Salad with caramelized pecans and blue cheese

Why did it never occur to me to try this before?  I found a recipe for Spinach and Pecan salad in my recipe box.  It's in my handwriting, but I have no memory of creating this index card with instructions for a yummy salad.  The recipe calls for fresh spinach, but I used romaine lettuce, and you could really use any green you like. 

It's so simple to caramelize some nuts in a skillet with butter and brown sugar.  My only words of wisdom here are to make at least twice as much as you think you'll need because they are hard to resist.  Toss the cooled pecans in a salad with some salty, funky blue cheese crumbles and thin slices of tart, crisp Granny Smith apples and sprinkle over some vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.

Recipe

1 Tablespoon butter

1/2 cup pecan halves

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

1 Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

1/2 cup grapes, optional

salad greens such as spinach or romaine lettuce

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon vinegar - I like balsamic

salt and pepper

- Melt butter in small skillet over low heat, add pecans and brown sugar.  Cook, stirring constantly 2 to 3 minutes or until caramelized.  Cool on wax paper.

Place salad in large serving bowl.  Toss in pecans, apple, blue cheese and grapes.  Add oil and vinegar, salt and pepper and toss gently to coat.  Serve!