Kim's Salad

A few weeks ago our stake RS put on the annual Women's conference. Maybe you would call it something else because our stake actually only does it every 2 years while the other Knoxville does it on the off every 2 years. anyway, our stake was in charge.

**detour** I was called to be the Stake RS secretary almost exactly a year ago. At out first meeting the RS presidency went over what we did. (I have never even been in a ward RS presidency before. I usually am with the kids...) They talked about ward conferences, newsletters, visits, trainings and then that it was our turn to host Women's conference. Last years that the other Knoxville Stake put on was FABULOUS! They started to throw around ideas. Things like have the same speakers who always speak come, then do a craft and have a lunch. UGH! Really? I go to things like that, but not very often to I come away feeling like it was time really well spent. Especially if I have to drive over an hour EACH WAY just to get there. And if they were going to make me put my name by it, double ugh!

I went away from that meeting and the next few similar ones thinking that I REALLY didn't want women's conference to be a something that I didn't want to go to, that I wanted it to be good. Something that I wouldn't walk away from regretting all the time away from my family that it cost.

Most of you know me and know that I can be, sometimes timid, shy or reserved, but not very often. Usually I am too bold and outspoken. Well, I was true to my character this time. I was talking to Jonathon about how much I didn't want Women's conference to be a bore, how I wished that we could make it more like a "Time Out for Women." Something that would make everyone feel good and walk away feeling that the time they spent was a good investment. I talked about how I would love to bring Cherie Call out. (She is our family's favorite LDS singer.) While I talked to him I decided to try. She could only say no, right?

So I got on her web page, emailed her with my idea and I am not kidding, but within 15 min she had emailed me back and said she would do it if we could get approval from the stake and as long as we paid her transportation etc. she did things like that for free.

Wow! Well a few months later we had approval, we had a date, and things were set. Fast forward to March and we are hot and heavy in women's conference plans. I was so excited. I love planning and putting together things like this, especially when I believe in them. I had more meetings and trips to Knoxville than I like, but things were getting put together.

The day turned out to be almost exactly like I wanted it to. (Except the fact that I was so dead on my feet that there was no way I was going to be able to stay for the YW fireside she was doing.)

That day I was in charge of the salad. I thought I was getting off easy. I got Kim's salad recipe that she has made several times for our RS and I was ready. Except I didn't want to go to Knoxville again and buy a Sam;s club membership just to get pre cut and washed Romain lettuce. Do you know how much time it takes to wash and cut (with a plastic knife so it doesn't brown over night) 10 heads of Romain lettuce? Neither did I, but I do now, and it would have been MUCH less time and worth the membership fee to drive to Knoxville.

In the end it was worth it though. The salad was really good, and I have had dozens of requests for the dressing recipe. I can brag that it was so good, because it's not my recipe. I thought I'd share it with you. And this way I won't loose it! The salad is a fruity one and will serve 20-25+ people. The dressing is so good and it works on any kind of salad.

Kim's Salad:

1 head Romain lettuce chopped
1 head iceberg lettuce chopped
1 pkg spinach

red grapes (I used about 4 cups)
grated Swiss cheese (I used about 1 1/2 cups)
sliced almonds (sugared if you want) about 1/2 cup
1 can drained Mandarin oranges
1 pkg craisins
1/2 sliced purple onion
optional: crumbled bacon

Dressing:

1/4 C. cider vinegar
2tsp. Dijon mustard
6T Brown sugar
1/2 C. canola oil

You can mix the dressing in right before serving (It will get soggy if left too long) or make a double (or triple) batch of dressing and serve it on the side. (At Women's conference we ran out of dressing before we ran out of salad because I didn't mix it together.)

Perfect for LARGE family get togethers or RS women's conferences!