Pear and Craisin Salad

4 pears, cored, and sliced or cubed (not peeled)

1/2 cup candied pecans  or walnuts or sliced almonds (recipe to follow)

10 cups assorted greens (I used the bagged ones for simplicity)

1/4 lb. blue cheese (or a little more gorgonzola)

1/2 bag Craisins ( or a whole bag if you're a Craisin fanatic)

Sweet Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing (recipe to follow)

Candied Pecans

Throw about 1/2 cup of broken pecans into a skillet. Pour some sugar over the top - maybe about 2 T. Fire up the stove to medium high until the sugar starts seeping and melting into a liquid and turn the nuts so they won't burn. When they look coated, and all the sugar has turned to liquid, take them off the stove. Put them onto a plate; let them cool; then break them up into the salad. (Put some water in your skillet and let it soak before cleaning it. That will make cleaning the skillet a snap later on.)

Sweet  Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing

3/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup raspberry vinegar (or use cider vinegar; it tastes good too)

3 T. sugar

Whisk together or put in blender. Pour over salad and toss.

 

Note: This salad is very flexible. If you like one ingredient a whole lot, obviously put more in.