Strawberry Spinach Salad

A wonderful fresh salad to welcome in Spring! I couldn't find a recipe for Strawberry Spinach Salad with vinaigrette, so made this one up. I was particularly pleased with the Strawberry Vinaigrette Dressing.

Ingredients:

• 6-8 oz. spinach, rinsed and dried
• 8 oz. sliced strawberries
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1/3 - 1/2 lb. bacon, sliced and cooked until crisp
• 1 - 1 1/2 cups sliced almonds
• 2-3 Tbsp. brown sugar

Strawberry Vinaigrette Dressing:

• 3-5 strawberries
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 - 2 Tbsp. honey
• fresh ground pepper
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 2/3 - 1 cup olive oil

Directions:

In a non-stick skillet, cook almonds and brown sugar slowly, stirring often, until sugar is melted and coats almonds. about 10 minutes. Watch closely to make sure the almonds don't burn. Cool on wax paper.

In a large bowl, layer salad ingredients. Cover and chill if not serving immediately. Just before serving, toss with dressing.

For Dressing: In a blender, combine strawberries, balsamic vinegar, garlic clove, honey, fresh ground pepper, and Italian seasoning, blend till smooth. With blender running, add olive oil. Season to taste. Chill if not using soon, but let the dressing come to room temperature before serving.

By Kim from Crawford, CO