Recipe: Chopped Blue Cheese Salad with Candied Cinnamon Pecans

Chopped Bleu Cheese Salad

Candied cinnamon pecans:
1/3 cup sliced-lengthwise pecans
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons butter, melted

Blue cheese vinaigrette:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white vinegar or champagne vinegar
1/4 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

Salad:
3 cups chopped bibb lettuce or butter lettuce
3 cups chopped redleaf lettuce
3 cups chopped iceberg lettuce
1 green onion, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Candied cinnamon pecans:
Slice each pecan half into three lengthwise pieces. Mix together the cinnamon and brown sugar. Toss pecans with melted butter, then with the cinnamon/sugar mixture, tossing well to ensure a thorough coating. Put the nuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 5 to 8 minutes, until sugar is caramelized. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, slide the parchment together with the nuts off the sheet to cool, and set aside.

Blue cheese vinaigrette:
Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients.

Salad:
Chop the lettuces into smallish bite-sized pieces; use a salad spinner to wash and dry them. Slice the green onion. Place the chopped lettuce in a large serving bowl (one large enough to toss the salad in). Add the vinaigrette and toss thoroughly to coat. Sprinkle with the chopped onion. Break the cooled pecan slices apart and sprinkle them over the salad. Serve and enjoy!

Note: if taking this to a picnic or potluck, make sure you prepare it just before you go or the lettuces will get a bit limp after a couple of hours - it'll still tastes good, though.

Makes 6-8 servings 9 cups salad