Recipe: Pear and Spinach Salad

I haven't made this recipe yet--just got it this week, but I intend to. Pears are in here in Tennessee now, too.

Exquisite Pear and Spinach Salad
(Created exclusively for the California Pear Advisory Board)
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Blue Cheese Croutons
3 slices bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Stilton blue cheese OR other blue cheese

Mustard Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons minced shallot (about 1 small)
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Salt, to taste
1 tablespoon Dijon-style whole grain mustard
3/4 cup olive oil

Salad
6 ounces baby spinach OR torn spinach leaves
2 fresh California Bartlett pears, sliced
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
3 ounces Stilton blue cheese croutons
3/4 cup whole grain mustard vinaigrette
4 grilled boneless chicken breasts, sliced into strips

To prepare croutons, place cubed bread in a bowl. Over medium
heat, melt butter and cheese; stirring constantly. Pour cheese
over cubed bread; toss thoroughly. Place bread on baking sheet;
bake at 350 degrees until golden brown. Set aside to cool. To
prepare vinaigrette; combine shallot, vinegar, pepper, salt and
mustard in a small bowl; whisk in oil. To prepare salad; toss
spinach, pears, walnuts and croutons in a large bowl. Add
vinaigrette and toss gently. Line platter or 4 indidvidual plates
with salad. Top with sliced chicken. (Makes 4 servings)

I find that most of these spinach salad recipes have quite a bit of oil in them, and I'm going to try to cut it down some. Velma