Great Minds

Great minds think alike. Well, at least Maggie (from Maggie Monday) and my mind were in synch.

I saw this recipe for a BLT Sandwich Salad. Not really any healthier for you, but an interesting variation on the theme. I made it one weekend for lunch and later that weekend I received a host of posts from Maggie for the next several months of Mondays. (When Maggie finally has time to cook and blog, I get a bunch at once). In there was a recipe for a BLT Bread Salad.

The bacon is savory, the dressing is creamy and the lettuce and tomatoes are nice and cool.

There are a couple of ingredients here you would not generally find in a BLT.

Toast up the croutons.

Prep the rest of your ingredients.

Lay out the bacon and flavor it with brown sugar and paprika.

Out of the oven.

Put it all together.

A meal in a bowl!

BLT Sandwich Salad

Prep Time: 25 m | Cook Time: 45 m | Makes: 4 to 6 servings | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

For the salad:

• 1 head romaine lettuce, thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 4 slices white bread
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

For the bacon:

• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed in a bag with a mallet
• 6 strips center-cut bacon
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme

For the dressing:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 4 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the lettuce, onion and tomatoes in a large bowl; set aside.

Meanwhile, cut the bread into crouton-size cubes. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and toast, tossing, until golden, about 6 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Make the bacon: Mix the brown sugar, paprika, lemon zest and crushed pepper in a small bowl. Add the bacon and press to coat on both sides. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; place the thyme sprigs on the parchment paper, then lay a strip of bacon on top of each sprig. Bake until the bacon is caramelized and crisp, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet. Cut the bacon into bite-size bits using scissors; add to the bowl with the lettuce. Discard the thyme.

Make the dressing: Whisk the mayonnaise, syrup, mustard and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Add the dressing to the salad and toss. (This is enough dressing for the whole salad, but you can use less if you want a less wet salad.) Sprinkle the croutons on top and eat.

Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sunny-anderson/blt-sandwich-salad-recipe/index.html