Chopped Salad with Barbecue Ranch Dressing

• 4 strips thick-sliced bacon
• 2 eggs
• Kosher salt
• 1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed
• 1 cup chopped seedless cucumber
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
• 1 cup orange (or red or yellow) grape or currant tomatoes, halved
• 4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
• 1 large head romaine lettuce, trimmed (see note) and chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons Neelys Barbecue Sauce (page 25)
• 2 teaspoons apple-cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Neelys Barbecue Seasoning (page 22)
• 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 3/4 teaspoon dried dill
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• (makes 1 1/2 cups)

1. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, then transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to cool.
2. Bring a small saucepan of water to a gentle boil.
3. Carefully place the eggs in the water, and simmer for 9 minutes.
4. Drain the eggs, and rinse in cold water until cooled (the centers should still be a bit creamy).
5. When the eggs are cool, peel and thinly slice them.
6. Bring a large skillet of water to a boil.
7. Add a generous pinch of salt, and blanch the asparagus until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
8. Drain the asparagus, and then shock it in ice water to stop the cooking process.
9. Drain and set aside.
10. You can serve this salad two ways.
11. For the more traditional presentation, toss all of the salad ingredients with the dressing in a large bowl, and then divide among individual plates (be sure you distribute all the goodies evenly, or people will complain!).
12. For an even prettier presentation, arrange the cucumber, onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, blue cheese, sliced eggs, and asparagus in rows, separated by color, atop the romaine lettuce on a rectangular platter or in a large, shallow serving bowl.
13. Crumble the cooked bacon over the top, and serve the salad with Barbecue Ranch Dressing (recipe follows), allowing guests to dish up their own salad with a knife and fork on chilled individual plates.
14. Season with pepper.
15. Whisk the garlic, mayonnaise, buttermilk, and Neelys Barbecue Sauce together in a medium bowl.
16. Add the vinegar, Neelys Barbecue Seasoning, onion powder, dill, chives, and parsley, and whisk until smooth.
17. Cover and chill for 1 hour to allow flavors to meld.

bacon, eggs, kosher salt, fresh asparagus, cucumber, red onion, yellow bell pepper, orange, blue cheese, head romaine lettuce, freshly ground black pepper, garlic, mayonnaise, buttermilk, barbecue sauce, applecider vinegar, onion powder, dill, fresh chives, parsley

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/chopped-salad-with-barbecue-ranch-dressing-375293 (may not work)