Quick and Delicious Dinner Salad w/ Homemade Dressing

This salad goes with any dinner and I also eat it by itself for lunch. Quick and easy and definitely a crowd pleas er. I have another recipe that friends LOVE, (no, I still haven't posted it yet, I know!) it's quite a bit more work than this one but they're similar in taste.

Ingredients:
(Salad)
1/4 c. slivered almonds (I crush whole if that's all I have)
1 T sugar
1 head lettuce or spinach
1 c. chopped celery
hand full of craisins OR 1 (11 0z) can Mandarin oranges (for a more oriental salad)

(Dressing)
1 tsp salt
2 T vinegar
2 T sugar
3 green onions
1/4 c canola or veg oil
1 T parsley

Directions:
Caramelize almonds by heating them in a small skillet with the sugar until sugar caramelizes onto almonds. Place almonds on a baking sheet or aluminum foil, separate and let cool. (If you're short on time, skip this step and just sprinkle with almonds)

Salad: Tear lettuce or spinach and combine with celery and craisins or oranges.

Dressing: combine all ingredients, drizzle over salad and toss. Sprinkle with caramelized almonds.

Recipe from: a friend of a friend