In honor of Mother’s Day, I wanted to share a tradition from my Mother’s family. Here is my my Mom and I. Happy Mother’s Day Mom!

This salad has appeared at nearly every Hogan family gathering since long before I was born. And I’m sure it will be served for many more years to come. In the hands of the Hogan women, these simple ingredients are magically transformed into the tastiest salad. It’s old-fashioned, comfort food at it’s best. Believe me, there are NEVER any leftovers.

I call it the Secret Warm Bacon Salad because no one ever writes it down, you just learn how to do it, sometimes with more success than others. Now I am sharing the secret with you! Bonus: this salad will go with almost any meal you can dream up.

6 cups of your favorite salad greens – romaine or Boston work well

6 slices regular hardwood smoked bacon

1/2 cup large croutons

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

6 tablespoons white sugar

Place the chopped salad, shredded cheddar cheese and croutons in a large bowl together.

Cut the bacon into 1/2 inch pieces.Cook the bacon in a large skillet, on medium heat, until crispy. Remove the bacon and allow it to drain on a paper towel covered plate. Turn the burner to low, and stir the bacon drippings, carefully scraping the bacon bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the apple cider vinegar to the bacon drippings and stir – it will bubble up, this is normal. Then add the sugar and continue to stir until the sugar dissolves.

Now, this is the most important part: YOU HAVE TO TASTE IT. The thing is, all bacon is different. Some bacon is fattier or thicker than other leaner, thinner slices. This can easily change the amounts shown here. You are looking for a balance between the sweetness of the sugar and the tartness of the apple cider vinegar. If you think it’s too sour, add one more tablespoon of sugar. Too sweet, another dash of vinegar.

After tasting, sprinkle the bacon on the salad. Then pour the warm dressing over the salad and toss. It’s simplicity at its best. A few ingredients that add up to big flavor. Thanks Mom!