Spinach Salad with Creamy Apple Poppy Seed Dressing

1 bag of baby spinach, washed and dried

1/2 lb. bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled into small pieced

1 tart green apple, such as Granny Smith, cored and thinly sliced

1 handful of dried cranberries (or you could use cherries or currants)

Green onions, or thin slices red onion (optional)

Candied Pecans (recipe below)

Creamy Apple Dressing (recipe below)

Make the dressing and set in fridge until ready to serve salad.

Make the candied pecans and cool completely. Use a serrated bread knife to chop the nuts into medium-sized chunks.

Toss spinach, bacon, apple, dried berries, candied pecans, and onion (if using) together in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over salad while tossing with tongs to completely coat the leaves. (You may not need all of the dressing.) Serve immediately.

Candied Pecans

2 cups whole pecans

1/2 cup white sugar

2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Over medium-high heat and in a large skillet (10" to 12") melt the butter. 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. Add the vanilla--it will sputter and bubble furiously. Stir quickly to combine. Pour out the nuts and syrup onto a well-greased or parchment covered cookie sheet. (I use my Silpat.) Let cool completely.

Creamy Apple Poppy Seed Dressing

1/3 cup sour cream

3 Tbsp. mayonnaise

3 Tbsp. frozen apple juice concentrate

1 Tbsp. poppy seeds

salt and pepper to taste

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