We hosted Christmas dinner this year and were looking for a fresh and festive salad to serve as our first course. Inspired by a salad I had at The Mixx last weekend I found this recipe through a quick Google search. I made a few adjustments based on what I had on hand and it turned out great. Everyone loved it! It is especially perfect for the holiday season with the cranberry dressing.
Pear, Pecan, and Blue Cheese Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette (adapted from Cooking Light)
Vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup canned cranberry sauce (I only had the jellied kind and it worked just fine)
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (about 1 orange)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Salad:
- 2 cups sliced peeled pear (about 2 pears)
- 1 cup (1/8-inch-thick) slices red onion, separated into rings
- 1/3 cup (2 ounces) crumbled blue cheese
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
Preparation:
To prepare the vinaigrette, place the first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl; stir well with a whisk.
To prepare the salad, divide the lettuce leaves evenly among 6 salad plates. Divide pear and onion evenly among leaves. Top each serving with about 1 tablespoon cheese and 1 teaspoon pecans. Drizzle each serving with about 2 1/2 tablespoons vinaigrette.
