alright. you can know that god is leading me to do this when i share some of my 'secret recipes'.

i had this salad at III forks, in dallas. it was one of the best salads and dressing i.have.ever.had. i think i have said before that one of my favorite things is to have something really good in a restaurant and then try to recreate it. the salad was easy....just pick it apart :) . the dressing was another matter. i asked our waiter what kind of dressing it was and he told me that i could find something very similar at central market. i immediately went and purchased 4 bottles :) yep...4. it is a bit on the pricey side and we went through it like water, so i decided i would try to recreate that. it worked!! I made it!! and for less than half the cost of the bottle of dressing at the store! the one at the store is called Monica's maple balsamic vinaigrette. its in the refrigerator section. you do have to look for it, it is not an easy find.

III forks salad with maple balsamic vinaigrette

mixed baby green salad mix
toasted pecans (either with a flavored coating or not--we use plain)
sliced pears, granny smith apples, strawberries or dried cranberries (we LOVE it with any of these)
crumbled feta cheese, gorgonzola, or bleu cheese
dressing (recipe follows)

Toss all together. drizzle dressing over it.

maple balsamic vinaigrette

2 tbsp olive oil, preferably extra-virgin
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp pure maple syrup
2 tsp grainy mustard
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a small bowl, whisk oil, vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, salt and pepper until blended. I have one of those shaker/blender cups and usually double or triple this.