Lady M

We love to cook. We love family recipes passed down from generations, we love exploring new recipes discovered on our favorite blogs and websites. And we really love pairing recipes with cake.

Strawberry Shortcake is our go-to slice this month. Something about this cake has June written all over it. Soft and lush. Elegant and inviting, like the first hums of summer, before the days get too hot. It's simple, with three main components (sponge cake, strawberries, whipped cream) and is much more than the sum of its parts.

To pair? This really good summer salad (which also has fresh strawberries!): Strawberries, Greens, and a Bacon Vinaigrette. This is easy to prepare, and the only actual cooking you need to do is pan fry the bacon till crisp. The salad is made extra special with a warm vinaigrette. The arugula leaves wilt ever so slightly from the heat of the vinaigrette. And the flavors of feta cheese, crumbled bacon, and strawberries complement one another neatly. Recipe below.

Strawberries, Greens, and a Bacon Vinaigrette

Ingredients
6 slices bacon
5 ounces baby arugula
1 shallot, minced
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
2 cups strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Steps
1. Panfry the bacon over medium heat till crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan, set aside to cool, and then crumble into small pieces. Pour out the bacon fat from the pan, leaving behind a tablespoon of the fat in the pan.  (This reserved fat will be used for the dressing.)
2. In a large serving bowl, combine the baby arugula with the sliced strawberries, feta cheese, and crumbled bacon. Set aside.

3. Heat the remaining bacon fat over medium heat (use the same pan you cooked the bacon in), and saute the minced shallots in the fat for two minutes (until slightly golden). Turn off the stove. Whisk the wine vinegar, honey, and dijon mustard into the pan.

4. Drizzle the warm dressing over the salad bowl with the spinach, strawberries, feta, and bacon. Toss and enjoy!

Notes
 - Feel free to substitute the arugula with a different green. We also like this salad with spinach and baby kale.
 - Trying to cut down on sugar? Recipe is still great without the honey. 

Enjoy!
 Lady M