Wednesday Recipes: Apple Pear Salad

Dear Readers,

Good morning! For me, it's a beautiful June morning as I sit at my desk at home--getting ready to go on vacation by typing this early!

I hope all of you are able to take a break, get away, or even enjoy a staycation. It's so important to take a break from the everyday.

Now, to this recipe--I may sound strange, but I love salad! I don't eat it just because vegetables are healthy, but I honestly love the taste. Along those lines, I recently had a salad with pear in it at a fancy restaurant and discovered I love pear, too--even though I've gone my whole life thinking I didn't like it. By the way, have you discovered a new food love lately?

One more note--there is a lot to this salad. Of course, you don't have to have all the parts to enjoy a delicious meal. Just pick and choose!

Apple Pear Salad

Brown Sugar Pecans

Ingredients

1 cup pecan halves

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

Directions:

1. Just a note, this is my recipe--the original added butter and salt, I don't see the need. So...place the pecan halves in a non-stick skillet.

2. Sprinkle with the brown sugar.

3. On low heat, allow brown sugar to melt on top of the pecans. Stir with a wooden spoon to break into pieces. set aside.

Spicy Roasted Chickpeas (My son didn't like the particular seasoning, I did, but you can certainly change it up)

Ingredients:

One 29-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon chili powder (I cut this back)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and a plate with paper towels.

2. Place the chickpeas on the lined pate and top with another paper towel. Dry the chickpeas thoroughly by gently rubbing and rolling them (If the skins start to come off, just remove them and discard).

3. In a medium bowl, add the dry chickpeas, olive oil, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, cumin, and cayenne and toss to coat.

4. Place the chickpeas on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 40 minutes, stirring halfway through. Set aside. Leave the oven on.

Salad

Ingredients:

4 slices bacon

4 ounces crumbled feta cheese (about 1 cup)

5 ounces (or more) baby spring mix

1 medium pear, cored and thinly sliced

1 medium apple, cored and thinly sliced

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1. To make the salad: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and a plate with paper towels (or just cook the bacon in a skillet the old-fashioned way).

2. Lay the bacon on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until crispy, 18 to 20 minutes (yeah, I used a skillet--who has this much time?).

3. Carefully transfer to the second lined plate to soak up any excess grease. Let cool, then chop into pieces.

4. In a large bow, toss together the chopped bacon, feta, spring mix, pear, apple cranberries, and 1/2 cup of the roasted chickpeas (save the rest for another use). OR as I do--I always make my salads a buffet--I place the ingredients (other than the lettuce, which goes into a big bowl) into small bowls. That way, my picky family can choose what they want to include in their salad and what they do not.

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette (Note: This is delicious and easy and could go on any salad)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

2 garlic cloves, grated (yes, this was weird, but it worked and was great)

4 teaspoons yellow mustard

1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

1. In a mason jar (or large measuring cup--my favorite--so I'm only dirtying one dish), combine all ingredients. Cover and shake (or stir) for about 15 seconds to emulsify. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to coat.

2. Top with the cooled pecans and serve.

Tip: When pears are out of season, substitute strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries.

NOTE: This comes from Joanna Gaines' Magnolia Table, Volume 3. I have made modifications. :)

I served with a french baguette and an olive oil dip. I also wanted more protein so you can see a grilled chicken breast (cut in half) and a boiled egg on the side. Delicious meal!!