Ginas Spinach Salad With Spiced Pecans Food

GINA'S SPINACH SALAD

Steps:

• Put dressing ingredients into blender, and puree -- toss with salad Ingredients and that's it!
• Hint: You can prepare double the amount of the salad mix then save 1/2 the dressing and have 2 meals. This makes a great big salad.
• Hint #2 : Don't put the dressing on until right before you eat if you want it to stay crisp!

SPINACH SALAD WITH CARAMELIZED PECANS

Steps:

• Melt butter in small frying pan over low heat.
• Add pecans and brown sugar.
• Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly until mixture is caramelized.
• Spread out on wax paper to cool.
• In bowl toss together spinach, pecans, apple and cheese.
• Add oil and vinegar and toss again until everything is coated.
• Chef's note: To make ahead for a special dinner--toss apple with dressing. Layer on greens, cheese and pecans. Cover with plastic wrap and put in refrigerator until needed, tossing just before serving.

SPINACH SALAD WITH PEACHES AND PECANS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Arrange pecans on a single layer on a baking sheet and roast in preheated oven for 7-10 minutes, until they just begin to darken. Remove from oven and set aside.
• Peel peaches (if desired) and slice into bite-sized segments. Combine peaches, spinach and pecans in a large bowl. Toss with dressing until evenly coated, adding a little additional dressing, if necessary.

PECAN SPINACH SALAD

Steps:

• In a large salad bowl, combine the spinach, pecans, bacon and blue cheese. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients. Pour over salad; toss to coat.

SPINACH SALAD WITH GRILLED PEACHES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden and fragrant, 6 minutes; roughly chop.
• Preheat a grill to medium-high heat on one side and medium heat on the other. Lightly brush the peaches with oil and grill over medium until nicely marked, about 4 minutes per side. Meanwhile, place a flat cast-iron skillet on the grill over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
• Combine the spinach, red onion, grilled peaches, pecans and bacon in a large bowl.
• Make the dressing: Mash the blue cheese with a fork in a bowl. Mix in the buttermilk, sour cream, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss with the salad just before serving.
• Photography by Miki Duisterhof

SPINACH SALAD WITH CRANBERRIES, PECANS, BACON, AND BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Fry chopped bacon in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until brown and crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined 1/4-sheet tray to drain.
• Toast pecans in the oven on a 1/4-sheet tray until lightly golden and fragrant, about 6 minutes.
• In a medium bowl mash the blue cheese with a fork. Mix in the buttermilk, sour cream, sugar, salt and pepper, to taste.
• Combine baby spinach, red onion, pecans, dried cranberries and bacon in large bowl. Toss with the dressing immediately before serving.

PORT WINE SPINACH SALAD WITH SWEET AND SPICY PECANS

Steps:

• To make dressing, reduce port wine to 3 tablespoons.
• Transfer port syrup to another container, and whisk in balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and olive oil. Dressing may be made in advance, and re-whisked before serving.
• Bring water to a boil in a medium pot. Using a strainer or sieve, dip nuts in boiling water for one minute (this removes some of the bitterness).
• Transfer nuts to a bowl and immediately sprinkle with sugar. Mix until all of the sugar is melted.
• Heat canola oil on medium high heat in a nonstick pan. Sauté nuts for a few minutes. The nuts will become sort of candied.
• Scatter nuts on a plate and sprinkle with spices. Toss to coast. Stir occasionally as nuts are cooling. Nuts may be kept for up to one week.
• Toss spinach with dressing, and arrange apples, red onions, nuts, and blue cheese over the salad.

SPINACH SALAD WITH SWEET ROASTED PECANS AND GORGONZOLA WITH SHERRY SHALLOT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place spinach in serving bowl.
• Toss pecans with vegetable oil, sugar and salt. Lay out on baking sheet. Roast until shade darker and aromatic, about 7 to 8 minutes. Set aside.
• Make dressing by combining olive oil, vinegar, shallots and salt and pepper in a bowl and whisking together or place in sealable container and shake.
• Toss spinach with dressing, Gorgonzola and pecans.

SPINACH AND CITRUS SALAD WITH SWEET AND SPICY PECANS

Steps:

• Put the spinach and green onions in large salad bowl and sprinkle with the halved citrus supremes. In a small saute pan over medium heat, add the butter and sugar and stir until the butter is melted. Add the pecans and toss until the pecans begin to brown. Stir in the rosemary and cayenne and stir just a few seconds to release the aroma. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle the pecans on the salad while still warm. Drizzle the dressing over salad and serve.
• In a small bowl, add all the ingredients and whisk until emulsified.

FETA CHEESE, APPLE, AND SPICED PECAN SALAD

Steps:

• For the pecans: Combine the butter, salt, cinnamon, ground red pepper, and a dash of hot sauce in a medium bowl. Add the pecans, stirring to coat.
• Spread in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring once. Cool completely on baking sheet on a wire rack.
• For the salad: Combine the lettuces, apple, cheese, and Spiced Pecans in a large bowl; toss gently, and set aside.
• For the dressing: Combine the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a jar. Cover tightly, and shake vigorously. Pour dressing mixture over the lettuce mixture; toss gently. Serve immediately.

SPINACH PECAN SALAD

Steps:

• Wash and dry the spinach until you're absolutely sure it's clean; spinach can hold a lot of grit. When you're sure it's clean and dry, put it in a salad bowl, and sprinkle it with salt, and squeeze the leaves gently with your hands. You'll find that the spinach "deflates," or sort of gets a bit limp and reduces in volume. Add the scallions to the bowl. Pour on the olive oil, and toss the salad thoroughly. Add the lemon juice, and toss again. Top with the pecans, and serve.