Sweet & Sour Salad

This is the last of the recipes from my mom’s 80th birthday party.

If you missed any of them you can check out the post on quiche, pink lemonade cake, and salads

Today’s salad recipe was a nice addition to the salad buffet at the party.

It is also an easy one to add chicken to and make into  a main dish.  I did not use chicken in it for the luncheon.

The dressing has a nice sweet and tangy flavor to it.

For the party I used grapes but it also works well with mandarin oranges and pineapple or you could use all three.

The recipe also calls for bacon or ham.  I used bacon.

I prepped as much as I could the day before.  Cut up the onions, the fruit, cooked the bacon, sliced the mushrooms,grated the cheese and made the dressing.  It only took a few minutes before the party to throw it all together. The only thing I cut up at the last minute was the avocado which I didn’t want to turn brown.  The recipe calls for lettuce and spinach.  I used only romaine lettuce since I had spinach in another salad.

Since I was doing all the food for the party myself I needed to have as little last minute prep as possible.  I made all 3 quiches the day before and just kept them refrigerated and made as much of the salads as I could the day before.

The cake was made the week before and frozen.  I got up early the morning of the party and frosted it.  The cupcakes were made the day before and I just frosted them the morning of.  All the advance work really helped me avoid that last minute chaos and panic that can happen before an event.  I also had my kitchen helper, my daughter Tessa, who was a huge help.

Do you have a favorite salad you enjoy in the summer time?  Please share the recipe or leave a link to a post with the recipe in the comments!  I need a few new summer salad ideas.

Sweet & Sour Salad

This recipe has no exact amounts.  Just use as much as you like – it’s the combination of all the yummy ingredients that make it so good.  If there is something you don’t like – leave it out.  If there is something you really like – use more of it!  Make it your own and enjoy!

Lettuce and spinach, washed and torn into pieces

Mushrooms, fresh and thinly sliced

Sweet Onions, purple, thinly sliced

Avocado, sliced in small pieces

Bacon (or ham) cooked and cut into small pieces

Swiss cheese, grated

Fruit:  grapes, mandarin oranges or pineapple (fresh or canned, drained)

Sweet & Sour Dressing

Heaping 1/2 C sugar (5/8 to be exact)

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp salt

1/3 C vinegar

1 C canola oil

1 1/2 tsp poppy seeds

Blend all ingredients except poppy seeds together.  Then add poppy seeds.  Add dressing to lettuce/spinach at the last minute and toss gently.