Winter Salad
Don't be alarmed by all the steps. You can simplify this with a store bought dressing, prepackaged candied pecans and mandarin oranges. But I think you will agree once you make it, that this one is worth the steps - and none of them are time intensive. This dressing also has less than 2 tablespoons of oil compared to a 1/4 cup or more in most store bought dressings.

Salad
8 Ounces of your favorite salad greens (I like a mixture of Red Leaf and Field Greens)
2 Navel Oranges
1/4 Medium Red Onion
1/2 cup Pecans
3 Tablespoons Sugar

Vinaigrette
3/4 Cup Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate, thawed and undiluted
1/2 Cup Water
1/4 Cup Plus 2 Tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice
1/4 Cup Minced Fresh Basil
1 1/2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 1/2 Teaspoons Dijon Mustard
1/8 Teaspoon Salt

To make vinaigrette - combine all the ingredients in a jar and shake or put in your blender and give it a spin. This recipe makes more than you need so save some for tomorrow night's salad. Chill until ready to use.

To prepare oranges -I take an orange and put it on the cutting board. With a downward slice, I cut off the peel from the top of the orange to the bottom. I rotate the orange and do the next slice of peel until almost all the peel is off. Then I trim off the remaining peel on both ends. Now you have a naked orange. With a sharp knife, slice right next to where you see the membrane seperating the sections. Do that on both insides of that individual section and a lovely, naked slice of orange will fall out, without an speck of pith or peel. Do that to every section on both oranges.

To make pecans - Place a non-stick small skillet over medium heat. Add the nuts (you could use almonds if you don't like pecans). Toast the nuts until they begin to smell toasty. Keep an eye on them because they go quickly from toasty to burnt. When they start smelling toasty, sprinkle the sugar around in the pan. It will begin to melt into a liquid. Stir the sugar and the pecans until all the sugar is melted and the pecans are coated. Again be careful that it doesn't burn. Pour out the nuts onto a piece of aluminum foil to cool.

To prepare salad -Slice the red onion into thin rings. Trim the lettuce and cut into bite sized pieces. Rinse and spin dry. Place in a serving bowl and chill. Right before serving, sprinkle the lettuce with the onions, pecans and orange sections. Toss with dressing to taste.

You can also compose this salad - put your dressed field greens on a salad plate and arrange the oranges, onions and pecans in an eye pleasing arrangement.

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