Rice Salad

This is a very simple but lovely dish. Kids will especially like making their own salad by picking their favorite items.
Yield	6-8 servings
Time	30 minutes
Tools	large platter knife
Ingredients	5-6 large lettuce leaves (e.g., romaine), optional 2 c cooked rice ½ c corn kernels 1 c cucumber 1 c carrot 1 c green or red pepper, raw or roasted 1 c mild cheese (e.g., Monterey Jack)
Directions	Arrange the lettuce leaves so that they cover the platter. Mix the rice and corn and mound in the center. Slice, dice, or grate all the vegetables and cheese. Place half of the cucumber on one side of the platter and the other half directly opposite. Repeat with carrot, peppers, and cheese, so that you have colorful, alternating piles of food. Serve with your favorite dressing on the side.
Notes	This salad goes well with just about any dressing: vinegar and oil, ranch, etc. I like it with aïoli – the dish is so simple, and the aïoli brings all of the subtle flavors together.
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