This salad was an experiment that turned into a TOTAL FAVORITE! I love to experiment with recipes and add my own spin. Sometimes these experiments turn out okay, many times they are a total disaster…but once in a while these recipe adventures turn into a NEW FAV! This salad has slipped into my TOP 5 favorite salads of all time…and yes…I feel so proud right now…this was an experiment!
I know, I know…I cheated and used all my favorite ingredients. What’s not to love? How can you go wrong with salty/sweet candied pecans with a tiny hint of cloves, crunchy/smoky bacon, velvety avocado, and the creamy saltiness of goat cheese. When you toss all of this with your favorite spring mix lettuce you have yourself a California Country Club Salad!
Take this to your next lunch with friends! It is a show stopper!
Love and candied pecans,
Amy J 🙂
California Country Club Salad
This salad is no work at all!
Candied pecans make it THE BEST!
*To candy the pecans: Put pecans a medium frying pan, sprinkle with sugar and salt and add a pinch of ground cloves. Cook, while stirring, over med heat until pecans are coated and sugar is dissolved and caramelized. Stir constantly to coat pecans. Watch carefully these can burn fast. YUM!
Blend all dressing ingredients together…wow that was easy!
Nope…I’m not going to take a picture of bacon cooking…
That’s it! Cup up your avocado, open the box of your spring mix medley, and your goat cheese…So fast, so easy, AMAZING FLAVOR COMBO!
Toss all ingredients together and you have YOUR NEW FAVORITE SALAD! ENJOY!
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- Salt
- Sugar…enough to lightly cover all pecans (approx 1/3 cup)
- Pinch of ground cloves
- 2-3 ripe avocados, slice as desired
- 1 lb bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled
- ¼ cup soft goat cheese…or more as desired…(I buy the goat cheese that is sealed in a tube shape. You can find it at Costco, or in the deli section of your grocery store. Get plain…not any flavored variety)
- 2 lbs fresh spring mix lettuce medley
- 1/3 cup vinegar
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp mustard
- 2 Tble minced purple onion
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 Tble poppy seeds
- *To candy the pecans: Put pecans a medium frying pan, sprinkle with sugar and salt and add a pinch of ground cloves. Cook, while stirring, over med heat until pecans are coated and sugar is dissolved and caramelized. Stir constantly to coat pecans. Watch carefully these can burn fast. Pour onto a plate to cool. Sample a few…these are crazy good!
- A hint: Just before serving, fill your serving bowl with spring mix lettuce. You may not necessarily use all 2 lbs. Toss the spring mix greens with the desired amount of dressing. Add pecans, bacon and avocado and give it a light toss. Sprinkle with goat cheese. (This makes a large bowl) Serve and enjoy!
- Blend first 5 ingredients together until mixture turns pink from the purple onion being incorporated. While blender is blending on high speed, open top of blender and pour oil in SLOWLY allowing only a slight stream of oil to flow. This emulsifies the oil and vinegar mixture so the oil will not separate. YAY! Stir in poppy seeds and drizzle over salad! Delish!