Gourmet Green Salad with Homemade Red Wine Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS

2/3 cup

red wine vinegar

1 1/2 cups

sugar

1/4 cup

red onions, finely grated (about 1/4 of a large red onion)

2 tbsp

Dijon mustard

2 tsp

salt

ground pepper

2 cups

canola oil

10 cups

mixed greens (I use the large rectuangular box from Sam’s Club)

1 lb

white button mushrooms, sliced

ripe, fresh pears, sliced thinly (you can also use fresh strawberries, raspberries, or apples)

1/4 cup

thinly sliced Parmesan cheese (I grab my big block of Parmesan cheese and use my vegetable peeler to slice of thin peels of Parmesan)

large carrot (or about 5-6 baby carrots), thinly sliced

1/4 cup

freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4

to 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

slices of bacon, cooked and coarsely chopped

3 cups

homemade croutons (see below for a how-to)