Crumbled Amish blue cheese, thinly sliced Granny Smith apples, toasted sweet and spicy pecans with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing atop a bed of field greens make a balanced and satisfying meal by itself. It is also a huge hit when served at a party with a room full of hungry women, which is where I was introduced to this amazing salad by my neighbor, Beth.

Obviously if you aren’t into one of the components, simply omit or swap it for something you like. I’m practically the spokesperson for pecans.  It is not enough that I pack pecans into desserts every chance I get. I also incorporate pecans into savory dishes when  I can. Hooray for pecans! To make this salad, start by preparing the pecans. It makes a lot more than what is needed for one recipe, and allows plenty extra for snacking on later or for making this recipe several more times.

Spicy Pecans

• 2 large egg whites
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1-1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 4-1/2 cups pecans
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 325 F degrees.  In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt, sugar, Worcestershire, paprika and cayenne pepper and butter until well blended.  Fold in pecans to cover them well. Spread pecans evenly on a baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring every ten minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Store pecans in air tight container.

Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons shallots, finely chopped
• pepper to taste

Salad

• 4 cups mixed field greens
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 4 ounces blue cheese (1 cup)
• 1 Granny Smith Apple (core, seed, slice)
• 1/2 cup spicy pecans