Mom's Easter Salad with Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

Salad

• 1 head romaine lettuce*
• 1 head green leaf lettuce*
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 11 oz. can mandarin oranges, drained
• 2 apples, diced
• 1/2 c. dried cranberries 
• 10 - 12 small cherry tomatoes, halved (mom prefers to leave this out)
• 1/2 c. crumbled goat cheese
• 1/4 c. slivered almonds
• 1 T. sugar
• 2 avocados, pared and cut into chunks (mom prefers to leave this out)

Dressing

• 1/2 c. sugar
• juice of 1 grated onion (grate and then put through sieve
• 1/3 c. apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 3/4 tsp poppy seeds
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 c. vegetable oil

Directions:

Wash lettuce, spin dry, and tear into pieces. Combine with celery, mandarin oranges, apples, cranberries, tomatoes, and cheese in a large serving bowl. Toss.

In a 9-inch nonstick skillet, cook almonds with a 1 T. sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved and almonds start to caramelize. Cool.

To make dressing, whisk together all dressing ingredients except vegetable oil. Gradually pour in vegetable oil, whisking to combine. 

Add almonds and avocados to salad just prior to serving. Toss with dressing. 

*You can substitute one package mixed green sin place of the romaine and green leaf lettuce.