Annie's Tossed Salad

When I was growing up, a salad consisted of a few pieces of lettuce in a small bowl and a tad of salad dressing. As an adult, it has become so much more. I love salad. Especially freshly tossed salad.

My salad has become a signature dish of my kitchen. It is so easy, so quick, so yummy. People have asked me for years what I put into it, so I thought I would share the recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do…..

Annie’s Tossed Salad

• Grab a large bowl. I like to use a pretty bowl for my salad. My belief is that if company is worth the pretty dishware, so am I.
• Chop up half of a head of lettuce. I use iceberg or romaine, or sometimes a mixture of the two if I am feeling saucy.
• Dice a tomato ( I try to use vine ripe from the grocery this time of year. They have a bit better taste-of course nothing compares to one straight out of your garden, but still-you can also hang the vine ripe tomatoes up, giving them a much longer life.)
• Dice half of a cucumber (if you have it. I do this is the summer when I can get one fresh from the garden. I don’t in the winter when they are priced sky high in the grocery and taste like packing peanuts.)
• Chop 1 carrot
• Peel and dice two hard boiled eggs (I keep a bowl of them in the fridge at all times. Great for a quick breakfast or snack as well.)
• Handful of dried cranberries
• Handful of bacon pieces
• Handful of grated cheese
• Throw all of the above into the pretty bowl
• Give your salad a good shake of the following….
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Freshly ground oregano

Toss all ingredients together, the chill for 15-60 minutes. You need to give it at least 15 minutes so that the salad ingredients get to know each other and become friends. You do not want to go past 60 minutes or the lettuce will soon grow tired of its new found companions and start to wilt.

Right before you serve your salad, toss it again. You may serve it with, or without dressing. I have found that the spices give it a fabulous flavor and the salad can stand on its own.

If you are looking to cut back on calories, just omit the bacon and cheese. I have used this salad as a chef’s salad, a cobb salad, and a side salad. Be creative, throwing in your favorite fresh veggies, nuts and spices.

While winter rears its ugly head and the snow blankets the garden plot, it is nice to have a sweet reminder of the promise of the coming spring and the warmth of summer,  all mixed into a delicious and healthy salad.

~Annie