Gina's Spinach Salad

Name: Gina's Spinach Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4-8 serving(s)
Ingredients: 4 cups fresh spinach; 2 cups mozzarella cheese; 1 lb bacon (cooked and chopped); 2 (11 ounce) cans mandarin oranges; 1/2 cup dried cranberries; candied pecans (may substitute toasted slivered almonds); 1/2 cup sugar; 1/2 cup red wine vinegar; 3/4 cup oil; 2 teaspoons poppy seeds; 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard (powder); 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons finely chopped onions

Submitted by Cowgirly

"My friend Gina is amazing- and once you try this spinach salad you'll see why. It's easy, you can prep it ahead of time and everyone (yes, everyone) loves it."

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photo by loof751

Ready In:: 20mins
Ingredients:: 13
Serves:: 4-8

ingredients

SALAD INGREDIENTS
4 cups fresh spinach
2 cups mozzarella cheese
1 lb bacon (cooked and chopped)
2 (11 ounce) cans mandarin oranges
¹⁄₂ cup dried cranberries
candied pecans (may substitute toasted slivered almonds)
DRESSING INGREDIENTS (enough for 2 batches of above salad)
¹⁄₂ cup sugar
¹⁄₂ cup red wine vinegar
³⁄₄ cup oil
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
¹⁄₂ teaspoon dry mustard (powder)
¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped onions

directions

Put dressing ingredients into blender, and puree -- toss with salad Ingredients and that's it!
Hint: You can prepare double the amount of the salad mix then save 1/2 the dressing and have 2 meals. This makes a great big salad.
Hint #2 : Don't put the dressing on until right before you eat if you want it to stay crisp!

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Reviews

This is a great fresh and delicious salad! LOVED the dressing and it went well with the other ingredients. I didn't use the bacon this time but will definitely add it next time. Thanks for posting this great recipe! Made for Spring PAC 2009

loof751
Fabulous dressing, Cowgirly. The salad was great, too. I did cut the sugar back to 2T and found that just to our liking.

sugarpea
I've been making this dressing for 30 years now. instead of poppy seed, I use celery seed. You can also replace the dry mustard with a tsp french (yellow mustard)I also make a classic spinach salad with this dressing...spinach, sliced white mushroon, chopped hard boiled egg, red onion, and fried crisp bacon . I can vouch for this dressing as it is the most requested salad when I entertain.

milkyway8

Tweaks

I've been making this dressing for 30 years now. instead of poppy seed, I use celery seed. You can also replace the dry mustard with a tsp french (yellow mustard)I also make a classic spinach salad with this dressing...spinach, sliced white mushroon, chopped hard boiled egg, red onion, and fried crisp bacon . I can vouch for this dressing as it is the most requested salad when I entertain.

milkyway8