Surprise Salad

I love to occasionally tweak a plain and simple salad with some unexpected surprises.  Just like this salad here.  I was getting it together for a last minute dinner party that I was whipping out of no where, when I realized that I only had yellow onions in my pantry.  Nope.  Sorry.  That's not gonna work for me.  I always use red onion for cold salads.  I decided to improvise.  So, I started scanning the fridge for a substitute for the MIA red onion that I always have on hand, when my eyes scanned across the other half of my apple from breakfast (my new thing is to add a slice of apple on top of my cream cheese bagel).  Immediately I thought why not, and I probably "thought" this out loud.  I tend to talk to myself on a regular basis, occupational habit for most Moms, or at least that's what I'm gonna go with.  It was a perfectly ripened green Granny Smith apple.  I figured that it would give just about the same effect as the red onion: a splash of color, crunch, crispness and a bite of tartness.  And it did.  Perfectly.  If anything it enhanced the salad with it's bitter sweetness and has now made it into my Staple Add-Ins for my salads.  Just try it out and see.  It's delicious.

1 large head of iceberg lettuce (chopped)
1/4 cup of shredded Colby and Monterrey cheese
1/2 of a Granny Smith apple (diced)
1/2 of a green sweet pepper (chopped)
1/4 cup of baby portabella mushrooms (chopped)
1/4 cup of grape tomatoes (halved)
sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
dressing of choice

-Fill a trifle dish or a large bowl with the chopped lettuce.  Layer on the remaining ingredients in order and serve with dressings on the side.  Serves 6.  Enjoy!