Spinach and Strawberry Salad

This is a great Spring and Summer salad. I made it last weekend for Easter and was very pleased with how it turned out! It is so fresh-tasting and really easy to put together. Because you can go ahead and put the dressing on it before it is served, it works well for cookouts or buffet-styled meals. It is best if you make it ahead and store it in the refrigerator for several hours before serving.

Spinach and Strawberry Salad
Ingredients:
1 bag fresh baby spinach, washed
1 quart fresh strawberries, washed and sliced
½ cup sliced walnuts
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3 fresh basil leaves, chopped finely

Poppy Seed Dressing
Ingredients:
½ cup good olive oil
¼ cup cider vinegar (white distilled vinegar will work if you don’t have cider vinegar)
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 ½ tablespoons grated onion
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon paprika

Directions:
Place the spinach, strawberries, walnuts, mozzarella, and basil in a large bowl – mix all ingredients. Then, mix together all of the ingredients of the dressing in a separate bowl with a whisk. Once the dressing ingredients are combined, drizzle the mixture over the salad and stir the salad (you may not need all of the dressing.) Store the salad in the refrigerator for several hours to allow the flavors to combine before serving.