1 Apple Bacon Salad

Apples are one of the best products in Virginia during the fall. I love using them in anything from pork dishes, to desserts, and especially in salads. There's nothing more refreshing to me than biting into a crisp slice of apple in a salad. Below is one of my favorite fall-time salads, that's a little salty, a little sweet, and not too heavy. Besides, who doesn't love apples or bacon?

Ingredients:

Spring Mix of Greens

1 apple

juice of one lemon

zest of one lemon

2 slices of bacon

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup light olive oil

1 diced shallot

1 diced garlic clove

salt and pepper

1. In a pan at medium low heat, cook the bacon. Don't worry about oiling the pan as there will be plenty of grease from the bacon.

2. As the bacon cooks in a small bowl mix the vinegar, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest.

3. After the bacon has fully cooked, place the bacon onto a plate with paper towels, and pat the bacon dry.

4. To the pan with the bacon grease, add the diced shallot. Sauté for a minute or two, and scrape up the bacon bits from the bottom of the pan. Drain the shallot in a fine metal colander.

5. Add the shallot to the vinegar mixture, and slowly whisk in the oil.

6. Slice the apple into very thin slices, like below.

7. In a large bowl, add the salad greens and apples. Slowly add a few spoonfuls to the bowl, and toss the salad. Add more dressing spoon by spoon. The goal is to lightly coat the salad, without drenching it in dressing, Nothing is worse than a over dressed salad...

8. Slice the bacon into small pieces and toss with the salad. Enjoy!