Today Dishing: Watermelon Checkerboard Salad

                                    

Although this may look like a child's block puzzle, it is indeed a watermelon, avocado and feta salad.
Granted cutting and then arranging the ingredients into the checkerboard design is tedious and time consuming. But for a group, this piece of art does make quite a statement.

For week night family dinners the salad tastes just as good with the chopped ingredients tossed in a bowl.

For an intimate dinner party,  create the checkerboard on individual salad plates for a presentation that is sure to wow.

Photo courtesy of Pintrest.

                                                  
Although several salad dressings work with this salad, I used one given to me years ago by my friend, Linda. It complements the salad perfectly. The salad usually used with this dressing consists of bibb lettuce, avocado, mandarin oranges and thinly sliced red onion rings. It's a remarkably light salad that packs a punch.

SALAD DRESSING

1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 teaspoons salt
2/3 cup  tarragon vinegar
1-3 tablespoons onion juice
2 cups oil

Combine first five ingredients either in a blender or mixing bowl then slowly add the oil while blending or whisking.

Personal Note #1: I used a blender for years then went to the whisking method which works just as well with less hassle.

Personal Note #2: Recently I've added sesame seeds for added interest. Poppy seeds can also be used. Use whichever you prefer or neither.

I can pretty much guarantee this salad dressing will bring high praise wherever you use it. And the checkerboard salad is worth a thousand words.