Mandarin Orange and Spinach Salad

This is a beautiful tossed salad with spinach, romaine, and mandarin oranges with a sweet, sour, slightly spicy dressing. To top it all off, glazed sliced almonds. I first made this in culinary school, and I have made it many times. It is great for entertaining. The mandarin oranges' color just "pops" against the greens. Time includes chill time for the dressing.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 4-6
• Yields: 1 large salad

Ingredients

• DRESSING

• 1⁄3 cup  oil
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 cup white vinegar
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh parsley
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  hot pepper sauce (more or less Tabasco is best for this as it just brings some heat to the party)
• 1  dash black pepper

• SALAD

• 1⁄2 cup  sliced almonds
• 3  tablespoons sugar
• 4  cups  torn romaine lettuce
• 4  cups  torn  spinach leaves (or any combination of lettuces)
• 1  cup  sliced celery
• 1  cup  sliced green onion
• 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained

Directions

1. In jar with tight-fitting lid, combine all dressing ingredients; shake well. Refrigerate 1 hour.
2. In skillet, cook almonds and sugar over medium low heat until sugar melts and coats almonds, stirring frequently. Cool; break apart.
3. Combine the rest of the salad ingredients.
4. Toss with dressing and top with almonds--I prefer to top the salad, and at the last minute, as opposed to tossing the almonds in the salad to keep the sugar from being "washed off" by the dressing.