Wedge Salad with Home Made Bleu Cheese Dressing

Ah, a classic from "back in the day". By that I mean a salad that was popular in the 1950's and 1960's. The Wedge Salad simply being a wedge of what many consider to be the blandest of lettuces (Iceberg) that is topped with bleu cheese dressing and bacon pieces are often served with it. I actually love Iceberg for it's crunch.

History repeats itself and often food history does as well. Many chefs take the "classics" and put a new twist on them. You really don't need to mess with this simple salad other than as my niece did on Christmas day add some sides (bacon was included) for people to choose from.

Iceberg is mostly water (as are many vegetables) but it has its qualities. For instance there is NO FAT. It is also a good source of Thiamin, Vitamin B6, Iron and Potassium, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate and Manganese.

However, the dressing does have fat! So there goes the diet theory for at least one meal. But one has to splurge somewhere don't they? And, my home made bleu cheese dressing is the star of this dish. In fact this dressing is so good it should have its own star on the salad dressing walk of fame. Very simple to put together - one bowl, no complicated steps.

• 1-8 oz. bar cream cheese-room temperature
• 1 cup half and half
• 1/2 lb. crumbed blue cheese
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 cups good mayonnaise (I recommend Hellmann's)
• 1 heaping tbsp. granulated garlic
• Salt to taste

Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and blend with a hand held mixer.

$11.75 for the cost to make the dressing. The good thing is, it makes a lot of dressing that can be stored in a lidded container, or a mason jar for around 10 days to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. This recipe has lemon juice in it which means the acidic quality will help preserve it along with the preservatives in the mayonnaise. Try also to use fresh and not close to out of date half and half to aid in the preservation. Salt is also a preservative.