Sometimes it's the presentation

I made a salad the other day and my husband really was wowed by it. I decided that the salad really wasn't so special but it was just presented in a way that created interest and looked really pretty.

It had all the regular ingredients of a grilled chicken salad. In reality it was pretty plain, but there was something nice about this salad. My theory is that people really like how food is presented. We are all used to some beautiful food in magazines and a chef can really make food into an experience. In fact, magazines hire food stylists to make sure those photos look great.

I am not saying that you should spend hours at each meal dressing up your food, but I do suggest you try to occasionally present dishes that make food special to family and guests, but especially your family. You are creating memories that will last a lifetime so some effort should be put forth on occasion. They might get tired of it every day but every now and then, it is a real treat.

To make this Cobb salad start by chopping all the ingredients and arranging them on a platter. A white or glass platter is a nice start. Arrange the chopped food and then provide a serving spoon. This is kind of like a build your own salad bar because if you don't like one of the item you don't have to get it.

I used tomatoes, finely chopped lettuce, cheese cubes, grilled chicken breast, chopped boiled eggs, green onions, cucumbers, bacon and avocado. Serve a choice of dressings -- a vinaigrette, honey mustard and ranch are good choices. Let everyone serve themselves and enjoy. This makes a great meal.