Pear and Candied Pecan Salad with Bacon and Feta

Friday is finally upon us. This weekend I think I'll hit up the cozy warm sand and listen to the waves as they crash into the soft beaches...

Oh wait.

We live in UTAH.

I've lived in Utah my entire life. Land-locked, if you will.  But from some strange place within my bones, I feel like I was born to be at the beach. Especially during the Spring/Summer time.

I'm not big into the whole "get some sun" deal - I'm a blonde-haired-fair-skinned white child. I've never really been able to tan, I only get lobster red. So it's not even worth it. Oh, and I'm pretty sure the high-risk I have of getting skin cancer has something to do with it.

I long for the soft sand in my feet, between my toes.

I long for the pleasure of cooling off in the cool, salty water.

I long for the melodic and tranquil sound of the crashing waves.

I long for closing my eyes for 10 seconds without worrying about anything.

I long for oversized sunglasses, soft towels, and a pile of food magazines to pine through in one sitting.

Maybe I just long for a little break? Law school has certainly taken it's toll... and I think we're ready to escape for a while.

Unfortunately, I think it's 10-15 hours to the nearest beach.

Someday, right?

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This salad, btw, is incredible. I may have eaten a couple strips of bacon before I was supposed to crumble them into the salad. Also, the candied pecans were a cinch to make. Under 2 minutes, really, to throw together. This salad would be perfect for a baby shower, ladies lunch in with the girls, bridal shower - heck, you name it.

Pear and Pecan Salad with Bacon and Feta

Ingredients:
Spinach
Ripe Pear cut into thin slices
*Candied pecans (or you could serve them raw, but I promise you'll want the sweet)
Feta Cheese
3 slices of bacon, cooked crisp, crumbled
Dried cranberries
red onions, sliced very thin (optional)

*Candied pecans:
8oz pecans
5 T sugar 

Note: Dressing can be whatever you want - a light lemon or balsamic vinaigrette would be lovely. The original recipe called for Sweet Red Wine Vinaigrette, but it's completely up to you. Ryan and I ate this salad dry as a bone and it was still amazing.

Method:
1. To make candied pecans: in a small dry skillet, pour in pecans and sprinkle with sugar. Cook over  medium heat until sugar has seeped into/onto the pecans. Remove pecans from heat, and let dry. You should be able to crumble them apart. Set aside.
2. To make salad: In a medium-large salad bowl, combine all salad ingredients. Top with candied almonds and vinaigrette of your choice. 

Recipe inspired by "Pear and Pecan Salad" from: Cafe Zupas Bloggers Annual Cookbook