Transformation is no small event.

I’ve grown from the riches left in the soil

By the deaths of hundreds of thousands

Of life forms. You will never know

What loving liberation’s it took for me to become –

“Tomato”

This could be you? It’s 6:15 on a Saturday night. You don’t yet know what’s for dinner only that you are the one making it and that you have a pound of boneless chicken breasts thawed; ready to use. You are trying to be creative but you’ve just put in 6 hours doing household repairs and can’t think straight. Luckily your partner walks by and says, “I’m fine with a salad!”

Perfect answer. Cobb Salad with whatever else you can find in the refrigerator means you’ll eat dinner by 7:pm.

Cobb Salad was likely originated by an overworked chef who scrambled to feed himself after a late night shift. Will you bother to prepare the traditional boiled egg accompaniment?  Sure, they won’t take long. You dig through the refrigerator to discover the rest of the ingredients needed to make this a fast answer that’s bound to satisfy. No ham, fine, use bacon.

The point is, this meal won’t cost near as much as it would if you were to go out restaurant hunting and you have control over quantities and quality. Not to mention you can wear whatever you’d like to the table!

Cobb Salad – No Restaurant Run

Serves 3

1 lb                  Boneless chicken breasts, cut into 4 pieces

½ lb                Mixed salad greens

3 strips          Bacon, cooked, cut ½ inch pieces

1                      Tomato, cut bite-size

1                      Green onion, chopped

¼                    Red Bell pepper, slivered

8                      Kalamata Olives

1-2 oz             Cheddar cheese in chunks, grated Parmesan, or Bleu Cheese – crumbled

2                      Eggs, boiled and sliced

Optional:

1                        Avocado, chopped

1/2 cup            Red kidney beans, drained

1/2 cup            Croutons

Dressing:

½ cup              Mayonnaise

¼ cup              Red wine vinegar

¼ cup              Olive oil

1 tsp                  Basil

Salt & Pepper to taste

Place the chicken breasts in a sauté pan, cover with water, bring to a boil and turn to low. These will cook through within 10 minutes so watch closely. Cool and shred once cooked.

Combine salad dressing ingredients in a small jar and shake well. If dressing is too tart add more olive oil. Each mayonnaise has its own level of tartness creating a variable.

Boil eggs and cook the bacon if not already done. Prepare all other ingredients and layer in a glass bowl placing chicken on top.  Pass the dressing at the table.