Note: This is a great dish to make ahead since it can be refrigerated for a day before serving.

To make the recipe even easier, I often buy real bacon already cooked and crumbled.

I have also used red and green peppers.

Once I had made the recipe several times -- and by now I've made it several dozen times -- I played around slightly with the proportions. For instance, I make sure the layer of shredded cheese covers the entire top of the salad because I like chese.

• 1 quart chopped lettuce
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• l/4 cup chopped green pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise and 1 Tbs. sugar, mixed
• 3 oz shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 slices bacon, fried, drained and crumbled

Layer ingredients in a 9 X 13 dish or tupperware-like container as listed in the order above. Cover and chill for 8 to 24 hours.

Bon Appetit! Suzanne Simmons   Suzanne's latest, You and No Other, is in bookstores now!