This recipe is a huge hit & another of my favs.  It’s from Ruth Yantha who lives in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.  We met Ruth & her pen-pal Christine on a trip to South America.  They came to our home and we went to Toronto to their home.  This recipe had a very long name.  I changed it to Ruth’s Salad.  It’s fabulous!

RUTH’S SALAD 

Salad

5 oz. Baby Spinach

1 Gala Apple – thinly sliced

½ c toasted Pecans – chopped

2 oz. Feta Cheese

1-1/2 to 2 T Bacon Bits

¼ small Red Onion, thinly sliced

¼ c dried Cranberries

Dressing

¼ c Olive Oil

1/8 c Cider Vinegar

1 T Maple Syrup

1 t Dijon Mustard (whole grain)

1/8 t Salt

1/8 t Pepper

Make dressing in the morning.  Combine feta, red onion and cranberries in afternoon.  Just prior to serving, cut up apple.  (Note:  any type of apple will do.)

This is a great recipe.  I’ve been making it since 2002.  It’s easy & showy for a dinner party. Everyone loves it.  It’s the recipe that’s always requested after a dinner party.

PEPPER-CRUSTED MAPLE-GLAZED SALMON 

¾ c maple syrup

¼ c soy sauce

4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, skin removed

¼ c coarsely ground black pepper

½ t peanut or other vegetable oil

In a re-sealable bag or a small deep bowl, mix maple syrup and soy sauce.  Arrange fillets so that marinade completely covers fish.  Marinate in the refrigerator for as long as possible (a minimum of 4 hours, but ideally 24 hours to do it justice).

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.  Rub oil on a 10 x 10” sheet of aluminum foil,

Place pepper on small plate.  Remove salmon from marinade and pat topside only into cracked pepper to coat.  Place fillets, pepper side up, on foil.

Bake on top rack of oven for approximately 7 minutes.  (Syrup may cause fish to smoke when cooking, do not be alarmed.) Salmon can also be grilled directly over hot coals for about 3 minutes per side.  (Don’t microwave.)  Avoid overcooking the fillets.  Salmon is best when the color has turned to a pale pink, but the fish is still moist throughout.  Serve immediately on warmed plates.