Mandarin Orange and Peach Salad (with Peach Vinaigrette) - 52 Specialty Salads

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It's time for a big old salad!

Make it an adventure, add whatever you like.  I love peaches, and yes, canned peaches work great.  Of course fresh is better but most of the time, the freshest peaches available are the ones in the cans.

Also those little Mandarin oranges are terrific in salads.  That little burst of sweetness when you bite into one adds a wonderful mix of flavors and textures to a salad.

Add some grapes... why not?  Red Onion rings, again, another mix of flavors.  Tomatoes add that great acidic burst (I try to avoid salt, but I do love a salted tomato slice).

And while we are using canned fruit, may as well save some of the juices and make a unique Honey Vinaigrette salad dressing from them.  It really is so easy, so inexpensive and will pair with the flavors of the salad perfectly.

And if you are making a big salad, chances are you are sharing this with friends or family (desperate attempt to introduce fruits to a spouse maybe?).  That fresh made vinaigrette, that homemade dressing becomes a way to flavor your big salad with even more healthy foods.  Take a look at the ingredients on a bottled dressing and you find a lot of sugar and salt.  Here, we sweeten with Honey, flavor with mustard and juices from the fruit themselves and just hints of salt and sugar (to taste as they say).

So, eat healthy and actually ENJOY!

 OK... here's what I did...

Mandarin Orange and
Peach Salad
(with Peach Vinaigrette)

Ingredients

• 1 large "Bag" Mixed Green Salad
• 1 can Peach Quarters, drained (reserve the liquid)
• 1 small can Mandarin Oranges, drained (reserve the liquid)
• 24 Red Grapes
• 1 Medium Sweet Red Onion, Cut in half and then half moon rings sliced
• 2 Medium Plum Tomatoes, Sliced, salted
• FOR THE VINAIGRETTE (makes extra, cut in half if this is the only salad you are making) - 1/4 Cup of the Peach Juice
• 1/4 Cup of the Mandarin Orange Juice
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil (extra virgin, high quality)
• 3 TBS Vinegar
• 4 TBS Honey
• 2 TBS Mustard
• Salt, Pepper, additional Sugar to taste

Cooking Directions

1. Assemble your salad, layer for a dramatic look or simply dump everything in a bowl and mix.
2. FOR THE VINAIGRETTE - Add all ingredients into a blender and blend away (works in a food processor as well), or add everything to a bowl and whisk. OR, add everything to a Mason jar, seal and shake like mad for 1 minute.
3. TASTE... If too tart (to vinegary), add sugar. If too bland, add salt and pepper.
4. I prefer to serve the salad un flavored to allow friends and family to drizzle the amount of the dressing to individual tastes. But certainly you can drizzle a bit on to give an idea of the flavor befor turning the jar loose.
5. Serve chilled and ENJOY!

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So,  I am pleased to list this as one of my Growing list of  "52 Specialty Salad Recipes"!!!

Sometimes they are the main course, sometimes a lunch and sometimes they are the side dish... And if you count Jell-o salad you can even make a dessert of a salad.  Here are a few of my favorite salads that get far more Ooohs and Aaahs than that simple chopped head of lettuce.

Links include Potato Salads, Cole Slaws, and Plenty of greens and fixins' Salads... And more than a few matching FRESH MADE Jam Jar make it yourself Salad Dressings!

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