Chopped Apple Salad w/ Walnuts, Blue Cheese & Pomegranate Vinaigrette

I love a good salad -- especially one that combines fruit and vegetables.  This salad is from Bobby Flay’s Bar American Cookbook (if you haven’t checked this cookbook out, you must....it’s packed with some truly impressive meals that are sure to stun your palate and your guests at your next dinner party) and it’s pretty simple to throw together.    

I really enjoy the tart apples combined with the creamy blue cheese crumbles and the slight crunch that the pomegranate seeds throw in there.  Give this salad a try....it’s bound to become a favorite starter or light lunch!

Chopped Apple Salad with Toasted Walnuts, Blue Cheese and Pomegranate Vinaigrette (serves 6 to 8)

adapted from Bobby Flay’s Bar American Cookbook

4 granny smith apples

6 oz mixed baby greens

1 1/2 c. coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

1/2 lb blue cheese, crumbled (2 cups)

salt and pepper

Pomegranate Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

pomegranate seeds as garnish

1. Combine all ingredients in large bowl.  Add vinaigrette and toss to coat.  Season with salt and pepper.

Pomegranate Vinaigrette (makes 1 cup)

3 tbsp pomegranate molasses

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 heaping tbsp dijon mustard

1 tbsp honey

salt and pepper

2/3 c. extra virgin olive oil

1.  Whisk together molasses, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard and honey.  While whisking, stream in olive oil, creating an emulsion.  Season with salt and pepper.

Apple Raisin Bars

I really hope I’m not getting into dangerous territory with another apple recipe.  Overkill?  I don’t think so....apples just fit so happily into fall eating....so don’t be surprised if apples show up again in the next 7 days.  Boom.  

Anyway -- these Apple Raisin Bars are so. freaking. scrumptious.   I’ve made them a couple times.  The first time I followed the recipe to the tee {since I’m a little challenged in the baking area, I get a little nervous going out of the box} and they were your typical delicious bars.  This time, I took these babies to the next level by adding some extra apples.  {Actually, I just chopped up way more apples than I needed and thought, “ah, the hell with it, I’ll throw ‘em all in there and see what happens.”}  Well what happened was magical.  After the bars cooled and I began to slice them, I became extremely nervous that they weren’t baked all the way through.  Not the case.  Holy cow, those extra apples just made these bars extra moist and cake-like.  Now, I’m a gigantic fan of apple cake and that’s what the bars tasted like.  W.O.W.  You need these in your life.  Seriously.  Now.

Apple Raisin Bars

from Family Circle Magazine

2 c. all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

2 c. packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 c. (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 c. diced golden delicious apples {I used 2 1/3 - 2 1/2 c.}

3/4 c. raisins

1. Heat oven to 350.  Liberally coat a 13x9x2 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Set aside.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, set aside.
3. With an electric mixer, blend together sugar, eggs, butter and vanilla for 3 minutes or until smooth.  
4. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture.  Mix 2 minutes or until just incorporated.  Stir in apples and raisins and spread into prepared pan.  
5. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Cool completely and cut into bars.

Cran-Apple Crisp

So today the weather in South Carolina has gone back into the 80s....ugh!!!!!!!!!!!!!  So in order to throughly enjoy this Cran-Apple Crisp, I had to crank the AC, put on some sweats and pretend it was cool outside.  It worked....and this crisp is amazing!  I love a piping hot scoop of plain old apple crisp, but chuck in some dried cranberries, walnuts and orange zest and POW -- flavor explosion to the face.  No need to pile on the ice cream or whipped cream here, this baby is good all on it’s own!

I chose to use a combination of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples in the recipe.  I really had to force myself to cut up the Honeycrisp and throw them in, {they are the most heavenly apples for eating} but they really were perfect and stood up to the heat of the oven.  Feel free to use any apples you wish/have on hand.  

Cran-Apple Crisp

8 c. thinly sliced peeled tart apples

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. dried cranberries

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

1/4 c. flour

1 1/2 - 2 tsp grated orange peel

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1/3 c. whole wheat flour

1/3 c. nonfat dry milk powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 - 1/2 tsp cloves

5 tbsp cold butter, cubed

1/3 c. quick cooking oats

1. Combine first 6 ingredients, toss to coat.  Transfer to a 13 x 9 in baking dish coated with cooking spray.
2. Combine brown sugar, whole wheat flour, milk powder, cinnamon and cloves.  Cut butter into mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir in oats and sprinkle over apples.
3. Bake uncovered at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden.  

And check out a different presentation idea -- MiniChow Cran-Apple Crisp!!!!!!  For those who want "just a little bit".  Cute!!!!