Out of the Frying Pan! Recipes: Carol's Summer Salad (printer version)

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Carol's Summer Salad

8-12 serving

2 cups unsalted pecan or almond pieces
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
6 tablespoons sugar
1 head romaine lettuce, washed, dried, torn and chilled
1 bunch spinach, baby if possible, washed, dried, torn and chilled
1/2 cup scallions, chopped
1/2 cup celery, diced
16 oz. can mandarin oranges, chilled
1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced and chilled
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup Agrumato olive oil pressed with tangerines or oranges, if available (or substitute extra virgin)

Preheat oven to 350°. Keep your greens and fruit in the refrigerator until you're ready to toss them.
Combine red wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons sugar and olive oil in a jar. Put in refrigerator to chill while you complete the rest of the steps.
Combine butter and 4 tablespoons sugar thoroughly in a medium-sized bowl. Add nuts. Stir to coat.
Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread nut mixture evenly on a foil. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven. As the nut mixture cools, it may be necessary to break it apart with a spoon or spatula every few minutes. Don't go crazy with this step (I almost said "nuts") just enough to free the nuts from the extra hardened brittle. Allow nuts to cool completely.
Combine spinach, scallions, celery, oranges, strawberries and nuts in a large salad bowl. Pour oil mixture over salad and toss gently.
Chill for no longer than 30 minutes or serve immediately. (Nikol: do you agree here? You seem to think it would be a bad idea to chill a dressed salad for too long.)