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I've always love the Secret Santa game; participants draw a name and stealthily surprise their given person with kind deeds and little surprises over a specific time period. The culmination comes at the end when each "Secret Santa" is revealed and the mystery is finally over. It's a fun way to build relationships and team spirit with a group of co-workers or friends.
............. and this is how it works: Each participating blogger is given the name of another blog, a specified period of time to check this blog out with the assignment of choosing a recipe to prepare and then blog about. Everyone reveals their secret assignment on the same day at the same hour - today! Visitors to the blogs can have fun seeing all the new creations along with the original recipes.
with Pomegranate Vinaigrette
FOR THE SALAD
1 lb. baby spinach – washed and dried (I used butter lettuce)
½ lb. strawberries – tops removed and sliced
¼ – ½ cup crumbled goat cheese
FOR THE POMEGRANATE VINAIGRETTE
2 equal parts Pomegranate Juice Concentrate (I used 1 17 ounce bottle of pomegranate/blueberry juice and simmered it to reduce it to about 6 ounces, this took about 10 minutes, I used the Naked Juice brand)
1 equal part champagne vinegar
Fresh cracked pepper – to taste
Kosher salt – a pinch
FOR THE MAPLE-CANDIED ALMONDS
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 cup sliced almonds
½ teaspoon sea salt
FOR THE SALAD
Place lettuce or spinach in a large bowl. Add strawberries, candied almonds and goat cheese. Add 2 tablespoons pomegranate vinaigrette and toss. Pass extra vinaigrette at the table.
FOR THE VINAIGRETTE
The vinaigrette can easily be adjusted depending on the size of your salad. I have listed the recipe using equal parts. Just use a bigger measuring cup for a large salad and small measuring cup for a small personal salad.
Whisk ingredients together and pour over salad. Can also be stored in the refrigerator until ready to be used.
FOR THE CANDIED ALMONDS
Combine Maple-Candied Almond ingredients together in a small baking pan. Mix well to coat almonds. Bake at 300˚ for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and cool on parchment paper or waxed paper.
Kim - Liv Life says
Wow! I'm loving everything about this salad... it's salad season and this one is going on my list. Wonderful SRC post!
Delishhh says
This looks fabulous. Nice work on the Secret Recipe Club. Isn't it fun. I love finding new blogs and reading through them.
Anne @ Quick and Easy Cheap and Healthy says
love strawberries and goat cheese in a salad - yum! And the pomegranate vinaigrette sounds so amazing.
Pretend Chef says
This salad looks so delicious. Will need to bookmark this recipe for when a salad craving hits. Yummy!
Katie @ This Chick Cooks says
What a gorgeous salad. It sounds absolutely delicious. Welcome to the SRC 🙂
Eliotseats says
Colorful,delicious, healthy---how could one go wrong with this salad?
Taylor says
This looks like such a fresh and delicious salad! So glad I found your blog through SRC!!
Lisa~~ says
Such a perfect summer salad.
If you haven't already, I'd love for you to check out my SRC recipe this month: Holy Guacamole.
Lisa~~
Cook Lisa Cook
Beth says
This looks gorgeous. What a wonderful recipe!
sweetcarolinescooking.com says
This is such a great idea, I absolutely love it! I love how it includes a bunch of bloggers. This salad looks divine, btw. 🙂
Nutmeg Nanny says
This is absolutely gorgeous! I love everything you did! Such a great idea to candy the almonds...yum! Thank you for trying this salad...glad to be in SRC with you 🙂
Peggy says
This salad looks amazing! I love your photographs =)
Inside a British Mum's Kitchen says
What a delicious salad - I love your combinations
Mary
Marla says
Loving this salad - perfect for summer entertaining!
So fun to be in the Secret Recipe Club with you. This looks amazing 🙂
Shelby says
The salad looks absolutely delicious!
Kate says
Lovely salad! I can hardly wait to give it a try. Found you through SRC. Great entry!
amanda @ fake ginger says
I have POM concentrate in my pantry right now and had no idea what to do with it - now I know! This looks like the best salad ever!
The Mom Chef says
Well how fun is that secret recipe club! I love the idea of that. It would be really hard to just choose one recipe to try though.
I think you made an excellent selection though. I also love the idea of the candied pecans! Beautiful.
Kelly says
The Secret Recipe Club is a great idea and there are some wonderful recipes featured here - your salad looks scrumptious. Pomegranate is a favourite and those maple-candied almonds... whoa. Delightful.
BigBearswife says
I am so glad that you posted this! I had this at a local cafe a while ago and wanted to make it, and forgot about it! But Now I will def remember it! Found this from the The Secret Recipe Club blog hop 🙂
The Café Sucré Farine says
@KRay
Hi there!!!! Thanks for stopping by and commenting, it was fun and I just found out that Cafe Lynnylu had my blog - here is the link -
Winnie says
What a gorgeous salad!