Apple Walnut Salad with Cranberry or Raspberry Dressing

This is one of my all-time favorite salads. Pick up a bag of cranberries while they are in season, to freeze and use all winter for this absolutely delicious salad.  Be sure and use white balsamic vinegar, not the dark kind.

This is equally wonderful with Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing (recipe below)* when fresh cranberries are unavailable. Use pomegranate seeds in the salad if using this dressing.

CRANBERRY BALSAMIC DRESSING:

1/2  cup  fresh cranberries

1/4  cup  white balsamic vinegar

1  Tbs  sugar

1/3  cup  red onion, chopped

1  Tbs  Dijon-style mustard

1  cup  vegetable oil

Salt and pepper to taste

In a food processor or blender, combine the cranberries, vinegar, onion, sugar, and mustard. Process until smooth. Slowly add the oil. Season with salt and pepper. 

*RASPBERRY VINAIGRETTE DRESSING (alternative choice)

3/4  cup  oil

1/3  cup (slightly heaped) sugar

3/4  tsp  dry mustard

1/2  cup  raspberry vinegar

1  Tbs  grated onion

2  tsp  poppy seeds

Mix all salad dressing ingredients except poppy seeds in blender; add poppy seeds and stir by hand. May serve salad in bowl with dressing or serve individually with dressing on the side. Do not over-dress the salad. You will have more dressing than needed. Serves 6.

SALAD:

10  cups  mixed salad greens

 2   Honey Crisp apples, or Asian pears, peeled, cored, and chopped

1/2  cup  blue cheese crumbles

1/2  cup  dried cranberries or pomegranate seeds

1  cup  walnuts

1/3  cup  brown sugar

In a salad bowl, toss together the greens, apples, blue cheese crumbles, and sugared walnuts. Add just enough of the dressing to nicely coat it. Toss and serve.

For Sugared Walnuts:

Put about 1/3 cup of brown sugar in a microwave-proof bowl. Add 2-3 tsp water and 1 cup whole walnuts. Mix up and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir, and microwave for another minute, watching carefully so they do not burn.

Immediately spread out on a sheet of waxed paper to cool. When cooled, put into a zip-lock bag and roughly break them up with a meat hammer.