Copycat Panera Harvest Salad

I love Panera.  Their broccoli cheese soup? Divine.  But, I love the roasted turkey harvest salad even more.  It's a perfect combination of sweet, sour, crunchy and lovely.  However, it's hard to eat out for a number of reasons:

1. Who the heck knows what's in restaurants' food.  I like knowing what goes into my food, and that's easier to do at home.
2. Panera dreams, grocery store budget. 'nuff said.

When I finally persuaded Mike to try this salad, he wasn't sure at first.  But, he's a good sport (and my favorite recipe tester), and winded up LOVING it. Loving. Mike. A salad.  Yes, it is that good!  In fact, before dinner last night, he told me just how excited he was to have it again!

See the recipe after the jump.

Copycat Panera Harvest Salad

Servings: 4

Adapted from Sisters Running the Kitchen

For each salad bowl:

• Two hefy handfulls of spring mix
• 1/2 anjou pear, diced
• 1/2 ounce toasted pecans
• 4 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast, grilled.
• 1/2 ounce dried cherries
• 1/2 ounce gorgonzola cheese

For the cherry balsamic vinaigrette:

• 1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 c. cherry preserves (Smuckers)
• 1/4 c. red wine vinegar
• 1/4 c. canola oil
• salt and pepper

Instructions:

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the balsamic vinegar, sugar and garlic and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar.

Simmer the mixture, uncovered, until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.

Add the cherry preserves and cook for 1 minute longer.

Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature

Whisk in the red wine vinegar followed by the canola oil.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over lettuce, toss, then add other ingredients.

(Dressing recipe should make 4-6 servings depending on how coated you like it).

Some helpful hints:
- As Carla Hall from The Chew says, there are two "stages" of toasting nuts. Warming and burned.  Keep small frying pan over very low heat and toast just until fragrant.  This is an important step because it releases the oils from the nuts, making them that much tastier.
- I grill the chicken on the Foreman grill while I am making the dressing.  Multitasking is wonderful!

Happy Wednesday everybody!  If you like what you see, please leave a comment or subscribe to the blog.  If you subscribe, for your convenience, you will be emailed every time a new post is released.