Our Traditional Thanksgiving Salad

Mixed Green Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette
Cranberry Vinaigrette
2/3 cup canned whole-berry cranberry sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
Pinch of salt
½ teaspoon herbs de Provence

Salad
2 bags mixed green salad
½ cup dried cranberries
1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
1/2 cup black walnuts, coarsely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. To prepare the vinaigrette, put half of the cranberry sauce in a blender with the vinegar and process until smooth. Scrape into a salad bowl and whisk in the rest of the cranberry sauce and the remaining dressing ingredients. Set aside.
2. Rinse the salad greens and pat dry between paper towels. When ready to serve, put the greens in the bowl with the dressing. Add the onion. Toss well to coat evenly with the dressing. Sprinkle the black walnuts and dried cranberries over the salad. Grind fresh pepper over the top and serve.

This is also good with about 1/2 cup mild blue cheese sprinkled over it, but we have cheese in so many dishes at Thanksgiving that we don't need more in the salad.