Bacon Baked Apple Salad

In My Tummy!'s Note:

The other day I was looking for more interesting ways to use apples. It is the season for it, and they are so wonderfully sweet and versatile. I wanted to do a warm salad, but wanted baked apples as well. So I created this. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 5

Yield: 5.0 baked a ...

• 5 apples (the type is up to you. I used Gala)
• 8 slices bacon (if using thicker slices of bacon, use only 4)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ¼ cup chopped pecans
• ¼ cup golden raisin
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 bunches spinach
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Wash and core apples. Hull out some of the flesh and reserve it in a bowl. Make sure to leave a majority of the apple in tact. You don't want to empty out too much of it.
3. In a skillet or microwave (however you prefer to prepare it) cook up your bacon. Reserve bacon grease. You will use this later for the salad dressing.
4. In a bowl combine the apple meat, chopped or crumbled bacon, brown sugar, pecans, raisins, and butter.
5. Fill the apples with the bacon mixture and place in a baking dish.
6. Pour apple cider vinegar over apples and sprinkle with a little bit of sugar.
7. Bake in oven for 30-40 minutes or until apples are tender.
8. While apples are baking, wash and prepare the spinach leaves for the salad.
9. To make the dressing, combine the reserved bacon grease with the Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix well in a bowl and pour over spinach. Toss completely.
10. To serve, place baked apples on a bed of the spinach salad and enjoy!