I'm going to be lazy and just do a copy paste on this recipe that I developed. My friend posted this on her web site and used it on the air which I thought was pretty neat.
LENI'S SPINACH SALAD
Our listener, Leni, sometimes comes home from working in her vegetable garden just too tired to make a fuss for dinner. At times like that, she loves to toss together this spinach salad, which is hearty enough for a main course, but it goes well with pizza, pasta or take-out chicken, too. Leni sent me her notes on making it.
To serve 4 (or two as a main course) you'll need a package of washed baby spinach and a package of fresh sliced mushrooms. Also from the produce department, a small red onion - which you slice thin. Then, you need 5 slices of bacon, some good croutons, and some shredded Parmesan cheese - along with a small can of garbanzo beans - rinsed.
All you'll need for the dressing is a little red wine vinegar - you'll see.
In your salad bowl, put the baby spinach and scatter over the sliced mushrooms. Break the thin sliced red onion into rings, and scatter those across (you can rinse the onion slices if they smell strong, and pat them dry, first). Scatter over the rinsed garbanzo beans.
Now, in a skillet, cook the 5 slices of bacon - drain them and crumble the bacon over the salad. To the skillet with the bacon drippings, add a half cup of red wine vinegar and a half cup of water, along with 3 tablespoons of sugar. Let it come to a simmer, grind over some fresh pepper - and pour the hot dressing onto the salad. Sprinkle over the croutons and Parmesan, and serve.
About 15 minutes and less than $10 for a main course for 2 - or a side dish for 4. Can't beat that!
The only thing that I sometimes do that is different from what Melinda gave on the air is to put the red onion slices into the skillet for a few moments once the dressing has reached a simmer until they are translucent.
I serve this with spaggetti and garlic bread. I'll put the left over salad dressing into the refrigerator or freezer. Any other leftovers go into the refrigerator for another salad. If the spinach is spun in a salad spinner and then put into a zip loc baggie it will last two or three days.