Autumn Chopped Salad

I always say a great salad will make any meal better. I am always on the hunt for new and amazing salads to find my little family. I have a warm spinach one that is amazing and our family favorite that has been passed down from my sister in laws. This Autumn Chopped Salad I will have to say is up there as one of my favorites.
My little guy Tyler is my salad tester and he gave this one a 10 out of 10. The two dressings together along with all the different toppings really does make an amazing side dish to any meal.

(The only thing I changes was I candied the nuts. Meaning I added 1/2 cup of nuts to 3 Tbsps of sugar, cooked on medium heat until golden brown. Once brown, pour onto parchment paper to cool, break into pieces and add to salad. Yummy!)

Autumn Chopped Salad
adapted from http://www.espressoandcream.com/

Ingredients

6 to 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce

2 medium pears, chopped

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup chopped pecans

8 slices thick-cut bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled

4 to 6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

Poppy seed Salad Dressing

Balsamic Vinaigrette (I like Newman's Own Balsamic Vinaigrette)

Instructions

On a large platter, combine the lettuce, pears, cranberries, pecans, bacon and feta cheese. Drizzle generously with poppy seed dressing, followed by some of the balsamic vinaigrette. (I would estimate that I used about a cup of dressing: 70 percent poppy seed dressing and 30 percent balsamic vinaigrette) If you prefer your salad to have more dressing, feel free to experiment with the combination.

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