Southern Spinach Salad With Pecans & Strawberries - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 cups Baby Spinach
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup pecan halves
1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 dash salt

Preparation

Toast Pecans - Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Arrange pecans on a single layer on a baking sheet and roast in preheated oven for 7-10 minutes, until they just begin to darken. Remove from oven and set aside. Once cooled, coarsely chop half of the pecans, leaving the other whole. These can be stored safely for up to two weeks in an air-tight container, longer in a freezer.
For Dressing - In a sauce pan, combine last five ingredients. Bring to a simmer, and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat. This can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 months.
For Serving Salad - toss the spinach, strawberries, and red onion to mix. Top with pecans, blue cheese and dressing then lightly toss into salad. (If making this in advance, do the final toss right before serving, keeping the pecans and cheese separate).