In Monday’s post, I briefly mentioned the Saturday night supper Hiram and I hosted for Anne, her boyfriend, and five of her cousins. On the family tree, they’re second cousins, but those particular branches grew up side-by-side, and they’re closer than sardines in a can.
The menu was simple because Hiram and I wanted to spend our time with our guests, not cooking in the kitchen, though these young adults were so helpful they would have pitched in and made it more of a family affair.
But, I digress.
The hit of the meal wasn’t the Turkey Tetrazinni, which I consider the mother of all comfort foods. It wasn’t the homemade caramel dip served with sliced apples for dessert. No, the big hit was the gigantic spinach salad I made because it is Anne’s favorite. Apparently, it was everybody’s favorite since there were no leftovers, even though I had filled the biggest Tupperware bowl they make with the stuff.
Because it was such a hit, I’m sharing the recipe with you. First, you’ll see the recipe I found in a Taste of Home magazine years ago. Below is the version served on Saturday night since strawberries are out of season.
Strawberry Spinach Salad
5 cups spinach leaves, torn in bite-sized pieces
1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Dressing:
1/4 cup salad oil
2 – 3 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 – 3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
Put first four ingredients into a large bowl. Combine dressing ingredients and mix well. Pour over salad and toss well. Serve immediately.
Saturday Night’s Spinach Salad
2 bags baby spinach
2 small cans mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/4 cup crumbled bacon or real bacon bits
Dressing:
1/2 cup salad oil
4 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoon lemon juice
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
Put first four ingredients into a large bowl. Combine dressing ingredients and mix well. Pour over salad and toss well. Serve immediately.
