Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Chopped Salad with Gorgonzola Cheese

Many restaurants, as least where I live, have added chopped salad to their menus. I don't know why chopped salad has suddenly become popular, but may be due to the fact that it goes with everything - beef, pork, chicken, and fish. Chopped salad can be a first course or a main course.

A few weeks ago I had chopped salad at a well-known Italian restaurant and it was fabulous. Could I make it at home? I bought the ingredients, chopped the vegetables, and refrigerated them. Then I made the dressing. Just before dinner I combined the ingredients in a large salad bowl, added the Gorgonzola cheese, and tossed the salad.

Here's my recipe and, if I say so myself, it's as good as the restaurant salad. To cut down on calories I dressed the salad lightly. If you want more double the salad dressing recipe. You may bring this salad to a picnic as long as you keep the ingredients cold. For an even heartier salad add some grilled chicken or steak. This salad tastes like a BLT sandwich without the bread. Make a lot because your family will gobble it up!

BACON, LETTUCE AND TOMATO CHOPPED SALAD WITH GORGONZOLA CHEESE

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup cooked pasta (tiny tube pasta or tiny shells)

1 2.8 ounce package of precooked real bacon pieces

1 large beefsteak tomato, seeded and chopped

1 small bunch of green onions and tops, chopped

1/3 cup (or more) of Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (You may also use Roquefort.)

2 cups iceberg lettuce, chopped

DRESSING:

2 tablespoons extra light olive oil

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Prepare salad ingredients, put them in separate plastic bags, and refrigerate. Make salad dressing and set aside. A few minutes before serving, combine the ingredients in a salad bowl, add the Gorgonzola cheese, the salad dressing, and toss gently. Makes 6 generous servings.

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Harriet Hodgson has been a nonfiction writer for 27 years and is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and the Association for Death Education and Counseling. Before she became a health writer Hodgson was a food writer for the former "Rochester Magazine" in her hometown of Rochester, MN. Her 24th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, MD, is available from http://www.amazon.com A five-star review of the book is posted on Amazon. You will find another review on the American Hospice Foundation website under the "School Corner" heading.