Salat und Sonne

My friend, Nicky, gave me this salad recipe a couple of weeks ago and it has quickly become a favorite. The spicy pecans are DELISH. I thought I'd share.

(Art loves blue cheese so much I give him an extra little hunka hunka on his plate.) I also added some grilled chicken.

Field Greens, Crumbled Blue Cheese & Spicy Pecans

{This makes A LOT. Serves 8. Reduce accordingly. I like to make all of the dressing and pecans and then we can easily make it again (and I can eat the pecans up plain!)}

Spicy Pecans:

2 large egg whites

1 1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp. Hungarian paprika (I used regular)

1 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

4 1/2 cups pecans halves

6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat egg whites with salt until foamy. Add sugar, Worcestershire, paprika and cayenne. Fold in pecans and melted butter. Spread pecans evenly on a baking sheet. Bake 30 to 40 minutes (I think 30), stirring every 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Yield 4 1/2 cups.

Vinaigrette:

2/3 cup sugar

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. salt

2/3 cup distilled white vinegar

3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

4 1/2 tsp. onion juice (I just used chopped onions)

2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 cup vegetable oil

Salad:

4 cups mixed field greens

2 green onions, chopped

4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (1 cup) -

{If you aren't a blue cheese fan, I think you could easily substitute gorgonzola, feta or goat. I don't like a lot of blue cheese, but this is perfect amount for a hint of moldiness}

1 Granny Smith apple, cored, seeded and chopped

1/4 cup coarsley chopped Spicy Pecans

Combine sugar, dry mustard, salt and vinegars. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Whisk in onion juice and Worcestershire. Add oil slowly, whisking continuously until blended.

Toss greens, green onions, blue cheese, apple and pecans in a salad bowl. Add vinaigrette, tossing to coat.

Enjoy your salat and then go soak up the sun.

Absence does make the heart grow fonder.

as absence from the haircutter makes Art's hair grow longer.

And Toungey McTonguerton liebt die Sonne auch. (und den Regen, den Schnee, den Schlamm, alles!)

{You people (most of you) don't even know I'm using the accusative case correctly here. What a waste.}