Caramelized Walnut and Pear Salad

Made a salad and sandwiches last night. The salad was so good I could have rolled in it.




It kind of grossed me out to read breakfast recipes and then savory dinner recipes, but I couldn't refrain from sharing. This little concoction is based on a salad I ate at the Nordstrom Cafe. Oh, and I'm not usually a fan of fruit on my salad either, so even if you don't like it, the salad is worth a shot.



Caramelized Walnut and Pear Salad

Salad greens (I used spring mix)
1 C caramelized walnuts (I used pecans, recipe to follow)
1 C crumbled bleu cheese (I used gorgonzola)
2 pears, sliced
1/2 cup vinaigrette (recipe to follow)
Toss salad, walnuts, cheese and pears with the dressing.

Caramelized Walnuts
1/2 pound walnuts or pecans (about 2 cups)
1 egg white
1/3 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Mix walnuts, egg whites, and sugar together in bowl. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. Let cool, then break apart if necessary.


Vinaigrette

1 T chopped shallots
1 T Dijon mustard
2 T sugar
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup of champagne wine or white wine vinegar (champagne is better, but white is fine)
1 1/2 cups of salad oil
3/4 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp pepper



Whisk all ingredients together. Makes 2 cups. I half the recipe and have dressing for salads for dinner for the family and a few days for lunch for me.

[from Raegan]

Anna's Salad

Dressing:


•1-2 large cloves of garlic

•pinch of salt

•pepper

•a squeeze of grey poupon mustard or dijon mustard

•4 tbsp olive oil

•11/2 tbsp sherry wine vinegar (substitue red wine vinegar)

•11/2tbsp balsamic vinegar

Salad:

•Mixed greens

•dried cranberries

•pecans

•feta cheese

•grape tomatoes cut in 1/2

Directions

Mash the salt and garlic to form a paste. Combine with pepper and mustard. Wisk in oil and vinegar to finish dressing. Store in closed container.

Add cranberries, pecans, feta and grape tomatoes to mixed greens. Toss with dressing when ready to serve. (be sure to shake derssing well before tossing in the salad)

[from Molly]

Cooking With Greens

I usually use a hambone when cooking any "green" like that. Then I just do the simple, sauteed onions, garlic, chicken broth and hambone (and some leftover ham) and cook those greens until they're the way you like them (of course salt/pepper). I like mine to still have bite/chew to them. I'm not big on the cooked till slimey type.


I've done it this way with both Kale and Chard.

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I also love, love, love my kale just sauteed in olive oil, garlic and onions (s/p). It gets as tender as you want it and we just woof it down. My MIL will make it like this and sometimes add either celery or apples to the mix.

[from Charisa]