Warm Fall Spinach Salad

Ingredients

• 2 thick-cut, hickory-smoked bacon slices
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots (about 1 medium)
• 1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
• 1 (6-ounce) package fresh baby spinach
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Preparation

1. Cook bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; drain on paper towels. Discard drippings (do not wipe pan clean). Add shallots to pan; sauté over medium heat 1 minute or until lightly browned. Add cranberries, vinegar, and broth; bring to a simmer, and cook 4 minutes, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Remove from heat; stir in oil and brown sugar.
2. Place 1 1/2 cups spinach on each of 4 plates; drizzle 1/4 cup warm dressing over each salad. Crumble bacon, and sprinkle evenly over salads; top each salad with 1 tablespoon pecans.