Sweet & Savory Spinach Salad

For Christmas Eve Dinner, I made Beef Tenderloin with Bearnaise Sauce, Roasted Asparagus, Scalloped Yukon Gold and Sweet Potato Gratin and Pumpkin Brulee. I wanted to serve a salad, so I decided on Organic Baby Spinach. At first, I thought of making a wilted spinach salad... then, I remember a recipe that a friend of ours (Lynne) gave to me about a year ago. It was delicious!

I'm one of those cooks who is almost fanatical (if you ask my family, they'd say I'm bordering "obnoxious) about making the whole meal come together at the same time-- this can make me look liked a crazed woman. I guess I learned this from my German mother, who ingrained into me that I should strive to serve my food hot (yes, I heat my dinner plates), efficiently and on time. I'm telling you this, because I did not photograph most of our Christmas Eve Dinner. The spinach salad was a huge hit (thanks, Lynn) and I realized that I wanted to post a photo. So, today, I made another spinach salad for lunch. I had leftover Baby Spinach in a bag, so I cooked more eggs and bacon. I used my microwave to bring the dressing to room temperature (personally, I think it tastes best that way). It was as delicious as the night before! This time, I snapped a quick photo of the salad-- nothing spectacular, but at least I got practice my food photography skills... that is, until my husband saw me with the camera and rolled his eyes. LOL!

There are two variations on how to use the salad dressing:

Salad #1 - Ingredients:
1 bag baby spinach
1 can bean sprouts, drained
1 can water chestnuts, drained
1 medium red onion, sliced thin
1/2 pound bacon, cooked crisp

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate

OR

Salad #2 - Ingredients (serves 4-6)
1 bag baby spinach
3-4 hard boiled eggs, sliced thin
1/2 medium red onion, sliced thin (or to your personal taste)
1/2 pound bacon, diced and cooked crisp

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate

For the dressing (makes approx. 2 cups of dressing):
1/2 cup salad oil (I prefer Extra-Virgin Olive Oil)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Cook the dressing ingredients until boiling. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Dress the salad right before serving. I am careful not to overdress the salad. This makes a LOT of dressing for leftovers.

Click here for printable recipe