Sun-Dried Tomato Caesar Salad

My new roommate Leslie LOVES to cook. I don't hate that. We got to talking about how a certain recipe looked super delicious and we wanted to make it, so we made it (I will post that next) AND also made this yummy salad from the same girl's blog. I have never had a salad quite like this before, but I really enjoyed it. I would make it again for sure.

Ingredients

Parmesan-crusted croutons
* 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 cups of 3/4 inch cubes of rustic bread

Sun-dried tomato dressing (yields about 1 cup dressing)
* 1/4 cup roughly chopped sun-dried tomatoes
* 1/2 cup grated parmesan
* 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 2 table spoons water
* 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
* pinch of sea salt
* 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Caesar Salad
* 2 or more small heads of romaine, halved or chopped
* Sprinkle of additional Parmesan
* Sprinkle of additional chopped sun-dried tomatoes

Instructions

1. If you are using tough, dried tomatoes, you'll need to soak them in boiling water until there're pliable, then pat them dry and continue with the recipe. Or you can get them from Trader Joe's that come soft and not too oily right out of the bag.

2. To make the croutons, preheat the oven to 400 degrees with a rack in the top of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix the olive oil, Parmesan and salt in a large mixing bowl until a paste is formed. Add the cubed bread and mix well with a spatula, until all the bread is coated. Turn the bread onto the prepared baking sheet and arrange in a single layer. Bake 10 minutes, then stir and put the croutons back into the oven until they are golden brown and crisp, up to 5 more minutes.

3. To made the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan, lemon juice, water, garlic and a pinch of salt in a food processor or high powered blender. Process for 1 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides if necessary. While running the machine, drizzle in the olive oil and blend for 10 more seconds. Don't worry if it;s not perfectly smooth, it will still taste delicious. Taste and add more salt and some black pepper, if desired. Set aside.

4. To assemble the salad, drizzle the dressing over your halved romaine or toss with your chopped romaine. Finish with croutons and sprinkle of parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes. Serve immediately.