Orange, Walnut & Gorgonzola Mixed Greens Salad

Well, I'm back in my apartment in Utah now- back to my small kitchen and broken dishwasher- yep it leaked ALL over the kitchen floor today and needs to be fixed- so I will probably be cooking a little less.  Don't get me wrong, though- I will not revert to frozen "Lean Cuisines," Top Ramen, or even PB&J for every meal.... okay so maybe PB&J every once in a while...  :) but since I am only cooking for myself now, my cooking will be a lot simpler, easier, and quicker to fit my busy lifestyle!

However, I do still have some recipes from back home this summer when I cooked with my Mom almost every night for our family.  Good times that I will surely miss this coming semester. 

This salad screams summertime (whoa, way to alliterate!) and was absolutely delicious!  It's from allrecipes.com.  You must make the homemade citrus vinaigrette, though- it's super simple and really ties all of the flavors together!  

The only difference I'd make is to chop the onions into smaller pieces rather than slices so that they are not so over-powering.  I also carmelized the walnuts with a bit of sugar  which was very yummy!   This is definitely going to be one of my go-to recipes.

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• Orange, Walnut & Gorgonzola Mixed Greens Salad
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• 3/4 cup walnut halves
• 10 ounces mixed salad greens with arugula
• 2 large navel oranges, peeled and sectioned
• 1/2 cup sliced or chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

1. Place the walnuts in a skillet over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until lightly browned.
2. In a large bowl, toss the toasted walnuts, salad greens, oranges, and red onion.
3. In a large jar with a lid, mix the olive oil, vegetable oil, orange juice, sugar, vinegar, mustard, oregano, and pepper. Seal jar, and shake to mix.
4. Divide the salad greens mixture into individual servings. To serve, sprinkle with Gorgonzola cheese, and drizzle with the dressing mixture.

Makes 6 servings

Nutrition (per serving):  368 calories, 30.1g fat, 8mg cholesterol