A couple weeks ago I shared with you our tradition of picking strawberries. Well, we went again! I told you we love picking!
And since we love picking, we bring home a lot of berries. And since we bring home a lot of berries, I have to find ways to use them. So, I have a lot of strawberry recipes. Have you ever had greens and strawberries? I have several recipes for green salads with berries. This is one of my faves! The sweet strawberries pair perfectly with the tangy blue cheese and the spicy pecans!
Baby Blue Salad with Sweet & Spicy Pecans
{courtesy Southern Living Magazine}
Ingredients:
1 bag mixed greens
2 oz blue cheese
1 orange, peeled and sliced
1/2 pint strawberries, quartered
1/2 cup Sweet & Spicy Pecans {recipe follows}
Start by preparing your Sweet & Spicy Pecans. Mix, until dissolved, 1/4 cup sugar in 1 cup warm water. Soak 1/2 cup pecans in sugar water for 10 minutes. In the meantime, combine 2 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp chili powder and 1/8 tsp ground red pepper in a small bowl. Remove pecans from water and toss in sugar mixture to coat. Lay in a single layer on a greased baking sheet and place in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, turning once.
Layer lettuce, oranges and strawberries in a large bowl.
Crumble blue cheese. {You can purchase already crumbled blue cheese, but I think the block of blue cheese tastes better.} Add this to the salad.
After your Sweet and Spicy Pecans have cooled, give them a light chop and add them on top of the salad.
Isn’t it colorful?! Now for the dressing. Southern Living gives a recipe for Balsamic Vinaigrette but I just use store-bought {Kraft
or Wishbone
Balsamic Vinaigrettes are two that I like}.
or Wishbone Balsamic Vinaigrettes are two that I like}. 
Add the dressing and give it a good toss.
Enjoy!
Jen- This is the same recipe for Baby Blue salad (with the only exception we added sliced green onions) we served at my Cafe`/Tearoom(The CatBird Seat). It is delicious… one of my favorites. I think the balsalmic dressing is incredible and is well worth the extra effort… just double or triple and keep it on hand! AAAA++++ Recipe!
It's lunch time…YOU made me very hungry!
Yummy!!
I just printed this. Looks so good. I definitely eat more salad in the summer months so it's nice to try something different.
What a cute tradition that is! There is a blueberry picking farm where we live and I cant wait to go when it opens! This looks delishh!! So fresh and light
-Lindsay
Delighted Momma
Wow, this sounds and looks so amazing. I love your photos. Found you via the Fireflies and Jellybeans linky!
WOW! This looks AMAZING and fresh! I just now discoverd your blog and I'm loving every post.
http://www.glamorsham.blogspot.com
I will have to look in to strawberry patches near me…such a great summertime activity!
This salad looks so wonderful! I know what I’m making for lunch.