Easy Fruit Salad With Honey Dressing

Are you tired of serving a plain ol' fruit tray when you are expecting guests? Well here's a great substitute. I was getting several finger food trays together for our company this weekend and I just wasn't feeling fruit slices. Paula Deen always has a fruit salad or two up her sleeve and I was feeling something light and refreshing. I'm telling you, the mixture of honey and lemon and that little tang of orange juice made this an immediate hit. The honey dressing is a keeper! I could drink it out of a cup! Paula's recipe called for avocado sliced up in it, but we had kids coming over and I figure that wouldn't go over very well. Make a double batch and serve it in a trifle dish for Thanksgiving and your family will think you really went all out! And easy? The hardest thing you'll have to do is cut up a banana and apple (or two)!

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, plus the juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tbsps.)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon prepared mustard
• 2 apples, cored and diced
• 1 banana, sliced
• 1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
• 2-1 oz. boxes raisins
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Put diced apples and banana slices in medium bowl. Stir in 2 tbsp. lemon juice to keep the fruit from turning brown. In a small bowl whisk, honey, orange juice, canola oil, 1/2 tsp. lemon juice, poppy seeds and mustard until well blended. Pour over fruit. Add mandarin oranges, raisins and pecans and gently stir all ingredients. Serve chilled.

Adapted from: Paula Deen