Baby Blue Salad
(from Southern Living)

¾ pound mixed salad greens
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
2 oranges, peeled, sectioned, and coarsely chopped
1 pint strawberries, cleaned and quartered
Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
Sweet and Spicy Pecans (recipe follows)

Toss greens with vinaigrette and blue cheese. Place on 6 individual plates, and top with oranges, strawberries and pecans.

BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

½ cup balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp. Dijon mustard
3 tbsp. honey
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 small shallots, minced
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 cup olive oil

Whisk first 7 ingredients together until blended. Gradually whisk in olive oil.

SWEET AND SPICY PECANS

¼ cup sugar
1 cup warm water
1 cup pecan halves
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper

Stir together ¼ cup sugar and warm water until sugar dissolves. Add pecans and soak 10 minutes. Drain, discarding syrup. Combine pecans with 2 tbsp. sugar, chili powder, and red pepper, tossing to coat. Place pecans on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes (or until golden brown), stirring once.