Spring Salad, Apple Cider Dressing and Pecan Crunch

I know it is hotter than blazes here in Texas already, but technically speaking it is still Spring. I came across
Spring Salad with Apple Cider Dressing in my Lone Star to Five Star cookbook earlier this week and think it is perfect on its own or with chicken on top as an entree. It pairs perfectly with your grilled item of choice, which makes it a great post for today because of the Memorial weekend.

Apple Cider Dressing
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup canola or vegetable  oil
2 Tbs honey
3/4 cup sugar (i used 1/3 cup because i wanted it less sweet)
2 Tbs red onion (golf ball size chunk if you want to eyeball it)
1 clove garlic
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in the blender and give it a whirl until smooth. Store in refrigerator.

Spring Salad 
4 cups spring greens (I've used baby spinach, green leaf and romaine)
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 green apple, chopped
1/3 cup (1 1/3 oz) crumbled blue cheese (I used feta because I like it better)
1/3 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries
1/3 cup toasted walnuts or pecans (see below for a pecan crunch I used instead)

Feel free to double salad amounts to serve a group.

Pecan Crunch
2/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 Tbs butter
1 Tbs sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Cook until the mixture caramelizes stirring constantly. Transfer to a small paper bag to cool, shaking occasionally to break up. The mixture can be stored in an airtight container or frozen for up to 3 months. This recipe can be doubled or tripled. This is a wonderful topping for any salad.

Have a safe and fun long weekend! Dinner tonight....I think we'll be grilling something :)