Kids eat Salad!

Awesome thing......my kids love salad. Especially the kind that you dress before it comes to the table. I learned that the "dish-it-up-and-squirt-on-some-kind-of-bottled-dressing" kind of salad doesn't disappear as quickly as a fresh tossed salad that is pre-dressed.

Lately they have snarfed down the following salads:

Strawberry Spinach Salad

one bunch of spinach

your favorite head of crunchy lettuce

Lots of strawberries sliced up

half a red onion- sliced thin in rings

dress with:

1/2 cup Mayo (NOT miracle whip)

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup milk

2 tbsp white vinegar (I have used raspberry vinegar with excellent reviews. If you have it....)

1 tsp. poppy seeds

1/4-1/2 tsp salt to taste

Whisk together the dressing and pour over greens. Your kids will lick their plates clean.

Olive Garden Salad--(or as close as we've ever done)

two heads romaine or other crunchy lettuce

1 cup red cabbage sliced thin

1/4 cup Red onion sliced thin

Sliced Yellow banana peppers (you'll find them by the pickles)

a few medium firm tomatoes-quartered into wedges

a handful of your favorite croutons

Black Olives

Dress with:

1/2 cup Mayonnaise (again NOT miracle whip)-we love miracle whip, but you gotta use mayo

1/3 cup white vinegar

1Tbsp vegetable oil

3-4 Tbsp corn syrup

2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

2Tbsp Ramono Cheese

(Note...you can use 4 tbsp Kraft parmesan cheese instead of the two cheeses, it will just be a bit less smooth)

1/2 tsp garlic salt-(or one clove garlic and a little salt)

1/2 tsp italian seasoning

1/2 tsp parsley flakes

1 Tbsp lemon juice

Put in the blender and let it blend like crazy. Pour over our salad and top with some fresh grated parmesan cheese-- just like they do at the Olive Garden. Yum.

This next salad is one I grew up with and all my brothers still make it for their families too. Hey Mom, thanks for all the yummy salads growing up. You made liking vegetables a fun thing.

Mom's Spinach Salad

Two bunches small leaf spinach

two heads of romaine

8 oz. grated monterey jack or swiss cheese

1/2 lb crumbled cooked bacon

Dress with:

3/4 tsp dry mustard

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup white vinegar (cidar is fine too)

1/2 Tbsp minced onion

1 1/2 tsp salt

Blend together till combined and then stir in gently:

1 tsp poppy seeds

This is awesome when you make the dressing the night before and then make up the salad the next day. But it is still wonderful if made all the same day.

When I eat this salad I am transported back to Mom's table with Dad and all my brothers anxiously waiting for Mom to pour on the dressing. Long live spinach salad!

Here's a big "I LOVE YOU" to all of you whom I've shared a bowl with.