Autumn Salad with Lemon Poppyseed Dressing

Apples, cranberries, and pecans just sound right in the fall.  And they all just happen to be ingredients in this salad!  I think my sister-in-law introduced me to this salad and I love it!!!  I would recommend using fresh lemon juice as it tastes much better, but if you don't have any fresh lemons, go ahead and used the bottled stuff.

Autumn Salad with Lemon Poppyseed Dressing
1/4-1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tsp dried minced onion
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
Romaine lettuce, chopped or torn
Chopped pecans
Dried cranberries
1 apple, chopped
1 pear, chopped

In a blender or food processor, combine sugar, lemon juice, onion, mustard, and salt.  With blender or food processor running, slowly drizzle oil into mixture; add poppy seeds and quickly pulse, just to combine.

In a bowl, add lettuce, pecans, cranberries, apples, and pears; toss if desired.  I usually toss only a few of the ingredients with the lettuce and save most of them to put on top.  I've found that if I toss all of the ingredients, they end up on the bottom of the bowl!  Serve with dressing.