Bottled dressing makes this salad a snap to toss together-warm, just-grilled croutons make it fun and a bit more special.

Start to Finish: 20 minutes

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Pinch cayenne pepper
Four 1/2-inch-thick slices country-style olive bread or country-style bread
10 cups torn romaine
2 cups grape tomatoes or pear-shape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup snipped crisp-cooked bacon (2 slices) (optional)*
1/2 cup bottled Caesar Salad dressing
1/4 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. In a small bowl combine butter, 3 tablespoons Parmesan, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Brush butter mixture over both sides of bread slices.

2. For a charcoal grill, place bread on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill 3 to 4 minutes or until golden and toasted, turning once halfway through grilling. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place bread on grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.) Cool slightly. Chop into 3⁄4-inch pieces.

3. In a large salad bowl place croutons, torn romaine, tomatoes, and bacon, if desired. Toss with Caesar dressing and sprinkle with 1⁄4 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Makes 8 side-dish servings.

* If desired, cook bacon in a cast-iron skillet on a charcoal or gas grill.

Per serving: 271 cal., 21 g total fat (7 g sat. fat), 24 mg chol., 384 mg sodium, 15 g carbo., 2 g dietary fiber, 6 g protein.

GRILLED ROMAINE VARIATION: For a fun alternative, grill the romaine first. Halve 3 romaine hearts lengthwise and brush with 2 tablespoons olive oil. For a charcoal grill, grill romaine halves, cut sides down, directly over medium coals for 4 to 6 minutes or until slightly charred and wilted. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place romaine on grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.) Cut grilled romaine into bite-size pieces and continue as directed in recipe.