Spicy Pecan and Blue Cheese Salad

Here is your solution if you are looking for a special salad for your dinner party. Be aware this serves 16--resize if you are serving a smaller group. You might also want to try adding pear slices, fresh raspberries or avocado slices.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 16

Ingredients

• 1  cup olive oil
• 6  tablespoons raspberry vinegar
• 2  shallots, minced
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon white pepper
• 4  heads bibb lettuce, torn
• 8  ounces blue cheese, crumbled
• 4  green onions, thinly sliced

• For Spicy Pecans

• 1⁄3 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 cup butter or 1⁄4 cup margarine
• 1⁄4 cup  orange juice
• 1 1⁄4 teaspoons salt
• 1 1⁄4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4-1⁄2 teaspoon  ground red pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground mace
• 1  lb pecan halves (about 4 cups)

Directions

1. Whisk together first 5 ingredients.
2. Place lettuce in a large bowl.
3. Sprinkle with cheese, green onions, and Spicy Pecans.
4. Drizzle with vinaigrette and toss gently to coat.
5. For Spicy Pecans: Stir together sugar, butter, orange juice, salt, cinnamon, red pepper and ground mace in a heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring until butter melts and sugar dissolves.
6. Remove from heat and add nuts; toss to coat.
7. Place pecan mixture in a single layer in an aluminum foil-lined 15 x 10-inch jelyroll pan.
8. Bake at 250 degrees F for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
9. Cool in pan on wire rack, separating pecans with a fork.
10. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 month.