What Is Your Ideal Homemade Salad?

[Pink Freud]

I make a salad at home that would feed a ballclub, so it's got a lot of schtuff:

75% of it is spring mix greens, then:
thin-sliced red onion;
julienne red cabbage;
chopped or torn Romaine;
grape or cherry tomatoes;
thin strips of 3 cheeses, like Swiss, Havarti, sharp Cheddar;
strips of cooked chicken, ham, or salami;
real bacon bits;
cold cooked pasta (penne or rigatoni);
shredded or chopped carrots;
a couple of artichoke hearts;
dried cranberries;
chunks of apple;
hard-boiled, chilled egg;
McCormick California Blend garlic pepper
Mrs. Dash Original seasoning mix
And any of the Ken's bottled Italian dressings

Lots of colors, tastes, textures, and flavor. What's yours?
 

[Voldemort]

I make a salad at home that would feed a ballclub, so it's got a lot of schtuff:

75% of it is spring mix greens, then:
thin-sliced red onion;
julienne red cabbage;
chopped or torn Romaine;
grape or cherry tomatoes;
thin strips of 3 cheeses, like Swiss, Havarti, sharp Cheddar;
strips of cooked chicken, ham, or salami;
real bacon bits;
cold cooked pasta (penne or rigatoni);
shredded or chopped carrots;
a couple of artichoke hearts;
dried cranberries;
chunks of apple;
hard-boiled, chilled egg;
McCormick California Blend garlic pepper
Mrs. Dash Original seasoning mix
And any of the Ken's bottled Italian dressings

Lots of colors, tastes, textures, and flavor. What's yours?
 

I took your list and changed a few things:

75% of it is spring mix greens, then:
thin-sliced red onion;
julienne red cabbage;
chopped or torn Romaine;
grape or cherry tomatoes;
mozzarella cheese
strips of cooked chicken, ham, or salami;
real bacon bits;
shredded or chopped carrots;
a couple of artichoke hearts;
dried cranberries;
chunks of apple;
Pepperchinos
Sunflower seeds
Crispy Croutons
And any of the Ken's bottled Italian dressings but I favor Balsamic Vinegret

[Charlie Smoke]

Bachelor Salad.

Ingredients:
1 head of iceberg lettuce.
Bottled salad dressing of your choice (chipotle ranch for me)

1) With a sharp serrated knife halve the head of lettuce
2) Pick up one half of the head of lettuce with your hand
3) Pour dressing over the half head
4) Stand over the sink and eat it....enjoy!

[Pink Freud]

The more I read about salads the more I deplore upscale joints that merely quarter a head of iceberg, plop it on a plate with one cherry tomato, call it a "wedge salad", and charge $10 for it.

Almost as bad as the downtown St. Louis Media Club atop the Laclede Gas Building, where I wasted two nightmarish months of my life during the 1994 holiday season serving the "Chef's Media Club Salad with Chef's Own Special Dressing".....which was Wishbone Light Italian. At least I learned how to make the genuine original Caesar Cardini salad tableside from scratch. Still no match for Rossino's to-die-for Caesar, which was the classic recipe with stalks of celery added to the blender for thickening.

Wondering what former Media Club manager from hell John S. is doing these days? Drowning puppies? Shooting bald eagles? Tripping old ladies at the top of the stairs?

[Bighorn66]

Can I quote a friend of mine and how he describes his favorite salad.

Cow eats salad. I eat cow. So, I eat salad.

[abuxb]

Then there's honeymoon salad, lettuce alone.

[stlbob234]

Bob’s Italian Salad

1 head Iceberg lettuce (chopped bite size)
2 bunches of Boston Butter lettuce (chopped bite size)
1 bunch of green onions (chopped – use entire bunch top & bottoms)
I small container of cherry tomatoes (sliced in half. Easier to eat)
I can artichoke hearts (drained and sliced)
1 small jar pimentos (drained)
½ cup spicy pepperoncinis (chopped, drained)
½ cup green olives (drained)
½ cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup diced pepperoni or Krakow
3 slices Provolone cheese (chopped small)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Dressing:

1 cup vegetable oil
⅓ cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp oregano

Preparation:

Place lettuce in button of a serving dish or bowl
Sprinkle green ions, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, pimentos, pepperoncinis, green olives, meat and cheese evenly over the lettuce
Spread Parmesan cheese, salt & pepper over the top
Cover and refrigerate until your ready to serve
Pour dressing the top and toss

[BobbyOrr]

Iceberg lettuce is water. No value.
So many better options that actually have great nutritional and antioxidant benefits .

[edwin drood]

Iceberg lettuce is water. No value.
So many better options that actually have great nutritional and antioxidant benefits .

Iceberg is a decent source of vitamins A and K as well as folate. Plus it adds nice flavor and wonderful texture, which is why it's so popular.

[SRV1990]

Iceberg lettuce is water. No value.
So many better options that actually have great nutritional and antioxidant benefits .

Iceberg is a decent source of vitamins A and K as well as folate. Plus it adds nice flavor and wonderful texture, which is why it's so popular.

But Bobby doesn't like it and what Bobby says is gospel.

[Pink Freud]

Iceberg lettuce is water. No value.
So many better options that actually have great nutritional and antioxidant benefits .

Iceberg is a decent source of vitamins A and K as well as folate. Plus it adds nice flavor and wonderful texture, which is why it's so popular.

And I still buy it for BLTs and to extend whatever backyard weeds comprise my beloved Spring Mix. I stop if I taste Roundup.

You know how to tell if a restaurant is using 3# commercially bagged salads, right? Those are vacuum-packed with nitrogen, which flattens the greens they've cut. Make those from scratch, cutting from the whole lettuce head, and note the difference in shape and bulk.