Happy first day of Fall!  This is a delicious Asian salad that is loaded with spinach, pasta, chicken and really whatever you want.  Feel free to add in all the ingredients or customize it to your likes and dislikes.  Every bite is bursting with flavor.

Ingredients:

*This makes a very large salad.  Halved would serve 6-8.

Salad:

• 1 ½ bags fresh spinach (6 handfuls)
• 2 8 oz cans sliced water chestnuts
• 3 c cooked, diced chicken
• 3 cans mandarin oranges
• 6 oz. honey roasted peanuts
• 1 6 oz bag dried cranberries
• ½ c roasted sunflower seeds
• ½ cup chopped celery
• 1 bunch chopped green onion
• 1 16 oz bag bow tie pasta

Dressing:

• 1 ½ cups canola oil
• 1 cup vinegar (I use red wine)
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 bottle teriyaki sauce (21 oz)
• 6 T sugar
• ½ tsp pepper

Directions:

In a large pot, cook pasta according to directions.  While pasta is cooking, combine all the ingredients for the dressing and mix well.  Drain pasta after it is done cooking and pour half the marinade over it.  Let the pasta marinate in the dressing for a few hours in the refrigerator.

While pasta is marinating cook the chicken and then cut it into bite size pieces.

After the pasta has marinaded for a few hours combine with remaining ingredients and mix well.   Feel free to add in some of the ingredients or all.  Add in what you like and leave out what you dislike. Mix it and serve.

Recipe from my mother-in-law Candilyn Newell