Pear and Blue Cheese Salad with Walnut Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

• 2 cups walnut pieces
• 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 2 Tbsp. shallots, minced
• 1 1/2 cups walnut oil
• salt (to taste)
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• fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
• 8 cups mixed spring lettuce
• 6 fresh ripe pears, cored and thinly sliced
• 1/2 lb. blue cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place walnuts on a baking sheet and roast until golden, about 4 minutes. Remove from the oven and place in a medium mixing bowl. Add the vinegar, honey, and shallots to the warm nuts. Allow to sit for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the walnut oil. Season with salt and pepper.

2. In a large mixing bowl, toss the mixed spring lettuce with the dressing. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Fan the sliced pears over the bottom of each serving plate. Mound the greens in the center of the pears.

4. Crumble the blue cheese over the greens. Garnish with black pepper and parsley.

   By Robin from Washington, IA