Cranberry Spinach Salad

“This was good, though the dressing seemed just a bit sweet for our tastes. I assumed that the fat from the cooked bacon went into the dressing, so I cooked the bacon in a small skillet, removed it to drain when done, and just whisked in the rest of the dressing ingredients right into the bacon fat in the skillet to warm (off the heat). I also added a tablespoon of red wine vinegar – to cut the sweetness a bit – which worked nicely. It accompanied our Asian meal very nicely. Overall, it was a tasty (and pretty!) salad and simple to prepare. Thanksfor posting it, Ed!”

“Very good, and very easy to make.I thought the dressing went very well with the bacon flavor. I’m going to add crumbled goat cheese next time.Thanx!”

“Delicious, versatile salad!I really liked the dressing.I added feta cheese and some toasted almonds, but otherwise made it as directed.I think apples would be delicious in here too.”

“Great recipe.I used dried cranberries and bacon bits.It was very easy to make and very delicious.Ithought some nutmeats would be a good addition or fruit.The Nutrition facts are a little confusing.First glance was that the salad had 1052 calories until I figured it was the total calories for 4 servings not 1 serving.Definitely will make again.”

“I added 1/4 C. blue cheese and 1/4 C toasted walnuts — amazing! Best salad I”ve had in a long time. There is enough dressing left over that it’ll do for another salad.”

“great salad. i added man. oranges, strawberries’ walnuts, and blue chesse. I am never buying bottled dressing again. next time I’ll throw in some grilled chicken breast.”

“This turned out wonderful with our just harvested spinach!Thanks for the great dressing recipe which was just what I was looking for!”

“This is a really great salad! I served it with Christmas eve dinner for my in-laws this year. everyone loved it. I have tried it twice now. The first time, I improvised quite a bit, due to not having everything on hand. I used white onion and lemon juice instead of the lime. It still turned out very good. I also tried the salad without the craisins, and it was still a fantastic taste. The craisins just make it loook so pretty and festive! Thanks for such a great recipe!”

“Spectacular!I’d never have thought to put cranberries and bacon together, particularly with the dressing listed, so I’m glad you did!It made a nice festive-looking edition to our dinner table instead of the usual blah salad.I don’t like onions, so I omitted them and stirred a little onion powder into the dressing.Thanks!”

“When I read this recipe this morning, and knew I was going into town, I picked up the spinach, anticipating this for lunch.It is an awesome/wholesome summer lunch, and I didn’t change a thing….with one exception.I love toasted sesame seeds, so I did add them at the end.I will definitely add this to my summer rotation.I think another reviewer made a comment about adding fruit.I agree.Perhaps some mandarin oranges, pineapple chunks, or seedless grapes would be great additions.But, this is great “as is”.”

“Simple, healthy, and attractive.What else do you need.I, of course, didn’t use the bacon so I added a bit of olive oil to the dressing 2 tablespoons.I was so happy with the flavors as they hit the palet.Red onions and craisins are a great complement.”

“I like this salad a lot- it is very simple and easy to put together, and the dressing has a very nice flavor…not too tart. The only thing I would change next time I make this is to make this with some type of citrus fruit (maybe mandarin orange slices) instead of the dried cranberries since the flavor of the lime really overpowered that. I couldn’t tell if I was eating cranberries or raisins. I might add some home made croutons as well. Thanks for posting!”