Dave & Stella Lauerman's use-as-many-things-from-the-box-as-you-can Salad

An interesting combination of cooked and raw veggies, 'plus'...

Clean then tear up, slice, or otherwise cut up as many of the following as you wish into a big salad bowl: lettuce, spinach, celery, radishes, cucumber, tomatoes, peppers, onion, zucchini...

Scrub and steam a few potatoes (15 - 20 min.) & carrots (~10 min), slice and add to salad veggies. Wash/trim/steam some green beans & sugar snap peas 'til just crisp-tender & add. The 'plus'... add a bunch of tiny cooked bay shrimp and crumbled hard-boiled egg. Everyone can serve themselves, and top w/their favorite dressing. Its a crowd-pleaser at the Lauerman family's house!
 

Spinach, Pear & Pecan Salad
we got pears this week!  spinach too! (and yes, I did run this recipe last year)
Serves about 3 - 4 people

combine in a large bowl:
1 bunch fresh spinach, rinsed, patted dry & torn into bite size pieces
2 sm. or 1 lg. pear, cored & thinly sliced
1/2 a small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 C toasted pecans
1/4 C crumbled blue cheese

in a small bowl, whisk together:
1/2 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 C olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Toss salad ingredients w/above dressing to coat.