Battle Of The Sexes

Field greens with chicken, blue cheese and candied pecans

I think that there are guy salads and girl salads. In my house, I'm the only one who likes "weeds", as my husband refers to field greens. I'm out numbered 3 to 1, with everyone else sitting on the romaine side of the salad bar. Cobb, Chef, Caesar and some kind of a Southwestern/Taco/Chipotle/Steak salad are definitely manly salads. But this salad is one of my favorites and one that I serve when I'm hosting a  shower or some other luncheon event to a big group of ladies. Oops! I guess this is not a very politically correct post. I hope I haven't offended any men and you certainly can eat this salad, because real men eat quiche and field green salads!

Pasadena residents will recognize this salad, since it comes from a local restaurant, but I think every town has a version similar to it. You can buy their bottled salad dressing, but I've found that Brianna's Poppy Seed is a pretty reasonable facsimile and about 1/2 the price. It can be found in grocery stores all over the US. The restaurant and local grocery stores sell the candied pecans for a ridiculous sum. They are so easy to make at home and about 1/3 of the price.

Field Greens with Chicken, Blue Cheese and Candied Pecans

2 chicken breasts, poached or grilled, shredded or diced

1 bag of field greens

2 green onions, sliced

1 avocado, diced

l Granny Smith  apple, diced (I've also substituted pear in the fall)

1 small can of mandarin oranges

handful of blue or gorgonzola cheese

handful of candied pecans*

handful of craisins

Toss with poppy seed dressing

When I'm making this for a big group, I prep by cutting up the apples and avocado and squeezing a little lemon juice and leaving them in the same prep bowl with the mandarin oranges to prevent them from browning.

Serves about 4 as a main dish

*To candy the pecans, put about 3/4 cup pecans in a small saute pan, add 2 tablespoons of sugar and move the pan constantly over a medium low heat until the sugar starts to turn golden. Stir so that they are evenly coated with the sugar. Dump the nuts on a cookie sheet to cool. Chop or break them up when they are cool. CAUTION NOTE: hot sugar and hot nuts are, well, hot! Don't leave them for a moment, because they can go from golden to burnt in just a few seconds!