Spinach salad with creamy apple poppy seed dressing

SERVINGS:   TIME:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 bag baby spinach
• 1/2 lb bacon, crispy and crumbled
• 1 tart green apple, cored and chopped into bite size chunks
• Swiss cheese, slices
• 1 handful dried cranberries
• green onion or red onion, thinly sliced
• candied pecans (recipe below)
• 2 cups whole pecans
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• creamy apple dressing (recipe below)
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 3 tbsp mayo
• 3 tbsp frozen apple juice concentrate
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Candied pecans:

1. Over medium-high heat, melt the butter in a large (10" to 12") skillet.
2. Add nuts and sugar. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the sugar starts to melt. Lower the heat and cook until the sugar turns a golden brown and no lumps of undissolved sugar remains. 
3. Add vanilla, stirring quickly to combine. 
4. Pour out the nuts and syrup onto a well-greased sheet or parchment paper and let cool completely.

Creamy Apple Poppy Seed Dressing:

1. Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl. It will be thick at first and then thin out. 
2. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve the salad.

Salad:

1. Use a serrated bread knife to chop the candied nuts into medium-sized chunks.
2. Toss spinach, bacon, apple, dried berries, candied pecans, and onion together in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over salad while tossing to completely coat the leaves (may not need all of the dressing). Serve immediately.

NOTES:

• Dressing keeps for a few days in the fridge

RECIPE & IMAGE SOURCE: zupas.com