Ginas Spinach Salad With Spiced Pecans Food

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.

GINA'S PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes.
• Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, Cheddar cheese, pickles, carrot, celery, bell pepper, onion, banana peppers, salad seasoning, mustard, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Mix well.
• Drain pasta and let cool for about 10 minutes. Toss pasta into the dressing; chill before serving.

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 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.

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.

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!

GRANDMA'S SPINACH SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk first 4 ingredients until sugar is dissolved., In a 13x9-in. dish, layer half of each of the following: spinach, onion, mushrooms and eggs. Repeat layers. Drizzle with dressing; top with bacon.

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.