Baby Blue Salad

Ingredients

  • 3/4 pound mixed salad greens 
  • Barrel Aged Balsamic Vinaigrette
  • 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
  • 2 oranges, peeled and cut into thin slices  (I use canned mandarin oranges for a shortcut)
  • 1 pint strawberries, quartered 
  • Sweet-and-Spicy Pecans

Preparation

  1. Toss greens with Balsamic Vinaigrette and crumbled blue cheese. Place on 6 individual plates. Arrange orange slices evenly over greens; sprinkle evenly with strawberries and top evenly with Sweet-and-Spicy Pecans.

Chef Franklin Biggs, Homewood, Alabama, Southern Living
JANUARY 2004

Sweet-and-Spicy Pecans

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1 cup pecan halves
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

Preparation

  1. Stir together 1/4 cup sugar and warm water until sugar dissolves. Add pecans, and soak 10 minutes. Drain, discarding syrup.
  2. Combine 2 tablespoons sugar, chili powder, and red pepper. Add pecans, tossing to coat. Place pecans on a lightly greased baking sheet.
  3. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring once.