OMG! This was a huge hit at our Thanksgiving gathering. Everyone loved it! You definitely need to add the 2 Tbsp. of white sugar to decrease the tartness but other than that this recipe is spot on in terms of flavor. I used toasted walnuts instead of almonds (personal preference) a mixture of romaine lettuce and spring mix along with the red onion added some thin sliced Granny Smith apples that I soaked in a bit of lemon juice and water to prevent them from browning craisins and feta cheese. That mixture proved to be the right combination of sweet and tart and needless to say it was very pretty! It was also a great way to use up leftover turkey the next day I diced some of it and put it over top - YUM!
I can't speak for the salad but I made the dressing and bottled it for Christmas gifts. It was just beautiful and smelled heavenly! Because of the dressing's rich pink color it looks very festive in small cork-topped bottles (I found mine at Michaels for 99 cents). For giving I put each bottle in a cellophane bag and tied it with raffia and a twist of red star-spangled wire and included the recipe for both salad and dressing.
Have been making this salad past 4 years and just now finally rating it! The vinaigrette is a masterpiece in it's own and is wonderful on pork chicken and turkey. When using in the salad I also add a bit of sugar to calm the tartness. Toasted almonds add a wonderful crunch. I also use crasins as they are available year round and a reliable quality product. Any extra craisins I toss in the salad. Romaine lettuce is my favorite as it is crisp and light. I add a bit more olive oil when using in a salad. Better consistancy. A fantastic recipe that can also be fiddled with for your families taste preferences. Not an ordinary " fruity " dressing!
I keep meaning to write a review and after I have had people ask to take leftovers home and being asked to bring to our family's Christmas Eve dinner the time has come! Here is what I did to change the recipe up: I added 2 TBS of sugar to the dressing, substituted Feta for the blue cheese, added 1/2 cup of Craisins to the salad greens. I prefer it with toasted almonds, hubby prefers it with pecans. The last time I made this we had 9 eating and this still made plenty. This tastes like something you would get out at a nice restaurant. The color of the dressing is a very pretty pink and it is especially lovely during Thanksgiving, Christmas and Valentine's dinners. **Update. My store was out of cranberries so I subbed raspberries and had to add a bit more sugar but was still yummy! Thanks.
Very tasty - I added crumbled Gorgonzola cheese & a few "Craisins" with sliced chicken strips on top for a twist.
I made this for our Thanksgiving feast and made it exactly as written then tasted. Besides being far too tart (which after reading reviews I was prepared to add sugar but I gave the written recipe a fighting chance as written) but also even with such bold flavorful ingredients I found it rather "flat" or "lacking". I started the "tweaking" with a tablespoon of sugar and additional pinch of salt. Better but not there. It just had no depth. So another tablespoon of sugar went in followed by more dijon and eventually about 3 times the garlic. A volunteer taster agreed that it just seemed really one dimensional so finally with the addition of 1/2 tsp thyme and three green onions it was really a lovely dressing but by then it was not this recipe at all thus the three stars. This all surprised me because I took that first bite expecting to love it. I just found it lacking but a nice base for additional flavor.
This salad is a winner! The dressing is easy to make and the cheese gives it a great flavor. I substituted Gorgonzola for the blue cheese and also added a little sugar to the dressing to cut down on the tartness. Wonderful! Walnuts can also be used instead of almonds. (Just don't brown them as you would the almonds.)
I made this on Christmas eve and there was not a scrap left! When was the last time a green salad on a buffet table was eaten in its entirety? Even my father who claims salad is "rabbit food" came back for seconds! Will make again for sure with some grilled chicken for a scrumtious meal.
Good salad great dressing! I felt it was pretty tangy so I too added a teaspoon of sugar to cut the bite. Thanks for sharing Nancy. The flavors mingle nicely and with red onion rings the presentation is wonderful.
