FAREWELL SWEET JUNE ~ 'SIMPLE PLEASURES' ON A QUIET SUMMER'S EVE' (GRILLED ROMAINE with BLUE CHEESE-BACON & BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE)

“God Almighty first planted a garden; and, indeed, it is the purest of human pleasures.”

~ Francis Bacon

Purple Coneflower

(Echinacea purpurea)

GRILLED ROMAINE with BLUE CHEESE-BACON & BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

~ Excellent summer salad slightly adapted from Guy Fieri (Food Network). Trust me, this will be a repeat!

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4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 cup chopped red onion

1/2 lb. bacon

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

3 Heads romaine lettuce, cut in 1/2 lengthwise

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

freshly ground black pepper to taste

• Cook bacon in sauté pan until crispy. Remove, blot grease, and crumble. Set aside.
• Drain grease but do not clean pan. Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil and sauté onion until soft and caramelized. Add balsamic vinegar hand heat to boiling, scraping brown bits from bottom. Remove from heat.
• Brush romaine lettuce with remaining 2 Tbsp. of olive oil, place on gill cut side down, and quickly sear.
• Serve lettuce, cut side-up, and drizzle the balsamic dressing over the lettuce. Sprinkle with blue cheese, cracked pepper, and garnish with crumbled bacon. (6 servings)

Note: Original recipe called for sautéing bacon with the onion. I prefer the crumbled crisp bacon on top instead of in the dressing.

Rose (June Flower of the Month)

'Carefree Beauty' Shrub Rose

White Coneflower

(Echinacea 'Big Sky')

Monarda didyma

(bergamont, scarlet beebalm, scarlet monarda, Oswego tea, crimson beebalm)

JUNE GARDEN