Spicy Italian Salad

Ingredients

• 0.5 cups canola oil
• 0.33 cups tarragon vinegar
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 0.5 teaspoons dry mustard
• 2 cloves garlic , minced
• 1 can artichoke hearts , 8 ounce
• 5 cups romaine lettuce - rinsed , dried, and chopped
• 1 red bell pepper , cut into strips
• 1 carrot , grated
• 1 red onion , thinly sliced
• 0.25 cups black olives
• 0.25 cups pitted green olives
• 0.5 cucumber , sliced
• 2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
• ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. 1

   In a medium container with a lid, mix canola oil, tarragon vinegar, sugar, thyme, dry mustard, and garlic. Cover, and shake until well blended. Place artichoke hearts in mixture, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator, at least 4 hours or overnight.

2. 2

   In a large bowl, toss together lettuce, red bell pepper, carrot, red onion, black olives, green olives, cucumber, and Romano cheese. Season with pepper. Pour in artichoke and marinade mixture; toss to coat.