Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

This salad can be served for a main course or a side salad. It has a little bit of everything and is really yummy.




Spinach Salad

2 bunches of spinach (torn into bite size pieces) or spring green salad mix
1 head of lettuce (torn into bite size pieces)
1 purple onion (sliced)
3/4 lb. fresh mushrooms (sliced)
3/4 lb. Swiss cheese (grated)
1 C drained cottage cheese
1/2 C crumbled bacon
sugared almonds (see recipe below)
mandarin oranges
crasins
sliced strawberries
chopped mangoes
croutons

Toss all ingredients together (except onions). Use sliced onions as a garnish. Top with following dressing.


Poppy Seed Dressing

3/4 tsp poppy seeds
3/4 C oil
3/4 tsp grated onion
1/3 tsp mustard
1/2 C white vinegar
1/3 C sugar
3/4 tsp salt

Buzz in blender. Pour on salad right before serving

Sugared Almonds

1/2 cup sliced Almonds
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 t. cinnamon (optional)

mix all ingredients in a pot. Cook while stirring constantly until the sugar crystallizes on the almonds. Dump on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet and separate the nuts from each other.