3 Lettuce Salad with Sweet Red Onion Dressing

I completely forgot to post this on Monday....so I decided to give you one of my my all time favorite recipes. 

This is my FAVORITE salad and one of my most requested items to bring to a party.  I had it the first time at my bridal shower over 10 years ago.  I didn't cook much back then, but I had to have the recipe and it became my staple for every get together from that point on. 

It's kind of one of those throw whatever you like and pour that yummy dressing over it and you have a delicious salad.  Here's the recipe and then I will give you the commentary about it. 

As I mention in the recipe, I usually used bagged lettuce.  For me, it's easier.  Costco and Sam's have tubs of salad that makes it really easy to put this together.  If possible, it's great to use a mixed green salad mix and then add in some romaine and spinach leaves.  Whatever you have will be great though.

I love to add strawberries, but any kind of fruit....pears, raspberries, blueberries, even craisins are great. 

Sugared nuts are always amazing in a salad.  Don't you agree?  Mmmm.  Get your almonds (or pecans...my favorite) put them in a skillet and pour your sugar over them.  The sugar will melt over them and after it has all dissolved I like to pour them on a sheet of wax paper or a cookie sheet in a single layer to cool. 

Bacon.  Do I need to say more?  To make this salad easy, I usually have nuts already made up in the freezer (when I run out I make a lot), and I always have the frozen bacon in the freezer too.  The kind you can buy at Costco or Sam's.  I throw it in the microwave for a minute until it's pretty crispy and after it cools it crumbles really easily. 

Parmesan cheese.  Ok, the powdered kind does not work in this salad.  However, if you don't have shredded Parmesan cheese, mozzarella is great too!  Sometimes I do both.

Chicken.  Honestly, I rarely ever put chicken in this salad anymore.  Mainly because I make it as a side and not a main dish.  However, if you were serving this with soup, for example, I might add chicken just to give it some protein.  I think I'm cheap and lazy though and adding chicken drives up the price and the time on the salad.

The dressing is great.  I like just a 1/4 c. chopped red onion, but if you feel like the onion taste is too light, add more.  Add in all the ingredients in your blender, except the oil, and blend it up for a few minutes (you don't want to have any chunks of onion).  Your dressing will be a beautiful pink color.  After it's blended really well, keep the blender going and slowly add in your oil.  Wait to pour your dressing over your salad until you're ready to serve.  Don't pour the entire salad dressing over your salad...add about 1/2 or so and mix it and then see if you need more.  You don't want it dripping (ok maybe you do...I'm just not a fan).. 

So there it is.  This recipe is a winner.  Hope you all like it!