favorite chopped salad

i have been making this chopped salad for years.

and everyone seems to love it. 

i haven't taken it anywhere that someone hasn't requested the recipe.

SO, here it is :)

my GO-TO chopped salad.

that's perfect as an entree or an appetizer

and one that is endlessly versatile.

modified from this cookbook that 

has sat in my mother's kitchen for years

this recipe makes 4 dinner size salads,

or roughly 6 appetizer salads.

it also saves well for days (see tips below).

salad ingredients

1 head romaine lettuce, chopped

i only had arugula on hand

1 package cherry tomatoes, sliced lengthwise

2 peppers (red, orange, yellow or green)
i like to use orange and yellow to add more color

1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed

1 cup diced dry italian salami
i have also used spicy and peppered salami

1 cup diced smoked turkey breast

1 cup diced mozzarella

1/4 cup chopped basil

1/4 cup chopped green onion

dressing ingredients

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

directions

1. in a large bowl, combine tomatoes, peppers, garbanzo beans,
salami, turkey breast, mozzarella, basil and green onion, and mix gently.

2. in a small bowl, whisk all dressing ingredients until combined.

3. pour most of the dressing over the salad and stir gently.
it should be completely coated but not drenched.

4. place large handful of romaine in your serving dish and
top with a couple large scoops of your chopped mixture.

5. enjoy!

unless i plan to consume the entire salad in one sitting, i always keep my lettuce
and my chopped salad mixture with dressing separate so it doesn't get soggy.
the salad keeps well for days and i just keep adding it to lettuce as i eat it.
also, it's amazing without lettuce as well :)

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