaning up. Stick the bread in the oven, and by the time you've got the dishwasher loaded, you've got croutons! Store in an airtight container, and they should last for several days (unless you know who finds them, and well, you know what happens).

And, of course, for best results, serve your salad on chilled plates with chilled forks (10 minutes in the freezer should do the trick). If you stick them in before you go to make the salad, they should be ready by the time you are finished.