A Maggiano's [inspired] Chopped Salad

I am a moderate fan of the relatively large chain of Italian restaurants Maggiano's. I've mostly visited for special occasions and I've never had anything I've hated. One of my favorite dishes they serve has to be the chopped salad.

I don't really know how they managed to make something so simple  this delicious, but they did. It has everything I really want in a salad: tang, sweetness, creamy, crispy, and salty.

I searched the internet high and low, and decided this was the recipe I was going to try and replicate (Mainly because the author mentioned how he had called Maggiano's and they happily gave their recipe). I'm glad I picked it because it is just like the salad I remember so fondly.

I did however take a few liberties with the recipe by reducing the amount of sugar in the dressing and adding a chopped red onion and zucchini, but that's okay with a salad like this. You can really take something so simple and make it extra personal by adding (or omitting) ingredients.

I apologize for being too lazy to photograph every single step, but definitely check out the recipe here.

Simple Summer Salad

Too often during a California summer I have nights where the mere idea of turning on the grill or stove is just too much extra work for dinner. Salads in the summer are an easy option and are quick to prepare without having to use the stove, which might increase the risk of elevating the temperature of an already hot room.

My parents make this salad all the time in the summer, but I lightened up the dressing by replacing most of the mayonnaise in the dressing with 0% non-fat greek yogurt.

This salad has just what it needs to be good but without going overboard with crazy additions. Fresh butter lettuce, refreshing spring onions, a cold hard boiled egg, heirloom tomatoes, and an english cucumber.

Ingredients: 

Head of Butter Lettuce
1 Hard boiled egg
1 Cucumber
1-2 Scallions
1 Lemon
1 Tomato cut into wedges
1/2 tbsp Mayonnaise
2 tbsp 0% non fat greek yogurt

For the dressing:
serves 1

In a bowl mix together 2 tbsp of greek yogurt, and 1/2 tbsp mayonnaise. Squeeze fresh lemon juice to taste. (Roughly 1/2 a lemon)

Drizzle dressing over the salad, enjoy!