Waldorf Cobb Salad...

        This makes a company-perfect sidekick for anything roasted or grilled. The concentrated flavor of an apple cider reduction, plus a shot of sorghum syrup, add rich complexity, not just sweetness, to the vinaigrette.

Ingredients:

2 large Gala apples

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 medium avocados

3 cups shredded romaine lettuce

3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

1 cup loosely packed watercress leaves

1 pt. grape tomatoes, halved

1 cup (4 oz.) shredded white Cheddar cheese

4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

 

6 thick bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

 

Preparation:

 

1. Cut apples into 1/8-inch matchsticks; toss with 2 Tbsp. lime juice. Peel and quarter avocados; toss with 1 Tbsp. lime juice.

 

 

2. Toss together romaine lettuce and next 2 ingredients; arrange on a large serving platter. Arrange tomatoes, next 4 ingredients, apples, and avocado over salad greens. Serve with Cider-Sorghum Vinaigrette.

 

SPICED PECANS

 

We serve these Spiced Pecans over our Waldorf Cobb Salad but they're just as good solo for snacking—or packaged up as a gift.

 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups apple juice

1 1/2 cups pecan halves

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon apple pie spice

1/8 teaspoon table salt

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (optional)

 

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°. Pour apple juice over pecan halves in a small bowl. Let stand 15 minutes; drain. Stir together sugar, apple pie spice, table salt, and, if desired, ground red pepper in a medium bowl; add pecans, tossing to coat. Spread in a single layer in a lightly greased, aluminum foil-lined 15- x 10-inch pan. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring once. Cool in pan on a wire rack 20 minutes; separate pecans with a fork.

 

CIDER-SORGHUM VINAIGRETTE

 

Finish you favorite autumn salad with Cider-Sorghum Vinaigrette. The concentrated flavor of an apple cider reduction, plus a shot of sorghum syrup, add rich complexity, not just sweetness, to the vinaigrette.

 

Ingredients:

1 cup apple cider

1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup sorghum syrup

1 shallot, minced

2 tablespoons bourbon

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon table salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup canola oil

 

Preparation:

 

1. Cook first 2 ingredients in a 3-qt. saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until cider is reduced to 1/4 cup. Remove from heat, and cool completely (about 20 minutes).

 

 

2. Transfer cider mixture to a bowl, discarding cinnamon stick. Whisk in vinegar and next 6 ingredients. Add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until smooth.