Mandarin Orange & Poppyseed Salad

This is my all-time favorite salad. I got this recipe from a family friend. My friends' children say it tastes more like candy than an actual salad. My sister-in-law hates salads, but loves this one!!

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 2  bunches green leaf lettuce, rinsed, dried and ripped into pieces
• 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
• 1 (3 ounce) can  rice noodles (like La Choy)
• 3  green onions, chopped

• Candied Almonds

• 3⁄4 cup  slivered almonds
• 1  tablespoon butter
• 1  tablespoon sugar

• Dressing

• 1⁄2 cup  oil
• 1⁄4 cup white vinegar
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons poppy seeds
• 1  tablespoon Aunt Jane's Krazy Mixed Up Salt

Directions

1. Make or buy candied almonds.
2. To make candied almonds, melt butter in a small frying pan over medium-low heat.
3. Add almonds and sugar, cooking until golden brown.
4. Remove from heat, transfer to a different dish to cool. As almonds are cooling, continuously separate using a fork or another utensil (if you don't, the almonds will be stuck together and will be hard to separate once cool).
5. To make dressing, mix/shake all dressing ingredients together in a salad dressing cruet, or another tightly sealed container.
6. Rinse and dry lettuce leaves. Rip into bite-sized pieces.
7. Mix together lettuce, green onions, rice noodles, cooled candied almonds, and mandarin oranges.
8. Before serving, pour dressing over lettuce and mix using salad tongs.