We have a lot of fun at the track. As I have mentioned many times, people on our team go on and off diets throughout the year, including me. Roy Simons, the crew chief, happens to be one who watches his carbohydrates. It was Roy’s birthday when we were in Atlanta. I wanted to make him something special, but I knew that I had better stay away from the desserts. There are some low-carb desserts, but I know the way to Roy’s heart. So I made him a roast-beef salad for his birthday cake. Roy loved the idea.

Roy: You are a great guy! I hope that you had a happy birthday, and I hope that you and Cheri have a great year together. (And you know I may be older than you, but I will always look younger!) Love ya!

Ingredients
1 cup shredded lettuce
5 ounces roast beef (I used filet mignon)
1 ounce spicy, chopped pickle
2 hot, pickled peppers
1 ounce fontinella cheese, broken into pieces
As needed, thinly sliced red onion
To taste, ground Tellicherry pepper
To taste, salt
Dressing (see below)

Procedure
Place the lettuce in the center of a plate.
Sprinkle the lettuce with salt.
Layer the roast beef over the lettuce.
Arrange the pickle, peppers, fontinella, and red onion around the plate.
Sprinkle with pepper.
Add dressing.

Procedure for dressing
Mix the following ingredients:
2 tablespoons French onion dip, such as Heluva Good
1 tablespoon mayonnaise, such as Kraft
1/2 teaspoon spicy brown mustard, such as Gulden’s
1/2 teaspoon red-pepper sauce, such as chipotle Tabasco
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Enjoy.