In an attempt to keep things normal, I'm doing what I usually do two weeks before Easter - reading recipes for our Easter feast! I'm not sure who will be attending our feast this year, maybe it will be just the two of us and if so, that's okay, the feast must go on.
Strawberries are a sure sign of spring and their sweetness adds the perfect balance to the slight bitterness of the arugula. Of course, candied almonds help with that, too. This salad is very adaptable, if you don't want to use strawberries, use chopped apples. If you don't want to use feta cheese, use crumbled blue cheese. If you don't want to use candied almonds use candied pecans - but whatever you do, don't mess with the dressing, it's divine.
The dressing could not be easier to make and it's deliciousness will coat every piece of yummy goodness in this festive spring salad, making it the perfect salad for our Easter feast. Sure we'll have ham and scalloped potatoes and asparagus - those are part of our tradition - but we also need to balance out the heavy food with something bright and tasty and this salad is it!
I've decided this Easter we will stick with the favorites mentioned above along with hot cross buns, wouldn't be Easter without them. You can check out all of my Easter recipes by scrolling down to Easter in the categories on the right - you might even find something else that your feast needs.
Strawberry-Arugula Salad - Southern Living Magazine
1 small sweet onion, chopped, divided
1/2 cup light olive oil
3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste
1 (10 oz.) package fresh arugula
1 lb. fresh strawberries, stemmed and halved (about 2 to 2 1/2 cups)
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)
1 cup chopped candied slivered almonds
In a food processor or blender, process half of the onion, oil, vinegar, sugar, mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper until creamy. Arrange arugula, strawberries, remaining onion, feta cheese and slivered almonds on a large platter. Drizzle with dressing and serve. Serves 8 to 10.
There's one last thing I want to tell you about and that's the serving tongs I love and use for salads. I've had these tongs for about 10 years and they still look brand new because they are stainless steal and they don't tarnish. You can find them on Amazon, click here for the link. I have 3 of these Oneida 11-1/2 tongs, a gal can never have too many!
Trust me, these are study, well-made, they look nice if you're using china and crystal or paper plates and plastic. I get nothing from recommending these but the satisfaction of knowing your Easter guests will be able to scoop up a portion of salad without dropping anything in their laps. I've lost track of what day of coronavirus quarantine this is - I just know that my daily routine consists of these choices: Netflix, laundry, walking the dog, sewing or baking. But if I keep choosing to bake then I'll be dealing with the quarantine 15 (pounds) that I'm sure is in my future! Stay safe and keep washing your hands.
