Easy Summer Salad

Summertime means fresh produce in our house.  I love using ripe fruit and vegetables in salads on warm summer days.  Adam would be happy to eat greens with a dressing for a salad, but I always like having a little something extra on there, so I usually top mine with fresh fruit, a few slices of cheese, and crispy croutons.  It makes for a great combo of crispy, sweet and salty!  Yum!    

Here in Lyon, we don't have an oven to make bread, so we run by the local bakery on our way home and eat the salad with a crusty baguette and some cheese.  Just the way I like it!  

Easy Summer Salad:

(makes a single serving, but easily can be multiplied for a larger crowd)

- 2 cups of Greens (Spinach, arugula, lettuce, etc)
- cheese wedges, slices or shreds (I used a French cheese called Carre, but you can use mozzarella,
  parmesan or even feta)
- 1/2 of an apple or pear, sliced
- homemade croutons (see recipe below)
- A drizzle of olive oil
- a few shakes of balsamic vinegar or another sweet dressing.  At home I often use this one and this 
  one (half or quarter this one.  It makes SO much dressing otherwise.  You will be eating it for
  weeks).

Put them lettuce or greens in a bowl, top with cheese, apple croutons and then drizzle olive oil and vinegar over the top, or drizzle with a sweet dressing.

Homemade Croutons:  

Small pieces of bread (cubed or torn)
1 Tbs olive oil
garlic powder
salt
pepper

Put oil in a frying pan.  Add the bread and push them around the pan until they are coated in oil.  Sprinkle garlic, salt and pepper over them to your satisfaction.  Let them cook until they being to get brown and crispy.