Spinach Salad With Cranberries Pecans Bacon And Blue Cheese 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.

BABY SPINACH SALAD WITH ROASTED RED ONIONS, PECANS, DRIED CRANBERRIES, CRUMBLED GOAT CHEESE AND CITRUS DRESSING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Slice the onion into thin wedges, through the root end. Toss with the olive oil, season with salt, to taste, and spread out on a baking sheet. Roast until just soft and brown, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Put the spinach and onions in a large bowl. Drizzle with some of the dressing and toss. Add more dressing as needed; spinach should just be lightly coated. Divide salad among 4 chilled plates. Top with pecans, goat cheese, and dried cranberries. Serve immediately.
• Whisk the lemon zest, lemon juice, orange juice, Dijon, honey, thyme, and salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Gradually whisk in the oil, starting with a few drops and then adding the rest in a steady stream, to make a smooth, slightly thick dressing.

SPINACH AND BLUE CHEESE SALAD WITH SLICED APPLES AND SPICED CARAMELIZED PECANS

Steps:

• Cut the apple into quarters, remove the stem and the seeds, and cut into very thin slices. Sprinkle lemon juice over the slices and set aside.
• When ready to serve, in a salad bowl, combine the apple, spinach, radicchio, and blue cheese. Season lightly with salt and pepper and toss with the dressing. Adjust seasoning, to taste.
• To serve, divide the salad among 4 plates and sprinkle the pecans around each salad.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the shallots and the mustard. Whisk in the vinegars, and then the olive and vegetable oils. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate until needed.
• Yield: 1 1/4 cups
• Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, "Adventures in the Kitchen", Random House, 1991
• In a deep-fryer or a deep pot, heat the oil to 350 degrees F. (A deep-frying thermometer can be clipped to the side of the pan so that you can tell when the proper temperature has been reached).
• Meanwhile, in a large saucepan bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add the pecans and boil for 2 minutes. Drain in a large strainer, shaking off all excess water. Sprinkle the salt and cayenne pepper over the nuts and then coat with the confectioners' sugar, a little at a time, allowing the sugar to melt into the pecans. Toss the nuts by shaking the strainer, adding a little more sugar each time, until all the sugar is used and all the nuts are coated. Do not use hands or a spoon to toss. The nuts should have a glaze of sugar.
• Carefully add the nuts to the heated oil, keeping the oil at 350 degrees F. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon to a baking tray to cool.
• Yield: 2 cups
• Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, "Pizza, Pasta & More!," Random House, 2000

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.

BLUE CHEESE AND DRIED CRANBERRY TOSSED SALAD

Steps:

• Layer the romaine lettuce with the cucumber, grape tomatoes, pecans, cranberries, and blue cheese in a large salad bowl. Dress the salad with the balsamic vinaigrette before serving.

SPINACH & CRANBERRY SALAD

Steps:

• Put the spinach and mushrooms in a large bowl.
• Crumble the cheese over the spinach.
• Cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until crispy, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Drain the bacon in a sieve set over a heatproof measuring cup, reserving the rendered fat.
• You will need 1/4 cup for the dressing. Pour the fat back into the pan and add the shallot and cook until light brown, about 30 seconds, stirring occasionally.
• Add the thyme and let it crackle in the fat for about 10 seconds.
• Add the vinegar, and season with salt and pepper and sugar to taste. Cook for about 30 seconds to lower the acidity of the vinegar. You should see tiny drops of vinegar dispersed throughout the fat.
• Add the dried cranberries and stir.
• Add Bacon back into dressing.
• Pour the dressing over the spinach and cheese. Toss to coat the leaves evenly and melt the cheese a little.
• Serve immediately.

SPINACH, BACON, AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD WITH PECANS

Steps:

• Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp, then transfer with tongs to paper towels to drain. Reserve 3 tablespoons fat from skillet, discarding remainder. Crumble bacon.
• Toast pecans in 2 teaspoons olive oil in skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until 1 shade darker, then transfer to paper towels to drain. Season nuts with salt and pepper and coarsely chop.
• Heat reserved fat in a saucepan over moderately low heat until just warm. Remove pan from heat, then whisk in vinegar and remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil until emulsified. Season dressing with salt and pepper.
• Toss bacon, spinach, cheese, and half of nuts with enough dressing to coat. Sprinkle salad with remaining nuts.

CRANBERRY PECAN SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spread pecans evenly on a baking sheet. Toast for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned and fragrant.
• In a small bowl, stir together the vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper; mix until sugar and salt dissolve. Whisk in olive oil.
• In a salad bowl, toss together the greens, cranberries, pecans, onions, and cheese. Drizzle with vinaigrette, and toss gently to coat.

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 AND ENDIVE SALAD WITH PECANS AND BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Whisk together oil, shallot, vinegar, syrup, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
• Thinly slice endives on a long diagonal, then toss with spinach and dressing in bowl.
• Sprinkle salad with pecans, cranberries, and blue cheese.

SPINACH SALAD WITH BLUE CHEESE AND BACON

Steps:

• Whisk together lemon juice, mustard and season to taste.
• Add oil in a thin stream, whisking, until dressing is emulsified.
• In a bowl, combine spinach, mushrooms, bacon, eggs, onion, blue cheese and dressing.
• Toss salad gently, until combined well.

CRANBERRY SPINACH SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the spinach, pecans and cranberries. In a bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients. Drizzle over salad and toss to coat.

SPINACH SALAD WITH BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Place dressing ingredients in a sealed jar or cruet and shake well to mix.
• Toss all the salad ingredients to mix well.
• Do not add dressing until just before serving.

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.

JAMIE'S CRANBERRY SPINACH SALAD

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook and stir almonds in butter until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and let cool.
• 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.
• In a large bowl, combine the spinach with the toasted almonds and cranberries.

CRANBERRY PECAN SPINACH SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the spinach, cranberries, onion, pecans and blue cheese. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper until blended. Drizzle over salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately.