You know how salad is always better when someone else makes it. It’s just one of those universal truths. Well, after reading this you will make the perfect simple, fast and delicious salad every time!
Every great salad starts with a great vinaigrette. Luckily we have already discussed this. If you need a quick refresh just click here to see my slightly modified version of Melissa D’Arabian’s vinaigrette. It is perfect. Honestly, this dressing is so good that if you put it on your favorite greens with a sprinkle of salt you will be good to go. However, if you want to add a little something extra it won’t really take any extra effort.
Our school had parent-teacher conferences this week. The PTO always provides dinner for all the teachers and staff on these days since they are there all day and night. It’s really the least we could do. As the school knows I love to cook and bake, I am one of the parents who is always contacted and asked to sign up for a dish.
The theme for this dinner was sandwiches and salads. By the time I opened the parent sign-up email a lot of the slots were already filled. I couldn’t bring a baked item or Giada’s Tri-Colore Pasta Salad (which is always a huge hit) but I could bring a green salad. Great! That is easier anyway! I made the salad dressing then grabbed bags of stuff and threw them together. Done!
Toss the bag(s) of lettuce in the salad bowl
Top with sliced almonds
Top with dried cherries. And yes, you too should buy dried cherries in bulk. They are great on salads, in granola, added to a cheese board, as a snack, etc.
Top with goat cheese.
You must sprinkle salt on a salad! Pepper is a personal choice but greens taste so much better with a little salt so don’t skip that step.
I was bringing everything to school and they were tossing everything together before teachers were served so I shoved everything in the bowl. Added my “shake well” instruction (since you can’t really leave that to chance) and wrapped it all up to go. Since allergies seem to run rampant now I did list the ingredients on top so people knew what to expect.
That’s it! So easy, so delicious, so healthy and I’m told it was the first dish that was finished. That always makes me happy.
There are so many variations to this salad the sky really is the limit. You can stick with my formula of nuts, fruit and cheese and come up with your own great combinations. Some of our other favorites are candied pecans, grapes & goat cheese or walnuts, pears & blue cheese. Do you have any favorite combos?
The Perfect Salad
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
Your favorite Lettuce/Greens (I like a bag of Spring Mix)
Sliced Almonds
Dried Cherries
Crumbled Goat Cheese
Kosher Salt
Pepper (optional)
The Perfect Vinaigrette
Add the lettuce to the bowl.
Sprinkle sliced almonds, dried cherries and goat cheese on top.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper (if desired).
Drizzle with vinaigrette and toss everything together.
The Perfect Salad
Ingredients
- Your favorite Lettuce/Greens I like a bag of Spring Mix
- Sliced Almonds
- Dried Cherries
- Crumbled Goat Cheese
- Kosher Salt
- Pepper optional
- The Perfect Vinaigrette
Instructions
- Add the lettuce to the bowl.
- Sprinkle sliced almonds, dried cherries and goat cheese on top.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper (if desired).
- Drizzle with vinaigrette and toss everything together.
Yum…and I have been making and eating a lot of salads. Agree too, I love eating but not making. Of course I will try and serve to my friends!
Hi!
I’m sure Sarah enjoyed this salad! Conferences again today, so I’m still w/ the twins. Just ordered your paperback edition yesterday-so wonderful for older people like me!!!!
Also, your new kitchen is fabulous! Very sorry for all the trouble getting there, but what a beautiful result!
Karen M.
Yes, I made chili for tonight’s conferences (recipe in your book)! Thank you so much. It was a long road but I do really love my new kitchen