Wilted Spinach Salad with Pears and Cranberries - BHG

Ingredients

• 2 medium pears, cored and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoon(s) lemon juice
• 12 cup(s) packaged fresh baby spinach 12 oz
• 3/4 cup(s) thinly sliced red onion
• black pepper
• 4 slice(s) bacon
• 1/2 cup(s) dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup(s) red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon(s) sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) dry mustard
• Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
• addtional dried cranberries

Preparation

1. 1. Place pears in a bowl; drizzle with lemon juice. Fill bowl with enough water to cover pears. Place a small plate over pears to submerge them; set aside. In a large bowl combine spinach and red onion. If desired, sprinkle with black pepper; set aside.
2. 2. For dressing, in a dutch oven, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon,reserving 1/4 cup drippings in dutch oven. Add veg. oil to equal 1/4 cup if necessary.
3. 3. Crumble bacon.
4. 4. Stir the 1/2 cup cranberries, vinegar, sugar and mustard into drippings. Bring to bubbling boil; remove from heat. Add spinach mixture. Toss for 30-60 seconds in dutch oven until spinach is just wilted.
5. 5. Transfer to a large bowl or platter. Add crumbled bacon. Drain pears and arrange on top of spinach mixture. Sprinkle with Gorgonzola and additional cranberries.