Gina: Ours is a spinach salad with some serious attitude. In addition to the bacon and creamy blue cheese dressing, we add sweetened pecans and tart dried cranberries, and the overall effect is to give this salad a festive feel. It’s a great dinner party starter, and it’s especially good partnered with a fat grilled steak. The spiced pecans are good enough to eat on their own as a snack, but try to save them for the salad! And even though we call for dried cranberries, you can substitute a variety of dried fruit, including dried cherries or golden raisins.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　1/2 pound thick-sliced bacon strips, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

　　

Creamy blue-cheese Dressing

4 ounces Danish blue cheese, crumbled

　　1/4 cup buttermilk

　　1/4 cup sour cream

　　Dash hot sauce

　　Kosher salt

　　Freshly ground black pepper

　　

Salad

One 12-ounce package baby spinach leaves

　　1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced

　　1 cup dried cranberries

　　1 recipe Spiced Pecans (recipe follows)

　　

Spiced Pecans

Nonstick vegetable spray

　　1/4 cup light-brown sugar

　　1 tablespoon olive oil

　　1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

　　1 cup pecans

　　Pinch cayenne pepper

　　(makes 1 cup)

　　

Step 1

Fry the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until brown and crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chopped bacon to a paper towel–lined plate, and set aside to cool.

　　

Step 2

To make the dressing, use a fork to mash the blue cheese in a medium bowl. Whisk in the buttermilk, sour cream, hot sauce, and salt and pepper to taste.

　　

Step 3

Combine the baby spinach, red onion, dried cranberries, bacon, and spiced pecans in a large bowl. Toss the salad with the creamy blue-cheese dressing just before serving.

　　

Spiced Pecans

Step 4

Place a 12-inch square of foil on a baking sheet, and spray the foil with nonstick vegetable spray. Heat the brown sugar, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar melts and the mixture bubbles. Add the pecans and the cayenne, and stir until the nuts are well coated. Transfer the nuts to the foil, spreading them out, and allow them to cool completely (they will harden and dry).

　　From Down Home with the Neelys by Patrick and Gina Neely Copyright (c) 2009 by Patrick and Gina Neely Published by Knopf.Patrick and Gina Neely are owners of Neely's Bar-B-Que in Memphis and hosts of several Food Network shows, including the series Down Home with the Neelys, one of the highest-rated programs to debut on the popular Food Network. High school sweethearts who reconciled at their ten-year reunion, they have been married since 1994. They live in Memphis with their two daughters.Paula Disbrowe collaborated with Susan Spicer on Crescent City Cooking and is the author of Cowgirl Cuisine.