Spinach Salad {with warm bacon vinaigrette}

I've been making this salad for as long as I can remember.

And it's one of my very favorites!

My family loves it, too.

Let's do this:

Fry about four strips of bacon.

Set aside & let it cool completely.

Then chop it up.

Meanwhile, back in your skillet:

DON'T drain the grease!

Leave it right there in your pan.

However, if this freaks you out totally (but really, it shouldn't...it's not a lot),

You can spoon out some of it and replace it with olive oil.

(But it won't taste as bacony.  That's my warning to you.)

Oftentimes I do this step in advance, then set it all aside until just before dinner.

So, when you're ready to make & serve,

warm the pan of grease. 

 Throw in some salt and pepper.

(about 1/2 tsp. salt & 1/4 tsp. pepper)

**Not pictured**

Whisk about a tablespoon of honey.

Then add some red wine vinegar.

About 1/4 cup.

Whisk it up until it is simmering.

Now, give it a taste!!

You might want it a tad sweeter.

Or more vinegary.

Or less vinegary.

Or more salty.

Whatever!

This is the time to adjust it to your liking. 

Prepare your salad bowls with fresh spinach.

And let me tell you, sliced mushrooms are a fabulous addition to this salad!

But I didn't have any for this round.

So, forget I ever said anything about that.

Just before you're ready to serve your salads,

top with your bacon bits and drizzle the dressing on top.

It doesn't take much. 

Guys, it's soooo delicious!

Such an elegant salad, yet super simple!

(Here it is all together)

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing:

Fresh Spinach

4 slices of bacon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 tablespoon honey

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1.  Fry about four strips of bacon.

Set aside & let it cool completely.

2.  Chop bacon into bits.

3.  Meanwhile, back in your skillet:

DON'T drain the grease!

Leave it right there in your pan.

However, if this freaks you out totally (but really, it shouldn't...it's not a lot),

You can spoon out some of it and replace it with olive oil.

4.  Add salt, pepper, honey, and vinegar.

5.  Bring to a simmer.

6.  Taste it and adjust it accordingly.

7.  Drizzle over a bed of spinach, topped with bacon bits.

ENJOY!!!

thousand island dressing {mmmm, good!}

I am still chipping away at ridding my kitchen of processed foods.

Slowly, but surely, I'm doing it.

Hooray!

And one of the things I have vowed never to buy in a bottle ever again is,

salad dressing.

Salad dressing is really SO VERY EASY to make, friends.

AND you are eliminating a ton of bad-for-you ingredients that are ever-present

in bottled dressings.

So last week I made one of my very favorites!

Thousand Island.

It's an American classic!

Now listen, I do realize that having mayonnaise as the base isn't exactly healthy.

At all.

(Though I hope to make homemade mayo soon, which will help improve it.)

But, compared to commercially made,

this is the best option. 

All I did was whisk together:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup chili sauce

2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish (another thing on my list to make myself)

2 tablespoons chopped chives (I used dried)

Juice of half a lemon (freshly squeezed!)

And just like that, I had THE most delicious dressing.

It got K-Man's stamp of approval, which ain't easy, let me tell ya.

I adapted the recipe from this hugely handy booklet I received

through my Food Network magazine subscription.

I hope to try MANY of these recipes and will for sure share with

you the ones I have success with.

If YOU have a family-favorite homemade dressing,

I would so love for you to share!

ENJOY a good and very green healthy salad today, friends!