Saturday, July 25, 2009

My All-Time Favorite Salad

I love being asked to bring a salad to an event because I know this one will always be a hit. I'm posting it on my blog so I don't have to keep emailing the recipe to people.

Red leaf lettuce and spinach
8 oz pkg slivered or sliced almonds--glaze with 2/3 cup sugar (I'll explain below)
2 cups Monterrey Jack cheese cubed small
1 1b bacon cooked in microwave, shredded
2 cans mandarin oranges, drained

Dressing:
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp dried onion

I always prepare the almonds ahead of time. You just put the sugar in a pan on the stove and melt into a glaze. Dump the almonds in and toss around quickly. Pour them onto wax paper to cool. They burn quickly so you have to move fast.


I like to cook the bacon in the microwave on paper towels almost to the point of burning it because who wants to eat soggy bacon in a salad?

Enjoy!

*Special thanks to my cousin Liz for hosting us at a yummy BBQ with fireworks yesterday for the 24th of July. My kids were in Heaven. The "white-trash chicken" they grilled was divine. The marinade is one part soy sauce, one part vegetable oil to two parts Sprite. I will be making the chicken this week!

11 comments:

Ashley said...

I haven't made this one, but it sounds a lot like Mom's strawberry spinach salad that I love. My new favorite shortcut for such salads is the pre-cooked bacon at Costco. Sounds ghetto and it is. You keep it in the freezer and I still microwave it before using it, but a pound can basically fit on one plate, only takes a few minutes, and doesn't create nearly as much grease. It's cheaper too. Check it out--Costco by the bacon.

Liz said...

I enjoyed my late night snack of a great soggy salad! It was soooo good. Thanks for coming. We had so much fun with your kids. I think Sammie has a career in cheerleading or an actress in a horror film.

Linde said...

I have made on similar to this and everyone loves it. If you don't feel like making dressing, poppy seed dressing works really well too!

I'm going to have to try that marinade.

Jill said...

I've had a variation of this salad, but your almonds look tastier than the ones I've had and I like the cubed cheese rather than grated.

The Mostess said...

I have a similar award winning (in my mind, and on my blog anyway) salad that I bring along with me. It's delish, and people are always bugging me for the recipe. Anything with bacon gets my stamp of approval. Bacon is the new black.

Jill T said...

wow, you made a BIG salad! Makes my mouth water.

alexandra said...

I love it when people post recipes. This looks great.

Em said...

That looks delicious, and I am especially loving the bowl you served it in. I've already printed out a copy of the recipe for myself and my MIL. Thanks!

sheryl said...

yummy! but try costco real precooked crumbled bacon. I keep it in the freezer and can just pull out what I need without cooking bacon and stinking up my house. You will love it! It will change your life!

sheryl said...

oh.... I just read the comments. Ashley is so smart!

Em said...

I know this is an old post, but my sister--who is a wimp and won't acknowledge publicly that she reads yours and Ashley's blogs--makes this salad all the time and has gotten rave reviews. I just read on her fb page some girl begging her to bring it to her next ward potluck. I'm pretty sure she takes all the credit for it. :) Sadly, I haven't had a party to take it to yet, but just give me time. (I've been churning out pan after pan of that cornbread recipe instead.) Thanks for sharing!