I just tried this out on my guinea pigs… errr… girlfriends, last night. It totally killed! I wanted to serve some sort of snack but I wanted to start with items that were already in my pantry instead of hitting the store for every single ingredient. My base ingredients were a can of corn, a can of sliced beets and an almost whole baguette. I decided on a bruschetta style salad.

Off to the grocery I went! My job as a stylist takes me to Whole Foods nearly every day. Their produce is very beautiful and they have a unique variety of items that aid me in doing my job. As a result of these frequent trips, I’ve become friends with some of the employees. Not just “hey, how’s it going?” friendships either. I actually have become friends on a deeper level with some and have gathered socially. The gals in the “Specialty Foods” department are among my favorites. They have a deep knowledge of cheese, cured meats and a menagerie of other delectable items… did I mention the cheese? Yeah, I really respect that. My girls, Mapuana, Misty and Stacy are SO knowledgeable about their product. I started the sentence with “I need a cheese for a salad. I’m going to use corn, beets…” and I was cut off when Stacy shouted out “Ricotta Salata!” and then turned to Misty and said, “Am I right?” Of course Misty confirmed and no questions asked, I bought it.

I picked up a few m ore ingredients and was ready to make my “salad”.

You will need the following:

* 15oz can of whole kernel corn

* 1/2 a 15oz can of sliced beets, chopped

* 1 avocado, diced

* 1 cup chopped tomatoes (1 whole tomato, a handful of cherry tomatoes… whatever you’ve got)

* 1/2 cup crumbled ricotta salata (or any cheese crumble you like. Bleu would give it a nice tang)

* A handful of chopped fresh basil

Place all ingredients in a bowl and toss with dressing.

For the Dressing

* 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

* 1/4 olive oil

* 2 table spoons dijon mustard

* 3 table spoons honey

Add all ingredients to a mason jar and shake vigorously until combined.

Slice up a crusty baguette and spoon your salad over your bread. Enjoy it in the same way you would enjoy bruschetta. This salad is beautiful and delicious and is certain to impress your guests.