Cran-Orange Almond Salad

I got this recipe from one of my favorite food blogs Real Mom Kitchen. I love so many of her recipes.  I adapted this one a bit. It calls for Jicama, but I'm not a fan of it.  I also tried the recipe using fresh oranges vs mandarins and decided we like the mandarins better.  This salad is a huge hit at out house.  It is so light a fresh! I nice alternative to a regular basic salad.

Cran-Orange Almond Salad

1 large head Iceberg lettuce
1/2 medium purple onion, sliced really thin and separated into rings
1 large can or two small cans of mandarin oranges. You can use fresh oranges, but we like the mandarins better.
1/2 cup or so of dried cranberries

Serve tossed with orange dressing and sugared almonds. (recipes below)

Orange Dressing

1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/3 cup fresh orange juice (can use the juice from the mandarin oranges)
2 Tablespoons vinegar I like (apple cider Vinegar but have used regular as well)
1/2 cup canola oil (or vegetable oil)
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon Good Seasons dry Italian dressing mix (about a 1/2 packet)

Combine ingredients in blender or shaker jar.

Sugared Almonds

4 ounces slivered almonds
3 Tablespoons sugar

Place almonds in a small skillet and sprinkle with sugar.  Cook over medium heat stirring until almonds are coated and starting to brown (a nice tan color) and sugar has dissolved.  (Be careful not to burn)  Allow almonds to cool.