Gorgonzola, Pecan and Pear Salad

This may not be the best salad ever, but it's darn close! This salad is like a good movie: it's got drama (the gorgonzola cheese), it's a tear-jerker (the red onions), it's got action (the caramelized pecans) and, of course, it's got laughter (the dried cranberries). I highly suggest you buy all the ingredients at Henry's Marketplace (or at a Whole Foods or co-op grocery) because it's cheaper to buy the pecans and dried cranberries in bulk there. Also, I assume that in any normal household this salad would feed 6 people, but in my world, we ate the entire thing up between 4 people. Go figure!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bag of Spring Mix salad mix
• 3 oz. crumbled gorgonzola cheese (or more, depending on your taste)
• 6 to 8 thin red onion slices
• 1 Anjou or Bosc pear
• A good handful of dried cranberries (about 1/4 cup)
• 1/2 cup of whole pecan
• 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Bottle of Henry's Raspberry vinaigrette or your favorite raspberry vinaigrette

DIRECTIONS

In a large salad bowl, add the entire bag of spring mix. Place rings of red onion over the salad, then sprinkle the gorgonzola cheese over it. Cut the pear in slices, lengthwise, and add to salad, then add the cranberries on top of that. Set aside.

In a small non-stick skillet, add the pecans and heat on low. Keep toasting pecans on low for about 5 to 7 minutes. Raise heat to medium and add the brown sugar and butter to pecans. Let it all melt and keep toasting and cooking until all sugar is melted, about 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly, then add the pecans over the entire salad and serve with the vinaigrette on the side.