Happiness in a Harvest Salad

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I had a realization while preparing this harvest salad. Good ingredients make cooking a lot easier! My husband explained that top restaurants are really good at selecting the best ingredients. He said the magic is in not screwing it up after that. So, to my fellow freshman foodies, find a local grocery store or farmers market and take a little extra time to ask how to pick the best ingredients.


Dressing:
Balsamic vinegar
Olive Oil
Dijon mustard

Salad Ingredients:
Baby spinach
Ramano cheese
Toasted pecans
Dried cranberries
Pear

Whisk equal parts olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add dijon mustard in small amounts to taste and whisk together. Cool in refrigerator until you are ready to toss with spinach.

Wash baby spinach and set aside. Shave cheese or grate. Chop toasted pecans. Slice pear minutes before serving to avoid browning.  Toss spinach with dressing and remember that a little goes a long way! Top with pecans, dried cranberries, pear, and finally cheese.