I love a good Spinach Salad! This one has mushrooms, Swiss cheese and bacon. Yum! It is so good!
Spinach Salad
1 lb. Bacon
1 C Mushrooms
1 C Swiss Cheese
6 C Spinach (about 2 heads of spinach)
3 C Iceberg Lettuce (about 1 head)Salad Dressing
3/4 C Red Wine Vinegar
3/4 C Sugar
1 tsp Dry Mustard
1 tsp Salt
1/2 Red Onion
1 1/2 C Oil
Cut up bacon into small pieces and fry in a saucepan. This is a great way to fry bacon because it renders a lot more fat so your bacon is actually leaner. Cook until done (about 15 minutes). Drain off fat and pour onto paper towels to wick away the remaining fat. Set aside
I like to buy my spinach at Costco. This has already been washed and it is easy to use because I take as much as I want and put it in a large bowl. Chop up your mushrooms the way you like. I make mine very small slices and then chop them down even smaller. Grate the swiss cheese. (I like to use the small side of my grate,) Chop up 1 head of iceberg and put that in the bowl too.
Sprinkle on the bacon. Then make the salad dressing. I do not toss my salad until I pour on the salad dressing. I actually like to put all the "toppings" in the bottom of the bowl and then put my lettuce on top. As I toss, I bring the "good stuff" up on top. I find when I put it on top and then toss it all goes to the bottom.
To make the Salad Dressing:
Put the red wine vinegar and sugar in your blender. Blend for a minute or two. Chop up the onion into quarters and throw in the blender. Blend for another minute or two. Add spices and blend for 30 seconds. Turn your blender on and drizzle the 1 1/2 C of oil through the lid on the top of your blender as it is going. It takes a minute or two, but it is well worth the emulsified dressing you will get at the end. Make a head of you have time and refrigerate it. Pour on about 1/2 C of dressing and toss your salad. If you think it needs more, add more. Emjoy!