Jamie’s Cranberry Spinach Salad

1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 pound spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup dried cranberries
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
2 teaspoons minced onion
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/2 cup white sugar

1.In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook and stir almonds in butter until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and let cool.
2.In a large bowl, combine the spinach with the toasted almonds and cranberries.
3.In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, onion, paprika, white wine vinegar, cider vinegar, and vegetable oil. Toss with spinach just before serving.

Pomegranate (POM) Seared Scallop Salad

1 1/2 lbs. large sea scallops
1/4 cup arils from 1 POM
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
6-8 cups mixed greens
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup cucumber slices
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1 cup cherry tomatoes
salt, pepper and paprika to taste

Directions: 1. Score 1 fresh pomegranate and place in a bowl of water. Break open the pomegranate underwater to free the arils (seed sacs). The arils will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the membrane will float to the top. Sieve and put the arils in a separate bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup of the arils from fruit and set aside. (Refrigerate or freeze remaining arils for another use.)2. Prepare POM Soy-Ginger Dressing. 3. In a bowl, mix 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic and 1 teaspoon ginger; toss with scallops. 4. Heat 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil in a large skillet.5. Place scallops in the skillet in a single layer. Cook without turning until the underside is crispy brown and then turn. Sear in batches if necessary. 6. Cover scallops, set aside and keep warm while preparing the salad. 7. Arrange greens on 4 dinner plates, top with cucumbers and tomatoes.8. Divide the scallops onto each plate; garnish with arils. Serve with dressing.