Fall Harvest Salad

What a great weekend.  Friday we grilled at the house.  Saturday we slept in late, went for a run to the lake and then had a nice dinner with my family.  Sunday was gorgeous weather so we spent the day at the Texas State Fair.  Photos of the fair to come later this week.

Friday night I made one of my favorite salads - my fall harvest salad (I just made up that name).  This is the perfect light salad to accompany any grilled steak, chicken or fish and just screams autumn to me as it has aged Vermont cheddar, toasted pecans, honeycrisp apples and dried cranberries.  My husband loves this salad - one of the few where he will go back for seconds and even thirds.  Recipe and pics are below!

Completed Salad (minus the dried cranberries)

Salad ingredients - I am missing the dried cranberries as I couldn't find them in
our pantry!

Fall Harvest Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette:

1 large head butter lettuce, roughly chopped

Very thinly sliced red onion (I use a mandolin to shave the onion super, super thin - I use about 1/4 of one onion)

2 handfuls of pecans, lightly toasted in the oven for about 5-7 minutes at 350 degrees

1/4 cup cheddar pieces (photo below - the chunkier pieces give you more flavor than grating the cheddar).  Cheddars that work well are the one-year aged Grafton cheddar from Vermont and the Irish Dubliner cheddar

1 honeycrisp or granny smith apple, sliced into small pieces.

2 handfuls of dried cranberries

Apple Cider Vinaigrette:

2 Tbl apple cider vinegar

1 Tbl dijon mustard

1/2 Tsp maple syrup

5-6 Tbl Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt & pepper to taste

Cheddar chunks

Assemble the salad. I suggest waiting to slice the apple until right before dressing the salad and serving so it doesn't turn brown.  For the vinaigrette, whisk all ingredients together (I just put mine in an old jam jar and give it a good shake).  Pour over salad and toss right before serving.  Enjoy!