Fresh Spinach Salad

     Easter doesn't happen at our house without this salad on the table. Our family has been eating this salad at Easter since 1987. We love the simpleness on a busy family day. It tastes as yummy as it looks. The dressing recipe comes from the Southern Living 1986 Annual Recipes cookbook. Back in the day most of my menus were planned from those cookbooks and the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. Every new bride was given the red and white checkered Better Homes and Garden cookbook.
     The recipe was submitted by Edna E. Moore from Hueytown, Alabama and is on page 103 in that edition. The original recipe is a salad with the dressing. We have tweaked them both just ever so slightly to make them our own. The amount of bacon and hard boiled eggs you use is really up to you. I like the dressing made the night before so the bits of bacon can marinate in the dressing.

Salad Ingredients

8 to 10 slices of regular sliced hickory smoked bacon
1 pound fresh baby spinach, washed with the longer stems removed
3 or more hard boiled egg, chopped
1 1/2 cup sliced white mushrooms
3 green onions, thinly sliced

Preparation

Cook bacon until completely crisp, but not over cooked. Crumble two pieces and set the remaining pieces aside for the dressing. In a large salad bowl combined spinach, mushrooms, onions, and eggs. Shake prepared dressing and apply the desired amount and lightly toss. Top with crumbled bacon before serving

Dressing Ingredients

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash of fresh ground pepper
remaining pieces of cooked bacon

Combined oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper in a jar. Close lid tightly and shake vigorously; add bacon and mix well. If not using right away cover and store in your refrigerator. bring to room temperature before applying to the salad.
(I use a pint size canning jar with a rim and folded heavy duty foil for the lid.)

St Louis Italian Salad

There was a time I lived for excuses to make this salad. It is my all time favorite pasta salad! Sadly it is not low in calories, but it is very high in flavor. I have always called this St Louis Italian Salad because that's where I learned to make this recipe. St Louis has a wonderful Italian influence and amazing American/Italian food. This recipe makes a big salad and I usually make it even bigger by adding extra pasta and dressing.

1 16 oz pkg confetti spiral pasta, cooked and drained

1 cup broccoli, chopped and lightly blanched

1 can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

¾ cup black olives, sliced

2 green onions, chopped

1 oz. Pimentos

¾ cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 small zucchini, sliced

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

½ tsp garlic salt

½ to 1 tsp parsley, chopped

8 slices of salami, cut into fourths

½ or more cup of Zesty Italian Dressing 

In a large bowl combined ingredients one at a time, tossing gently.  Cover and chill over night.  More pasta may be added as needed. You may add more dressing to refresh.