Nan’s Crusted Almond Salad (“good eating”)

by Sarah Segletes Landes

1 large head romaine
1/2 cup celery (cut on a slant)
4 sliced green onions
15 oz can mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 cup almonds (slivered or sliced)
2 Tb sugar

Dressing: 
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
Dash of pepper
2 Tb chopped parsley
4 Tb white vinegar
1 1/2 Tb sugar

1. Mix together all dressing ingredients and refrigerate for an hour. 

2. Place 2 Tb sugar and 1/2 cup almonds into saucepan on Medium heat until almonds are coated. Stir constantly. It only takes 2-3 minutes to toast light brown. (Be careful—they burn easily.) Poor on a piece of foil. Break into small pieces when cool. 

2. Cut romaine with knife long ways, and then the other way in bite sized pieces. 

3. When I made this I just put it all in a bowl and mixed it up, but Nan had more specific instructions which I didn’t understand. I think the idea was to reserve half of the oranges, celery and onions to make the top of the salad look pretty. 

You can prepare everything ahead of time and mix together at last minute. 

“Good eating” (I couldn’t figure out how to add multiple photos, so the rest of Nan’s recipe cards for this salad are in the comments below.)