Eat Michigan Salad

Hi, everyone! Wow am I surprised to see this! Sent in 2005. Anyway , hope you enjoy. I use 3 bags of butter lettuce, the prepared, prewashed type. Make the dressing the night before if you can. I have subbed swiss cheese, sliced into matchsticks, for a friend who doesn't like goat cheese and it is delicious , too. And this is a great salad for the holidays, too! Go Buckeyes! Beat (and eat) Michigan!! Saveur

I LOVE this salad!!! I've made it many times and always forget to review it... I ususally use feta and slivered almonds. I've subbed craisins for the dried cherries and it's still good, but the dried cherries are sooo much better- they add a nice tartness that's very complimentary to the dressing. Fresh strawberries might be good too. Sometimes I've also added a bit of yellow mustard and onion powder to the dressing and that's quite good as well. I've found the dressing is better when run through the food processor a minute- it really gives it a much smoother consistency- I've tried to cheat and skip this step, but it's kinda clumpy even if you whisk it good... still tastes good though! And like the submitter says in their review, it is better if made the night before, or even that morning. I use whatever salad veg I have on hand at the time. Make sure you use a good crisp apple like a honeycrisp, braeburn or fiji, cause that is really the star of this salad. I've also added chunked up chicken breast to make this a main dish salad and that is wondewrful as well. To sum it up, this recipe is filed in my recipe book under 'Best Salad Ever'!

I've never written a review before but have used hundreds of allrecipes recipes. I feel I have to review this one. I was looking for something OTHER than a salad with strawberries (only because I'm tired of them.) I tried this last night and it was a HUGE hit! Believe me, the ladies that I served it to have eaten and prepared every type of salad and they raved about this one. So much so that I had to get on the computer and print out 20 copies! The only changes I made was to mix the butter lettuce with romaine (all butter tends to get too soggy) and I had cheese on the side. I love all cheeses but some people are too picky so I had 3 bowls sitting by the salad bowl (buffet-style) one with goat cheese, one feta and one blue cheese. It worked perfectly. Also, I bought the pecans already candied (Emeralds "Pecan Pie" pecans - to die for). So, for my first review I got too wordy... bottome line is WONDERFUL salad!

I made this salad for the MI vs MI State Game 11/07 . It was a huge hit ! I tweaked it due to time constaints and used olive oil and wine vinegar..threw everything in and bought a sm. bag of already sliced apples and wa-la.. Dressing was made quickly the nite before. Now I have to pass it on. And make it for thanksgiving!..It's a keeper!

I made this salad as one of the dished for my best friends baby shower....it was a hit! Since then I have made it for two other dinner parties and have gotten rave reviews. I use the "sugar coated pecans" recipe from this site and they are outstanding! Thanks for sharing!

The only thing I did differently was to use a bag of 1/2 spinach 1/2 field greens. Made for a shower and everyone loved it. I rarely follow the recipes on this site 100% and rarely give 5 stars but this deserves it.

Easy, tasted great, as long as you don't mind a bit of sweetness. I used romaine as well as butter, and it lasted longer with dressing on it. I only needed 1/2 recipe of dressing to serve a big salad for 10.

So, I used to live in MI and now am back in WA. My family ALWAYS asks me to bring the salad for the holiday meals so I always look at Allrecipes.com to find something different and yummy. This was it this year! As a matter of fact, my large family pronounced this the permanent Christmas salad. They all loved it! Thanks for being rivals with the Wolverines Saveur631, or I probably wouldn't have looked twice at a "Buckeye Salad"!

Perfect fall salad. Makes lots more dressing than you need for the salad. I left out the teaspoon of sugar and it was still plenty sweet. Go Michigan State-beat Ohio State and Michigan! Made this as a salad in a mason jar for a friend recovering from surgery. Put the dressing in the bottom, then added the apples, cherries, pecans and goat cheese. Filled to the top with romaine lettuce. Screw on the lid. It kept very well in the fridge for about 5 days. I did put lemon juice over the apples before putting them in the jar. When you are ready to eat it just shake it up and eat out of the jar or pour onto a plate.

This dressing is above- way above- a five star rating. The only problem I have is the chosen name for it but, being Michigan Blue through and through, I have a huge tolerance for verbal abuse especially when great food is presented to dampen any affects the abuse may have incurred. Thank you, not for the abuse, but for a great recipe.

I loved this salad. Never thought to add mayo and syrup together, but it is so tasty and fresh. *Update* Made it a 2nd time but didn't have real maple syrup on hand so I used regular syrup. It wasn't as sweet so I doubled the sugar. Maybe should have added a little extra. * Update* 3rd time I used low fat feta instead of goat cheese--fantastic!

Don't change a thing with this salad. It's wonderful. We've served it a lot this past year to rave reviews. I find we prefer the goat cheese to be room temperatue rather than ice cold from the fridge when serving. Thank you for making me look great at dinner parties, Saveur631!

The dressing is fabulous, definitely a new favorite! I love the dried cherries and goat cheese together! I tweaked it just to lower the calories. Only used 1/4 cup oil and subbed 1/4 cup water. Used light Kraft mayo. No pecans. Thank you for such a great recipe!

I love this salad recipe. I've made it three times in the last two weeks and each time, there is nothing left at the bottom of the salad bowl. I made the dressing as the recipe recommends, but used feta cheese and honey crisp apples in the salad. I will be making this salad for Thanksgiving dinner. I love the salad almost as much as I love my beloved Buckeyes. GO BUCKS!!

Saw this on the site and made it for a WVU tailgate. I've made it at least 5 times since then! Of course we've renamed it Eat Pitt Salad!

Absolutely wonderful! What a great, refreshing salad! Never tried goat cheese before - it added a great texture and I got one on sale that was cinnamon and cranberry flavored! Mmmm :)

I only made the dressing, but it was fabulous! I didn't measure it, but I did have to add more mayonaise to make it creamier.

Amazingly good! The butter lettuce blends so well with the other ingredients. The dressing is delicious too. (Just use sparingly. A little goes a long way.) I use the allrecipes website often, but rarely leave a review. This one deserves every star!

Love it! I used feta cheese and plain pecans instead and was wonderful. Did not blend the dressing and it came out fine. Also used canola oil instead of veg. oil. Will definitely make again whether football season or not.

I did an ingredient search for butter lettuce and goat cheese and discovered this incredible salad! I used fresh cherries and candied almonds, just because that's what I had on hand. The combination of the creamy, tangy, sweet, and crunchy with the almost dessert like dressing is a delite. I served it to friends over for dinner and the bowl was cleaned and a copy of the recipe went home with them. I'm a CA beach bunny and don't know anything about Michigan, but I sure love this salad!

Make this salad all the time for office potlucks, parties and tailgates. I am ALWAYS asked for the recipe. THe dressing recipe yields quite a bit of dressing. I usually half it for the salad...but that's the only change I make!

I was reminded of this recipe recently on the Recipe Exchange and realized that I’d never reviewed it. Well, I should have, because it is FABULOUS!! I received a bottle of pure maple syrup for Christmas and came across this recipe while searching for ways to use it. I’ve made it twice and both times it was excellent. I like to use the dried tart cherries and I used feta once, when I didn’t have goat cheese. The second time I made it I was scaling the dressing down to just a few servings – an amount too small for my blender. If you slowly add the liquids to the mayonnaise, while whisking constantly, you will avoid the clumping problems and won’t have to use a blender to get a nice, smooth dressing. Do try this one! Just writing this review is making me want to make this again – and soon! GO BUCKS!!!

What can I say, everything about this salad rocks! I made this to compliment an Autumn/MI themed dinner and all raved. The dressing is outstanding! I followed the recipe exactly and loved it, but I could see changing it up a bit to suit guest's tastes and still keep it's integrity. I made the Sugar Coated Pecans from AR and used those - YUM!Okay, now I have to come up with a salad using Buckeyes! ;)

I made this for a potluck and only used two heads of lettuce (large heads) and added a little extra cherries and pecans. I used pink lady apples instead of granny smith and canola oil instead of vegetable. I didn't add any salt or pepper to the dressing and I didn't toss any dressing with the salad for fear that if it didn't all get eaten it would wilt the salad. Well, most people didn't add the dressing and loved it without it. People were scraping the bowl to try to get the last little bit of salad out. Michiganders love the salad! Now I'll have to make a "Eat Ohio Salad" which will consist of New Riegel hot dogs and corn! ;)

Excellent! (Although a Michigan State fan living in Kentucky, I thought it was appropriate =:)) So glad we tried it. Made it for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it. My mom specifically called and requested that I bring this for our Easter meal! Perfect anytime of the year.

This is an amazing salad! My daughter, who doesn't really like salads, said that I can make this salad anytime! I used spring mix lettuce opposed to the butter lettuce, used feta cheese instead of the goat cheese and I added sliced red onion rings! I live in Michigan and I am making this salad today for a tailgate party for the Michigan vs. Michigan State football game!

This is my first review! Love this site and all your comments, thought it time to contribute. Made this for a gathering of Michigan foodie friends last night. It was a huge hit. I used the sugar coated pecan recipe from this site where it calls for candied pecans. Also added some granny smith apples and substituted EVO for vegetable oil. This one is a KEEPER!

Great salad! I made the dressing with less oil and light mayonnaise to make it a bit healthier. Didn't have dried cherries so used dried cranberries and it was delicious. Both me and the other half love it!

So fab! I had altered down the recipe and used my gizmo salad mixer (xmas gift) because I knew the blender won't work for that small amount. The only changes I made was to use rice wine vinegar, all I had, craisins pomegranate, and used canola oil.

Hands down the best salad I've ever had. I just used plain pecans, not candied, and I used an organic baby lettuce blend. Otherwise, followed the recipe to a T.

I LOVE IT! Go Bucks!

This is so, so good!! Just made it for a family gathering and everyone was so impressed!

Used olive oil in place of vegetable oil. Fantastic salad!

I have made this several times this week for large groups and received rave reviews and requests for the recipe. I used Spring Mix salad, Feta instead of goat cheese and Aunt Jemimma lite syrup instead of maple syrup. Enjoy

Oh yum, yum, YUM! One of the best salads I've ever had. Even husband liked it, and he's not a big one for sweet in salad. Or salad, period, for that matter. But he ate all but 3 cherries. I think that the tanginess of the goat cheese and the tartness of the cherries more than compensated for the sweetness of the nuts and maple syrup. The dressing by itself is fantastic. I used the Sugared Pecans recipe on this site, and they were to die for, too! The only change I made was to use a Pink Lady apple because I didn't have any Granny Smith's, and I was just making it for husband and I. Will DEFINTELY make again (like, tomorrow!).

Tried this salad because it looked wonderfully delicious and different. Couldn't even imagine the taste of the blend. Tried it and liked everything except the maple syrup. I was disappointed that I had tossed it into the whole salad. Other than that, the fruit, nut, cheese combo blend was yummy!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT! It's got a nice sweet, yet slighty tangy flavor. It was a HUGE hit at the party. My family loves it too. I substitued swiss for goat cheese. I didn't have a blender, so I used a hand, electric mixer. Recommend making dressing hours ahead of time.

This was wonderful and a big hit at my Monday night tennis! Was not sure about the dressing at first but everyone loved it! Good job!

This is a nice salad. I used my submersion blender to combine the dressing ingredients. This is a very important step to avoid clumps and to have a smooth creamy dressing. I used low fat mayo and halved the dressing. There was still more than enough dressing for the salad. I left out the cheese. Good recipe.

This was very, very good, but in the future I will use less vinegar. It was too tangy for me when I made it as written so I had to add more syrup and a little more sugar. It helped a bit, but I think decreasing the amount of vinegar will solve the issue. I mixed butter with romaine lettuces to give it a little crunch, and I didn't think I would like the goat cheese but was pleasantly surprised, and it goes really well with the apples and cherries. Made the Sugar Coated Pecans recipe from this site to go on top. I'll definitely be making this again!

Excellent!!! Even my "gourmet" daughter asked for the recipe. We actually had "Eat M's Salad": due to picky eaters, I offered a choice of dried cherries (Mich.), cranberries (Mass.) or blueberries (Maine). All are good, but cherries are best. We are ... Penn State! (P.S. Made it for tailgate & the salad worked, PSU beat Michigan.)

Ha! Made this today for the game. The Buckeyes beat Michigan and I got rave reviews for this salad. Oh, and I just realized that I accidentally left out the apples. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly. I used the spiced pecans recipe from this site for the nuts. This recipe is a keeper, thanks for sharing!

This is a great salad. I took it to a friends house and they loved it. Easy to make and ingredients are easy to find in any grocery. The dressing had a nice flavor.

I was looking to mimic a salad I got at a fine dining restaurant and this came really close, it was so good! I was really nervous about the dressing because I don't really like syrup or anything too sweet, but it doesn't come out like that at all. It makes plenty of dressing and I only used a portion. I also added pancetta and left out the apples to cut the sweetness. It is a great recipe, thanks so much!

Excellent recipe. Didn't need to change a thing. For the candied pecans I toasted some pecans in a little butter and then mixed with sugar and a pinch of salt and pepper. Since I was only making half of the recipe, I just whisked the dressing ingredients together so I wouldn't have to wash my blender! Try this, you will not be disappointed!

Great salad and super easy to make! I left out the cheese and pecans and it was still delicous!

This salad is delicious! It is always a crowd pleaser if your looking for a salad to make for guests.

FANTASTIC! Made exactly as written.

This recipe is outstanding! I thought the maple syrup would make the dressing too sweet or give it an odd taste. Instead it is down right plain yummy. Thank you for sharing!

Our family gets together often, so coming up with a new recipe is not an easy task. This got wonderful reviews from them. Used dried sour cherries. Will make again. Thanks!

Excellent salad, and one I'll be making for years to come, I'm sure.

Wonderful salad, loaded with flavor. I've made this salad a couple of times. I always just make enough for two us, but keep a big container of the dressing in the fridge. The dressing really makes this salad, I'm sure it is the addition of the PURE maple syrup. Thanks Savvy for sharing your recipe. It quickly became a favorite in our house.

Great salad! I made it as an entree salad for 2 people. I used 1 bag of butter lettuce, and 1 bag of romaine lettuce. Next time, I'd probably use all romaine .. I liked the crunch - the butter lettuce seemed too soft. The dressing was fantastic - followed the directions to the letter. I think I used a bit less lettuce than the recipe called for so we did have some dressing left over but it's so good, we'll use it on other salads during the week. The candied pecans were so good, especially with the creamy goat cheese. I'm sure I used extra of both of those, too. I could've done without the cherries; they did add a nice chewy texture, but i'm just not a fan of dried fruit. I did add grilled chicken to the salad and ate it as a main dish. I may try Craisins next time. All in all a fantastic salad, super easy to make and one that we'll have pretty often!

This salad gets rave reviews at every event.

This is good. I used cherry infused craisins. I wasn't sure about the maple syrup in the dressing but it was very good. It got rave reviews from my guests.

I used Mrs. Butterworth's instead of real maple syrup and added some baked chicken breast that I sliced up to make it more of meal (i.e. had to have some meat in it for me to get away with calling it dinner for my husband!) I guess the fact that I would happily pay money in a restaurant to have this for dinner says it all. Make sure to make your candied pecans beforehand, as that takes the most time in the oven.

Wow! This was AMAZING! My girls and I made this one day for a little gathering of friends we had and it was such a HIT! The girls made it exactly as written and we would not change a thing. Thanks for a great recipe we are looking forward to making often. :)

I used fresh cherries since they were in season. The combination of the ingredients was just fantastic as was the dressing. Loved the goat cheese especially.

I'm made this salad about 20 times for family gatherings and other events. Everybody loves it!

very good, similar to green, fruit, cheese salads. doubled dressing and had too much

This was good! I would sub out the cherries for dried cranberries next time, but other than that I thought this was a good change of pace.

I lived in Michigan for many years and always loved this salad, now I make for my Aussie friends and they rave about it. I use craisins instead which are a delicious dried cranberry because I can't get dried cherries and sometimes aragula thrown in with mixed lettuces. It's the dressing that counts!!

Made this for our tailgate (UK vs FL) this past weekend to go with smoked brisket and pulled pork. Huge hit for everyone who added it to their plate. Many came back for seconds. Made it as written with one exception...used half chopped romaine/ half bib lettuce. We had about 1/2 of the dressing left over, so I made another salad the next day for dinner with Bosc pears, candied walnuts and cran-raisins instead of apples, candied pecans and dried cherries. Also a very nice combination. Added bonus..UK beat FL for the first time at home in 35 years!!!

This was a big hit at a tailgate. Don't toss the lettuce with the apple mixture unless the lettuce is very solid. When I tossed it it broke down the lettuce. I ended up taking out the lettuce and then serving the apple mixture on top of lettuce. The dressing is awesome.

This is a family favorite and also gets rave reviews when I take it to potlucks (there I serve the candied pecans and crumbled goat cheese on the side). Michigan is also known for blueberries so I add about 3/4 to 1 C. of those too. I substitute about 3/4 to 1 C. of fresh Bing cherries (halved and pitted) for the dried when fresh ones are in season. If I don't have time to make the dressing, I use a good quality raspberry vinaigrette.

I made this for a potluck, and got rave reviews. I'll make this one again!

I liked this a lot. I subbed dried cranberries and cheddar. A great change and very good with a fall meal.

It seems to simple but it is actually a fabulous salad! The dressing is the perfect compliment. I followed the recipe exactly and I wouldn't change a thing!

This is a really great salad! Mine looked kinda funny because the only goat cheese I had in the house was blueberry but it tasted great. I am sure that with regular goat cheese it would be even better.