Kathy's Spinach Mango Salad with Candied Pecans

• • 6 cups washed baby spinach
  • 1 mango
  • s&p
• Candied Pecans:
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 T balsamic
• 1 cup pecan halves
• 
  
• Dressing:
• 5 T olive oil
• 2 T balsamic
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• pinch of cayenne pepper

Spray sheet of foil with nonstick spray. Stir sugar, 1 T oil and 1 T balsamic in heavy saucepan over medium heat until sugar melts and syrup bubbles, about 3 minutes. Mix in pecans. Stir until nuts are covered, toasted, about 7 min. (Be careful it doesn't burn) Turn nuts onto greased foil. Using fork separate nuts and cool completely. Coating will harden. Set aside.

Take mango - peel, pit and cut into small pieces. Combine spinach, mango and cooled pecans in large bowl. Whisk together dressing ingredients and pour over salad. Season with s&p.

Other Options: You can add strawberries and freshly sliced parmesan cheese or use candied almonds.

Two Great Salads!

Apple-Gorgonzola Salad

5-6 cups of your favorite greens
2-3 Granny Smith apples peeled and sliced
1 cup shredded carrots
3-4 oz. gorgonzola cheese

garnish with about a cup of chopped caramelized pecans. To caramelize: Put about a half cup of sugar in a skillet on medium heat. Stir sugar and it will begin to melt around the edges. Continue stirring until sugar is completely melted and is an amber color. You may need to lower the heat towards the end. Quickly add the pecans and stir. Then immediately remove from the heat. Put the pecans in another container to cool. Break up and toss into salad after the dressing has been added.

Dressing
1 cup salad oil
1/4 cup FRESH lemon juice
1/8 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. white pepper

Combine the above ingredients and toss into salad just before serving. I like to make the dressing a few hours ahead to let the flavors blend together.

Berry-Mandarin Tossed Salad

8 Cups torn mixed greens
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 can drained mandarin oranges
1 med red onion sliced and rings separated
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Dressing
1/4 cup sugar
2 T cider vinegar
2 T honey
1-1/4 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp grated onion
1/4 tsp. celery seed
dash of salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Combine all the salad ingredients into a salad bowl. Mix together the dressing ingredients then toss into the salad just before serving.

Making salad is probably one of my least favorite things to prepare in the kitchen. However these two recipes are worth the time and the work to make. They are really delicious salads!