SPINACH SALAD WITH BACON, MUSHROOMS AND
CREAMY BLUE CHEESE DRESSING

SERVES 4

I do love spinach, especially in salads. This recipe combines some tomatoes, mushrooms, bacon, hard-cooked eggs and blue cheese, all of which complement spinach so well. It is intended to be served as a side salad with a meal, but you can easily add more of the extra ingredients and it would make a light and refreshing main course for lunch or dinner. The blue cheese dressing makes more than you will need for this salad. You can either halve the ingredient amounts or refrigerate what remains for a salad on another day.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound fresh spinach, preferably flat-leaf, cleaned, dried and chilled
• 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 8 slices bacon, fried crisp, drained on paper towels, and broken into bite-sized pieces
• 8 ounces fresh button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 or 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• 3 hard-cooked eggs, sliced or chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing (see recipe below)

Place the spinach in the bottom of a large salad bowl or platter. Layer the other ingredients in rows or circles on top of the spinach. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour a little of the dressing on top in the middle and around the edges. Toss just before serving, passing remaining dressing for those who so desire. This is also very nice presented on individual salad plates with the tomatoes and eggs sliced and just a drizzle of dressing on top.

CREAMY BLUE CHEESE DRESSING

• 1 pint sour cream (can use reduced-fat)
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh onions
• 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh garlic, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon milk (optional)
• 8 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

Combine first six ingredients; beat well. Add the milk if you want a slightly thinner dressing. Stir in the blue cheese. Taste for seasoning. Use immediately or cover and refrigerator for up to three days.

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