Following up on yesterday’s post on the simply stunning holiday centerpiece made from basic holiday ornaments, candles, and a serving tray, is another fun entertaining trick I shared with SavvyEntertainer.com: Caesar Salad Crudités.

I regularly serve this at my parties because it’s fresh, light, extremely easy to make, and very pretty on the table.

While I do include a great Caesar Salad Dressing from NYC’s Gotham Bar & Grill in my book The Last-Minute Party Girl: Fashionable, Fearless and Foolishly Simple Entertaining (yes, a plug, but at least it’s contextual), for this presentation I like to go muc creamier.

When I’m pressed for time and don’t want to make the dressing myself, I call a local deli that makes a mean Caesar and beg them to sell me a pint of readymade dressing. The extra step makes all of the difference, since I haven’t found a bottled option that I love.

But no matter! Regardless of how you make this, people are bound to be impressed that you went beyond a ho-hum platter of carrot sticks and broccoli florets.

Enjoy!

Caesar Salad Crudités
Get guests excited about this year’s veggie platter with a deconstructed version of a popular salad.

4 large hearts of Romaine lettuce
1 bottle of creaming Caesar dressing
1 large shallow bowl or glass plate
1 small bowl for dressing
1 box breadsticks or cheese sticks
1 tall glass

Separate lettuce leaves and layer them like the petals of a dahlia in a large, shallow bowl, with the largest leaves on the outside and the smallest on the inside. Fill a small bowl with dressing and place it in the center of the “flower.” Arrange breadsticks or cheese sticks in a glass next to the salad. Encourage guests to enjoy the ultimate crudités.

Erika Lenkert

Technorati Tags: caesar salad, holiday, appetizer, easy, elegant, fast, romaine, crudites, chic, entertaining

Love This Story? Buzz It Up Here!

Stumble It! Save to del.icio.us Digg Email Facebook