Candied Walnut and Pear Salad

A delicious and simple to salad with fresh sliced pears, avocado, cranberries and feta cheese.  Drizzled with a lemon poppyseed dressing this salad is mouthwatering and full of flavor!

1/2 of a 10 ounce bag spinach

1 Asian pear, diced

1 cup candied walnuts

1/3 cup dried cranberries or pomegranate seeds

1 large avocado

1/3 cup goat, feta, or blue cheese

Lemon Poppyseed Dressing

4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard do not use regular

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons white sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 tablespoon poppyseeds

Combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, onion powder, Dijon mustard, salt and sugar in a blender or food processor. Blend or pulse until completely smooth. Slowly pour in the vegetable oil and blend.

Stir in the poppyseeds.

Toss all of the ingredients together with the dressing, add some cheese, and enjoy immediately.

If not enjoying immediately, do not add the dressing until right before eating.

If desired, add some grilled chicken to this salad.

Blueberry Sour Cream Torte

This yummy dessert came to us after a delicious dinner at our friend, Craig Domski's home. It is loaded with fresh blueberries, giving you a delicious blueberry crunch in every bite. Don't even think about using less blueberries than the recipe calls for.

1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
1 cup graham crackers, crushed
3 Tbs sugar
6 Tbs butter, melted
1½ cups sour cream
1 cup sugar
5 Tbs flour
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp almond extract, or less*
½ tsp salt
4 pints FRESH blueberries
8 Tbs flour
5 Tbs chilled butter, cut into pieces
½ cup chopped pecans
3 Tbs sugar

FOR CRUST: Process graham crackers and 3 Tbs sugar until fine. Pulse in walnuts and butter. Press into bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Bake 10 minutes @400º.

FOR FILLING: Mix sour cream, 1 cup sugar, and 5 Tbs flour. Blend in eggs, almond extract, and salt. Stir in blueberries. Spoon into crust and bake until set, about 35 min.

FOR TOPPING: Using fingertips, mix 8 Tbs flour and butter in a medium bowl, until small clumps form. Mix in pecans and 3 Tbs sugar. Spoon over torte. Bake until topping browns lightly, about 12 min.

Cool torte to room temp, and then refrigerate.

*It's just a little too much almond flavoring for my taste buds. I recently had it with half the amount (½ tsp) but I think it could stand just a little bit more. Next time I will use ¾ tsp almond flavoring.