I always struggle with trying to figure out ways to use all my garden bounty. I’m a real estate agent and I wish I had time to can, pickle and preserve. I even wish I had time to beg, plead and cajole my husband into digging me a root cellar but, alas, he works at Tractor Supply and only has time for the essentials. Such is the life of a homesteader who hasn’t transitioned to making a living entirely from the homestead. As soon as I make my first million at real estate (laugh out loud) my goal is to retire and do all the canning, preserving and pickling that my heart desires. In the meantime, however, this salad is a great way to use fresh produce!
Summer’s Almost Over Cobb Salad Recipe
4 servings
Grampa Artie’s Vinaigrette Ingredients
This is my go-to dressing; I never measure the ingredients in this recipe because I’ve made it for many years. I hope you feel emboldened to mix and match, taste and decide how you want yours to taste.
• 1 part vinegar (I personally love balsamic. It’s kind of sweet. I also love unpasteurized apple cider vinegar)
• 3 parts oil (I like extra virgin olive oil)
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon dried onion flakes
• 2 teaspoons prepared mustard (can be yellow, Dijon or any kind you like)
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar (I’ve been using 5 drops of liquid stevia)
• Salt and pepper to taste
Add all ingredients together and stir, process or whip well.
Salad Ingredients
Here again this is something you should feel free to experiment with. You could use tiny shrimp instead of chicken, for example. You could use crumbled tortilla chips to substitute for the bacon.
• 2 cups chopped lettuce (romaine, iceberg, green leaf, red leaf, whatever you have on hand)
• 2 cups boneless boiled chicken (try tossing it with 2 tablespoons of your favorite BBQ sauce before adding it to your salad)
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 15 ounces black beans (canned and drained or cooked from dried)
• 15 ounces corn (canned, or frozen and thawed, or cut from the cob and cooked)
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar, shredded Jack or crumbled goat cheese (try making your own!)
• 1 avocado, peeled and cubed
• 3 strips crispy bacon, crumbled or crumbled tortilla chips.
The lettuce goes into the bottom of the bowl. Arrange remaining ingredients in horizontal rows on top of lettuce. Serve dressing on the side.
