Bacon Apple Spinach Salad

5 slices bacon

¼ c. sliced almonds

2 TB sugar

8 c. spinach and romaine

1 Granny smith apple, unpeeled, cored, diced

Dressing:

1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil

3 TBsp White vinegar

¼ c. sugar

¼ tsp. salt

1/8 red onion, sliced thin

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

In skillet, cook bacnon until crisp. Drain on paper towel. Crumble.

In small skillet heat 2 Tablespoons sugar with the almonds in saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir while sugar starts to melt and coat almonds. Stir constantly until almonds are light brown. Turn onto a glass plate and cool for 10 minutes.

Add dressings ingredients in jar, seal lid tightly and shake well. Keep refrigerated and shake again before serving.

In large salad bowl combine spinach, bacon, almonds, and apples. Toss with dressing. Serves 6-8.

Baklava

Ingredients you will need:

• 1 lb Walnuts - Finely Chopped (I use pecans)
• 1/2 C. Sugar
• 2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1.5 C. Butter (3 sticks), Melted
• 1 Package Frozen Phyllo Dough (16 oz) Thawed • 1 C. Sugar
• 1 C. Water
• 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1 C. Honey (Net weight 12 oz.)
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla


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The steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
2. Combine and set aside walnuts, 1/2 cup sugar, and cinnamon
3. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the bottom and sides of a 10x14" (about 1-2" deep) pan with melted butter.
4. Open the phyllo dough and layer 6 whole leafs (or 12 half leafs) in the pan, buttering each layer as you go. (The edges will extend over the side.)
5. Spread 1 cup of the walnut mixture.
6. If your phyllo dough comes in full sheets, cut the remaining phyllo dough in half.
7. Layer 8 half sheets -- butter each layer. Each sheet will be an inch or so short, so stagger the sheets from corner to corner to cover the whole pan. I use a pattern so I don't forget how many layers I've put down, but it's even easier if you have a friend help!
8. Spread 1 cup of the walnut mixture.
9. Repeat 8 sheets and walnut mixture twice. You will end up with 4 layers of nuts.
10. Layer the remaining half sheets on top -- butter each layer.
11. Brush the top with the remaining butter.
12. Trim the edges off.
13. Cut halfway through the layers using the diagram to the right. (Note: Do NOT cut from corner to corner.) This is done now since it will be very fragile after it's been baked.


14. Bake 1 hour or until golden brown.
15. 15 minutes before the baklava should be done, mix 1 cup sugar, water, and lemon juice in a sauce pan.
16. Cook sauce over a medium heat, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes.
17. Remove from heat, add the honey and vanilla, and stir until well blended.
18. Remove the baklava from the oven and finish cutting through the layers.
19. Pour the sauce over the hot baklava.
20. Cool. Let it sit for at least 24 hours (lightly covered -- but not in the refrigerator)