ROMAINE SALAD with BLUE CHEESE, BACON and RADISHES

Dear Bacon Fans,

I'm always on the fence about salads that are considered bacon salads because you add bacon to it. UGH. But, sometimes, I think that certain combinations do indeed taste a little better when you throw on the bacon.

So, thanks to the blog called the Bacon Show, I whipped up this delicious little salad last night. If you don't like blue cheese, don't even bother making this. I personally love blue cheese and so did my guest who got to indulge in my dish. However, my 18 year old son, felt differently.

We learned last night that he did not like the salad. In fact, he said, don't be offended mom, but what was in that salad? I said, "why?" He replied, "well, it tasted like vomit." I said to him that apparently he does not like blue cheese and people who don't like blue cheese often do refer to it as vomit.

But, don't let that stop you from making this delicious salad! It really was good.

So, let's get to it!

First, the list of ingredients:
1 tablespoon minced shallots
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
½ cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream
salt and freshly ground pepper
6 strips thick sliced bacon
3 (6-ounce) hearts of romaine
3 to 4 large radishes, sliced as thin as possible

Before we get to the mixing part, I just want you to know that I used Miracle Whip instead of Mayo. I know, I know.. but hey, i'm unemployed and it was what was in my fridge. It tasted just fine.

I also used the whole shallot and not just one tablespoon. The reason why is that I love shallots. I think they are so flavorful and one tablespoon hardly seemed enough.

So, after you mince up the shallot, place it in a small bowl and put your red wine vinegar in and mix well. You are going to let this sit for at least five minutes so that the vinegar softens the shallots. It's a wonderful thing... really.


Now, place your chunks of blue cheese in a bowl and add the mayo (or in my case the miracle whip). You will use a fork and do your best to really squish down that cheese into a fairly little chunky mixture.


Once five minutes or so has passed, you can now add the onion mixture into your mayo/blue cheese mixture


Stir and now you are going to add enough heavy cream to make it nice and creamy looking! I was generous and used at least three tablespoons.


Add some pepper. (Add salt if needed. Sometimes blue cheese is salty enough. In my case, I had to add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt)


Now, take your lettuce that you washed and tore into bite sized pieces (I didn't do that once and boy did I hear it from the boy!)


and your bacon that you cooked


and your sliced radishes


put it all together with your dressing! Yum!!


Would love to hear feedback!!