Shelly's Recipe

CRAN APPLE SPINACH SALAD WITH SPICED PECANS

Category: Salad

1/2 cup cranberry juice concentrate, undiluted
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tbsp raspberry blush balsamic vinegar or raspberry vinegar
1/8 tsp salt
4 cups chopped, unpeeled tart red apples, such as Gala or Braeburn
1 cup dried cranberries
8 cups torn fresh spinach leaves
1 cup thinly sliced celery, cut diagonally
2 cups Spiced Pecans (recipe follows)

Whisk together cranberry juice concentrate, olive oil, vinegar and salt in small bowl. Place apples and cranberries in 2-quart shallow glass dish. Pour cranberry juice mixture over apple mixture. Refrigerate, covered, at last 3 hours or up to 24 hours; stir occasionally.

When ready to serve, toss spinach and celery in a large shallow bowl or platter. Top with cranberry-apple mixture. (If mixture has been refrigerated several hours, allow to stand at room temperature about 15 minutes for olive oil to liquefy; stir before using.) Sprinkle with pecans.

Spiced Pecans
1/3 cup honey
1 tbsp water
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups pecan halves
1 tbsp granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 325. Combine honey, water, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in pecans until coated with honey mixture. Using slotted spoon, place pecans in single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake 16 to 18 minutes, turning halfway through baking time. Cool slightly on baking sheet. Remove and cool completely. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature up to 3 days. NOTE: This recipe makes 2 cups. You may not want to add all of the pecans to the salad. If not, save the rest for munching.