Bakin’ With Bacon In Baconia

GREETINGS from the kitchen of Castle Baconia……I am your King but today I’m your CHEF!!!

Once a week I toss the royal chef out of the kitchen here in the castle and take over – he gets a day off and I get to share some bacon recipes with you.    Not a bad deal right?    Today’s recipe is – well – DIFFERENT.   You might see the ingredients and think “HUH?”  – has the King lost his marbles?    The answer is no.    It’s a salad with some unusual ingredients in it but what you get is something out of this world.   Sweet strawberries, salty bacon, tangy vinaigrette, cheese, crunchy nuts – WHAT’S NOT TO LIKE???????????????????

I will admit that this salad is particularly yummy in the summer but you can make it any time of the year – even if fresh strawberries aren’t available, frozen ones that have been thawed will work – they aren’t QUITE as tasty as fresh but they work.

So, are you ready?    Here goes!!!

 

Strawberry Bacon Salad

 

Ingredients:

• 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce (spinach is delicious too!)
• 1 pound strawberries, sliced
• 5-6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2/3 cup crumbled bleu cheese, or gorgonzola, or feta (I know lots of you don’t care for bleu cheese BUT the alternatives – especially feta – work great!!)
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette  (by the way, store bought honey balsamic vinaigrette is delicious so you don’t HAVE to make your own)

• 1/4 cup olive oil (I use extra virgin)
• 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. I make the vinaigrette first and like to keep in in the refrigerator until ready to use. It’s great for up to 2 weeks stored in the refrigerator. All you do is whisk all the vinaigrette ingredients together. Taste, then add salt and pepper as needed.
2. In a large bowl, toss all of the salad ingredients together, then mix in the vinaigrette. You may not need all the vinaigrette– use as much or little as you prefer.
3. Plate and serve.

 

See?  I told you that you might think this just doesn’t sound right but put these ingredients together in a bowl and – well – the flavor just explodes.

Yeah I feel like that too…………..!!!

No foolin’ – you HAVE to try this!   See you next week for another winning recipe!   

YOUR KING