we'll call these our salad days

i don't mean to brag but. . .i have been making some of the best salads lately!

i love salad. not your iceberg lettuce, carrot, cucumber, bottled vinaigrette salad.

no. luscious, packed, fresh salads with different textures and flavors and delights.

my dad makes a mean caesar which rogray made for one of his 30 meals and it is at the top of my list but we're not talking about my dad. we're talking about me.

the first salad i am really enjoying right now is a simple "mexican" salad. it breaks down like this:

leafy lettuce (like romaine)
fresh, firm juicy tomatoes
raw corn right off the cob
black beans
red onion
avocado
shredded cheddar
1 lime
olive oil
salt and pepper

*chop up the lettuce, tomatoes, onion & avocado.
*slice the corn right off the cob -- no need to cook!
*rinse off those beans and dump 'em in th bowl.
*cut up that avocado and shower it with a squeeze from that lime and throw it on top of all that other stuff.
*go ahead -- sprinkle some cheddar on top of that
*give another squeeze of lime juice over the pile and drizzle with a light, citrus-y olive oil, salt & pepper and eat.

and if you want go ahead and serve it with some chips and salsa.

now for my "Company's Coming but I Don't Want to Cook them Anything" salad:

spinach & some mixed greens
beets
persian cucumber (oh they are the most cucumber-y cucumber)
artichoke hearts
fennel (any parts. fronds, bulb, both)
pear (i prefer bosc but i imagine any will do) or apple
walnuts (raw)
dried cranberries
parmesan
prosciutto -- if you want to get funky
dressing

*to make the beets wrap those suckers in foil and bake on 400 for 45 minutes then cool, peel and chop. tip: if you don't have gloves to wear while peeling and chopping and your hands get all lady macbeth on you don't you worry -- wash your hands with salt and that spot will come right off your gorgeous skin! no lie!
*chop everything up and throw it all together
*parmesan tip: use your veggie peeler on the block of cheese and you get nice thick shavings and feel like you are an expert chef ready for your own show on the food network
*dressing: i usually just use fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and salt & pepper but if i'm feeling up to it i throw a dash of sugar in a cup, add some white vinegar and dissolve the sugar in that, add a spoonful of dijon mustard, and finish it off with olive oil, and salt & pepper.

you will not regret these salads especially if it's hotter than jk's house when he's entertaining the ladies. . .hi-yo!!