Apple- Pear Salad with Maple- Pecan Bacon

Categories: Salad- Salad Dressing- Slaw

Ingredients

• 8 thick bacon slices
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans
• 2 (5 oz.) pkg. gourmet salad greens
• 1 large Bartlett pear
• 1 large Gala apple
• 1 cup halved seedless red grapes
• 4 oz. Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
• Cranberry Vinaigrette:
• 1 cup canned whole-berry cranberry sauce
• 1 tsp. orange zest
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. light brown sugar
• 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place a lightly greased wire rack in an aluminum foil lined 15 × 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Dip bacon slices in syrup, allowing excess to drip off; press pecans onto both sides of bacon. Arrange bacon slices in a single layer on rack and bake 20 minutes; turn bacon slices, and bake 5 to 10 more minutes or until browned and crisp. Remove from oven, and let stand 5 minutes. Cut bacon crosswise into 1-inch pieces.
2. Place salad greens on a serving platter. Cut pear and apple into thin slices; toss with salad greens. Top with grapes, cheese and bacon.
3. Serve salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette.

4. Cranberry Vinaigrette:

5. Whisk together all ingredients in the order listed in a medium bowl until blended and smooth.

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