The Best Caesar Salad Ever

I didn't find the cord but I did figure out a way to get some halfway decent pictures straight from the memory card.

This recipe popped up in my Reader a while back and I've had my eye on it ever since. Mr. Shoe suggested having caesar salad with our garlic chicken and I immediately volunteered this recipe.

Now, I feel the need to make a couple notes about when you should NOT make this recipe:

1. Do not make when company comes over. You will want to lick the bowl and eat with your hands and it's just not a pretty combination.
2. Do not make when you are trying to keep your kitchen clean. I think I used every single bowl we own. It made quite a mess but was totally worth it.
3. Do not make when your husband is starving. He will eat all your croutons. And then you might have to kill him.

Otherwise, make this every single night for the rest of your life.

INGREDIENTS:
2 romaine hearts, separated into whole leaves & washed
4-6 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 c + 5 T olive oil, separated
2 1/2 T mayonnaise
2 T lemon juice (we used 1 T red wine vinegar)
1/4 t Worcestershire
1/2 loaf french bread cubes
Salt & pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese

Separate and wash your lettuce. Set aside.

Put your garlic cloves in a blender or small food processor. Pulse a couple times. Add in 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Pulse for a good 30 seconds.

Get a small bowl and a sieve or some type of other mesh kitchen utensil and separate the minced garlic from the garlic oil. Set both aside. You'll use them later.

In another bowl, whisk your mayonnaise, red wine vinegar (or lemon juice), worchestire and 1/2 of the minced garlic until well combined. Die from happiness because it's the best thing you've ever tasted in your life. Then set aside.

(If you end up doubling the dressing like I did, you'll use the other half of the garlic. If not, I guess you can throw it out but that would be a shame.)

Slice and cut your bread into 1-inch cubes. Place in a large bowl and drizzle with the garlic oil. Add a large pinch of salt and toss together to coat.

In a large skillet, toast them until they are golden brown. Put back in the bowl and set aside. (these could be a meal in themselves.)

It's FINALLY time to put all this together.

Take your lettuce, put it in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Toss to coat. Drizzle your dressing over the lettuce and again...toss to coat. Throw in your warm croutons and grate some parmesan cheese on top.

Serve in whole pieces and eat with your hands.

VERDICT:
Let me state for the record that I don't normally care for caesar salad. No real reason, it's just not something I crave.

But this caesar salad has changed my life! The red wine vinegar gave that dressing such a lovely punch of flavor. And the homemade croutons are the way to go. We seriously could have just eaten those for dinner.

This was fantastic and easy and you should make it as soon as possible!

And I take back #1. You should definitely make this for company. Maybe just cut up your lettuce so it's more fork friendly and you don't look like you are reverting back to caveman days.

SOURCE:
The Pioneer Woman