This is an easy, flavorful salad that has been a favorite of mine for years. I got the recipe from my mom, who got it from Melanie. I wanted to make it the other day, and so I jumped on the old Sisters Cafe thinking it would be here. (For some reason it seems to much easier to look it up on The Sisters Cafe than to look in my cupboard.) It wasn’t here… so I thought I’d better remedy that! I was always amazed that a salad dressing made from just two ingredients could be so good! Oh but it is. I add blackberries when they are on sale, but most often I leave them out. Oh and this salad keeps pretty well, too. I usually eat any leftovers the next day, and it isn’t all wilty yet. (PS Melanie says that she likes to put on more dressing than I have pictured. Just toss it to your own preference!)
Tip: I don’t really like stinking up my whole house for days just to make a little bacon. Especially if I have company coming over. So when I need to make bacon, I usually make a lot. Then I crumble it and freeze it in bags for salads or soups like this one (or this one or this one). One less step at the busy dinner hour is always a good thing, right?
Apple and Spinach Salad
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe
1-2 packages of spinach
2 tart apples, diced (I like Granny Smith, but some type of red apple looks pretty and tastes good too)
1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
6 ounces blackberries (optional)
Dressing:
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup orange juice concentrate
Combine mayonnaise and orange juice concentrate and mix well. Toss into salad just before serving.