"olive Garden" Salad and Dressing Recipe

This salad with it's dressing is wonderfully authentic in taste to the salad served at the "Olive Garden" restaurants. The dressing recipe makes enough dressing to cover a large bowl of salad.

• Ready In: 15 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• Dressing

• 1⁄2 cup mayonnaise
• 1⁄3 cup white vinegar
• 1  teaspoon  vegetable oil
• 2  tablespoons corn syrup
• 2  tablespoons parmesan cheese
• 2  tablespoons romano cheese
• 1 -2  minced fresh garlic clove
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  italian seasoning
• 1⁄2 teaspoon parsley flakes
• 1  tablespoon lemon juice
• 1  tablespoon sugar (optional)

• Salad

• 1  DOLE Italian Salad Variety
• 4  sliced rings purple onions (halved)
• 8  jumbo black olives (pitted)
• 6  banana peppers (peperoncini-I use Merzzetta's Imported Greek Golden)
• 1⁄2 cup crouton
• 2  roma tomatoes (quartered)
•  parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
•  pepper, corns (freshly ground)

Directions

1. For the dressing: Mix the first eleven ingredients in a blender until well mixed. If this is a little to tart for your own personal taste, add 1 Tablespoon of sugar.
2. For the salad: Pour 1/2 package of the salad blend into a large salad bowl. Top with 1/2 of the onion, olives, banana peppers, croutons and tomatoes. Add dressing to taste and toss well. Add the other 1/2 bag of salad and more dressing to taste. Toss well. Top the salad with the remaining onion, olives, banana peppers, croutons and tomatoes. Pass the grated Parmesan cheese and black pepper mill at the table.