Layered Chef's Salad

Don't you love "pretty food"? Look at these beautiful colors together.
Tomorrow I am providing some food for a luncheon and I wanted to be able to take items that could be made ahead of time.

This Chef's Salad can be made the day before and then tucked away in the fridge to allow the ingredients to marinate.

First cook the barley and drain.

Saute the barley in butter and soy sauce until it's browned and beginning to pop.

Layer your ingredients in a clear sided bowl. I chose my trifle bowl because it will really showcase all the layers.

First the lettuce then the chicken.

Then peppers, barley, celery and carrots.

I love dill sauce. Spread the mayonnaise mixture to the sides and add the sliced eggs on top.

Add grated cheese and green onions on top. Place plastic wrap over the bowl and put in the refrigerator over night.

Now that summer is almost here, I hope this gives you a fun idea for a meal.

LAYERED CHEF'S SALAD

1 1/2 C. water

1/2 C. quick barley

1-2 tsp soy sauce

2 T. butter or margarine

4 C. lettuce greens, torn

2 C. ham and/ or Chicken, cooked and cubed

1 C. green, red, or yellow peppers, chopped

1/2 C. carrots, shredded

1 1/4 C. mayonnaise

2 T. prepared mustard

1 T. sugar

1 tsp. dill weed

2 eggs, hard- boiled

1 C. cheddar cheese, grated

1/4 C. green onion, sliced

Cook barley in boiling water, 1--12 minutes. Drain. In fry pan, saute barley in soy sauce and butter until browned and beginning to pop. Cool.

In a large clear serving bowl, layer lettuce, ham or chicken, peppers, barley, celery, and carrots. Combine mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, and dill weed. Mix well. Spoon mayonnaise mixture over top of salad, spreading to the edges of the bowl.

Slice eggs, and place over dressing. Sprinkle cheese and green onion on top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate several hours or over night.

Toss salad just before serving.