Roasted Pear Salad

I saw a picture of this salad on an ad for Marzetti Dressing.  It was so pretty, I had to try to copy it.  Now, I didn't use any Marzetti products...but you could.  I think it would be good for Thanksgiving or for company.  My kiddos LOVED it.  Two of them wanted another salad instead of the pasta and meatballs that I had prepared for the main dish.  Too bad that I didn't make extra - okay, I did, but I hid it in the back of the fridge for my lunch tomorrow.  Sue me.

 

 

Roasted Pear Salad

 

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (I didn't measure, just drizzled)

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup craisins (dried cranberries, dried cherries would work, too)

3 pears

balsamic dressing, about 1/2 cup

1 head butter lettuce or Boston lettuce

 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

 

Place the pecans in a dry skillet.  Toast over medium heat.  When they start to smell good, they are done - it only takes about 1 minute.  Watch them carefully because they burn easily.  Once they smell good and "toasty", take them off of the heat.

 

In a medium bowl, combine the pecans, cheese and craisins.  Mix them up.

 

Slice the pears in half lengthwise.  Remove the core with a melon baller.  I also removed the stem and flower and hollowed out the strip up to the stem so that the stuffing stays on.

 

Place the pears, hole side up, in a baking dish.  Drizzle the pears with the balsamic vinegar.  Spoon the filling evenly between the 6 pear halves.  Bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes.

 

Clean and tear the lettuce into bite size pieces.  Divide evenly among 6 salad plates.  Drizzle the lettuce with a little more than half of the balsamic dressing.

 

Place a pear in the center of each plate.  Drizzle a little more balsamic dressing on the pears.