Winter Baby Spinach And Mandarin Orange Salad

Sometimes, it is the inclusion of just one little something different as an unexpected ingredient in a recipe that gives that recipe a little “zing” it otherwise would not have had. For example, there is one ingredient you cannot leave out of the dressing for this salad, because without it, the interplay of flavors will change and that “little something extra” that would then be missing would be noticed! That ingredient happens to be a little bit of beef flavored bouillon granules!

For a pleasant holiday twist, top this simple salad with a few maraschino cherry halves as desired just before serving.

Winter Baby Spinach and Mandarin Orange Salad

YIELD: 8 salad size course portions

Ingredients:

Salad Base:

• 7 cups Baby Spinach leaves or else torn fresh washed regular size spinach leaves (no stems)
• 1 & 1/3 cups chopped purple onion
• 1 large navel orange, peeled, and the sections coarsely chopped (OR use 1 -11 oz can mandarin orange broken sections)

Lightly toast separately:

• 2 Tbsp slivered almonds

Optional:

• 1 jar (4-5-6 oz size) maraschino cherry halves

Dressing:

• 2.5 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1.5 Tbsp water
• 1.5 Tbsp canola or olive oil
• 1.5 Tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp beef flavored bouillon granules

Method:

1. In a large salad bowl, combine first three ingredients, toss gently, cover, and set aside in the refrigerator until ready to serve;
2. When ready to serve, add the toasted, slivered almonds; whisk dressing ingredients together until bouillon granules dissolve, pour the dressing over the spinach mixture and toss gently;
3. Serve immediately.

NOTE: recipe can be doubled, etc., however remember to keep dressing separate until service time since once the dressing is added, any leftover dressed salad cannot be stored successfully.