SPINACH SALAD

In a salad bowl, combine:

Fresh baby spinach
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
12 fresh mushrooms, sliced thin (optional)
1 c. RINSED cottage cheese*
1 c. grated swiss cheese
2-4 sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled

Dressing:
2/3 c. vegetable oil
1/3 c. rice vinegar
1/2 c. sugar (or more, depending on how sweet you want it)
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. mustard (powdered)
1/2 t. poppy seeds
2 green onions, finely chopped

Wisk together and pour on salad immediately before serving. For an extra special touch, add sliced cherry tomatoes and candied chopped walnuts**.

*Place the cottage cheese in a strainer and rinse with cold water until all liquid is rinsed away. Drain completely.
**Place 1 c. chopped walnuts in a small frying pan. Add 1/2 c. white sugar. Cook over medium heat until the sugar has melted and coated the walnuts. Do not add anything else (no butter or oil). When the sugar reaches the correct temperature it will liquify and adhere to the walnuts. When the sugar has liquified and there are no more grains of sugar, immediately transfer the walnuts to a plate and spread out to cool.

This is a really easy salad to make, especially if you prepare the dressing and walnuts ahead of time. It makes a great presentation for a fancy dinner.