Pear & Pecan Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

SALAD DRESSING INGREDIENTS:

Equal parts red wine vinegar 

Equal parts extra virgin olive oil

2-3 TBSP Strawberry preserves

Water to thin out your consistency

Salt and pepper to taste

I first encountered having a "sweet" salad at a company Christmas party years ago. It was magnificent and it changed my salad game forever. I slice or chop pears, but apples are great as a substitute. Additionally if you're not a pecan fan, then you can easily sub in walnuts/almonds or leave them out entirely if you have a food allergy. Add diced pepper jack or sharp cheddar cheese to round out the salad.

The secret is in the dressing. Now I live in the Midwest and Ranch Dressing is a condiment in these parts. So going outside my boundaries to try a sweet dressing was a new one on me. The dressing is easy to make. You need vinegar and oil (equal parts)... bam nothing you didn't know right??? and voila you have dressing. I like to sweeten this one up with strawberry preserves. Two or three tablespoons is enough. For oil I like to use Pompeian Extra Virgin but it's your preference. As far as vinegar goes, apple cider or balsamic work perfectly. Again your choice.

I like the combination of pear, pecan, and sharp cheddar. It compliments the dressing nicely, but you can make various combinations of this quick side salad to match your main course.