Chef Salad and Homemade Croutons

Sometimes you just want something super healthy, like salad.  But if you have a husband like mine, they think it's only dinner if there's meat in it.  That's why I only get away with salad as the entire dinner if I put plenty of meat on top.  I'm sure everyone knows how to make a salad, but I'm just showing a tasty way to put yours together.  Replace vegetables you don't like with ones that you do like.  This salad is budget friendly and healthy.  Who said you can't afford to eat healthy?
 Here's how I make it:

Red leaf lettuce (1 head) $1.19
Cucumbers (1) $0.59
Carrots 1/2 cup $0.10
Tomatoes (2) $1.01
Hard boiled eggs (6) $0.78
Cheddar Cheese (about 4 oz) $1.12
Chicken cooked (about 3/4 lb) $1.49
Homemade croutons (french bread, olive oil, salt, pepper & crushed red pepper) $1.08
Bacon Bits or cooked bacon (optional)
Dressing (if you pay about $2 for a 24oz bottle of dressing then each TBSP costs you about 4 cents)


Total Cost $7.36 (not including dressing or bacon), makes 6-8 servings

*The first thing I do is boil the eggs.  Place eggs in a pot, cover with cool water and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, place lid on the pot, turn off stove and let sit 20 minutes.  Cool and peel.
*Next, cook the chicken.  I used 2 chicken breasts, sliced them in half to make them thinner, and seasoned with salt and pepper and cooked in a skillet with about 1 TBSP olive oil until browned on each side.

*To make the croutons, dice the day old french bread (I used half a loaf) into size you want, place on a pan covered with aluminum foil (for easy cleanup) and drizzle with olive oil (enough to get a little on each piece of bread) and sprinkle with salt, pepper & crushed red pepper flakes.  Cook in a 400 degree oven about 10-12 minutes or until nicely browned.

*Now just prepare the rest of the salad.  Wash, dry and chop the lettuce, slice carrots, dice tomatoes, cucumbers and cheese, peel and slice the eggs and slice the chicken.  Layer everything into a large bowl and top with your choice of dressing and the homemade croutons.  These croutons really ARE amazing!  YUM!