Swiss Cashew Salad, our version

I clipped a recipe for Swiss Cashew Tossed Salad from a Taste of Home magazine somebody gave me; and the exact same recipe (no credit given to anybody) is posted on at least two recipe websites. So it doesn't look like this idea is much of a secret: Romaine lettuce, cashews, Swiss cheese (sliced thin with a vegetable peeler), and poppy seed dressing. This is a very simple salad to make, but that's why you need to use the best possible quality ingredients. We got good-quality Swiss cheese at the deli and used a combination of Romaine and our own garden lettuce. I can't even imagine this one with iceberg lettuce, so if that's all you have, I wouldn't bother.

I didn't like the dressing recipe that came with the salad (the one given if you do a search for "Swiss Cashew Tossed Salad")--I couldn't stomach the idea of 3/4 of a cup of sugar in one bowl of salad. So I used this one from Betty Crocker's Cookbook.

Poppy Seed Dressing

1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp. vinegar
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp. poppy seeds

Mix everything except the oil and poppy seeds. Gradually add oil, beating until thick and smooth; stir in poppy seeds. The book says to cover and refrigerate at least two hours. Makes 3/4 cup of dressing, enough for one average salad.

Some people here don't like poppy seed dressing, so they had the salad with commercial Caesar-with-bacon dressing--and that was also very good. Oh, one other thing--don't mix the cashews with the lettuce too far ahead--they go soft.