As you read in my first post, we had a family of 5 over for dinner on Sunday…on a whim…without having gone grocery shopping at all that week. Potentially a BAD idea, but it turned out amazing! It forced me to get creative and search my pantry, fridge, and freezer for ingredients I had on-hand, to feed 4 adults, 2 teens, 1 tween, and 4 little kids a full-blown, homemade ham dinner! It turned out amazing. I made Brown Sugar Slow Cooker Ham, roasted carrots & mashed sweet potatoes, Easy Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes, a Chocolate Bundt Cake with caramel drizzle, and Strawberry Spinach Salad with homemade Honey Poppy Seed Dressing! Yes, you read that right. (And I don't even like to cook!) 

Click any of the other recipes above to get details on them, but for now I'm here to share the my no-fail, delicious, easy-peasy crowd-pleasing Strawberry Spinach Salad recipe with you! Let's get on with it!

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Homemade Honey Poppy Seed Dressing and Sugared Almonds:

Get the printable recipe by clicking here, or I listed it all out for you below:

Salad Ingredients:

• Fresh baby spinach
• Fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced in half (can use or add any other kids of berries as well – blackberries, blueberries and raspberries are all delish!)
• Mozzarella cheese (shredded, chunked, balled, however you like it! Feta cheese and parmesan cheese is also good)
• Dressing (recipe below)
• Sugared almonds – optional (recipe below)

Directions:

Eyeball all the salad ingredients according to your desired taste! It's a salad, don't stress! Top with almonds, and serve dressing on the side. 

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Sugar-Toasted Almond Ingredients:

• ½ cup sliced raw almonds
• 1T butter
• 2-3T granulated sugar

Directions:

Melt butter over medium-low heat, add almonds and sugar. Sauté until sugar has melted and everything has incorporated, but watch carefully so they don't burn! Cool on parchment paper then add to salad.

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Honey Poppy Seed Dressing Ingredients:

• ¾ cup white sugar
• ½ cup honey
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp onion, finely grated – optional (I used a few shakes of dried onion, or you can omit this altogether)
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp poppy seeds

Directions:

Mix all ingredients, except oil and poppy seeds, in a blender. Gradually add oil and poppy seeds and continue blending. Serve with salad. Refrigerate remaining dressing for later use. Keeps 3 weeks.

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Again, see any of the other recipes here:

• Brown Sugar Slow Cooker Ham
• Roasted carrots & mashed sweet potatoes
• Easy Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
• Chocolate Bundt Cake with Caramel drizzle

ENJOY!

Enjoy!