Ingredients

1 cup Lundberg Family Farms Wild Blend Rice

½ pound mixed mushrooms (button, cremini, shittake), sliced

3 tsp. dried thyme, divided

1½ tsp. pepper, divided

½ cup Gorgonzola cheese

2 tsp. olive oil

16 (½-inch thick) slices French baguette bread

¾ cup olive oil and balsamic vinegar salad dressing

2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

8 cups mixed gourmet salad greens

½ cup broken walnuts, toasted

Preparation

Cook rice according to package directions; set aside to steam.

While the rice is steaming, heat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the Gorgonzola, olive oil, ½ tsp. of the pepper, and half of the thyme; spread onto the bread slices. Bake on a baking sheet until edges are browned, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk salad dressing and mustard together. Toss salad greens with enough dressing to coat them and divide among 4 serving dishes.

Stir mushrooms and remaining thyme and pepper into the rice; Spoon into the center of the plated salad greens and garnish with walnuts. Arrange bruschetta around the edges of the rice salad or spoon greens and rice atop the brushetta.

Recipe courtesy of:

Julie DeMatteo

Clementon, New Jersey