Caesar Salad is something you can always make on the fly if you keep the ingredients on hand. Look for anchovies in a jar instead of in a tin: you can see what you're getting. They have a nicer texture and flavor, and they're more convenient to keep in the fridge. Plus you get the cute little jar.

2 anchovies
3 large cloves of garlic
1 egg yolk
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Dijon mustard (not coarse)
salt (I use coarse Kosher) & freshly ground black pepper
juice of half a lemon
1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil
1 - 2 hearts of Romaine, chopped, or one bag of chopped
about 1/2 cup coarsely grated Romano
1/2 cup to 1 cup good quality store-bought or homemade croutons

Heat oven to 350°. Spread croutons in a pan and toss them in the oven while you make the dressing.

In a large wooden bowl, using two dinner forks crisscrossed, mash the anchovies and garlic together into a paste. Shortcut: press them together through a garlic press.

Whisk in egg yolk, Worcestershire, Dijon, salt and pepper, and lemon juice. Pour in olive oil slowly, whisking vigorously.

At this point, I pour off about 1/2 to 1/3 of the dressing from the bowl, then add it back to taste. Depending on the amount of salad you use, the above recipe might make too much. Better safe than soggy. You can refrigerate and use any leftover within a few days.

Add lettuce, Romano, and warm croutons to your dressing bowl. Toss, adding reserved dressing if necessary. Serve immediately.

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Tips

Always use fresh garlic. To peel quickly, place a wide knife over the clove and hit it with the heel of your hand. The oils released will shrug the skin right off.

Convenience salad fixings are a lifesaver when it comes to making a salad on the fly. Hearts of romaine (usually 3 hearts to a bag) are more economical and will keep longer than a bag of cut Romaine.

I prefer the sharper taste of Romano in Caesar Salad to the more traditional Parmesan. Grate it coarsely so that it doesn't combine with the dressing and make everything soggy.

Homemade croutons are easy. Combine:

firm bread cut into cubes
plenty of olive oil
salt
pepper,
grated Parmesan or Romano (optional)

Squeeze the olive oil into the bread with your hands; and bake in a 300° oven for about 20 minutes. Cool completely and store in a tightly sealed container. Good for about a month.