Winter Salad with Adult Grilled Cheese

In the winter it is hard to eat clean and light--but I think this was well accomplished with this Bistro like meal.  

      (left: salad dressing after blended, top: ingredients for salad dressing, bottom: salad ingredients) 

Cooks Note: Allow about 30min prep time and 10 min cook time

Winter Salad Ingredients
Dressing Ingredients: 
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, or as needed
2 ounces brown sugar
1 Gala apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 garlic clove minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
juice of 1//2 lemon
salt
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup expeller pressed canola oil

Salad Ingredients:
5 slices thick-cut bacon
6 ounces mixed greens 
1/4 celery root peeled and very thinly sliced or cut into matchsticks
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, halved and sliced very thinly
3/4 cup pecans
1 tart apple, cored, halved and sliced very thinly

Directions:

First, preheat the oven to 375 and toss in bacon strips.  Combine 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the vinegar and the brown sugar in a small skillet and cook over medium heat.  Stir and cook until the mixture turns a dark caramel color and begins to thicken   You will start to see big foamy bubbles on the surface.  Add the apples and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until the apples are tender about 5 minutes.   Remove from the heat and put into a blender along with the remaining 2 tablespoons of vinegar, thyme, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt.  Mix until blended.  Then add the oil blending the dressing till emulsified.  Taste and season with salt and more vinegar if needed.  Combine the bacon with the remaining ingredients for the salad and toss with about 1/2 the dressing, add more to taste.  (reserve the rest of the dressing for another delicious use)

Adult Grilled Cheese

Ingredients: 
Baguette cut into skinny diagonals 
Gruyere Cheese (1/2 slice per sandwich)
Cheddar Cheese (1/2 slice per sandwich)
butter (just a tad to butter bread on outside for golden touch)
Ham optional 

Directions:
Assemble sandwich and grill on panini pan for about 6 min till you reach desired darkness.

Wish I had more time to write but here are the basics; its amazing, a fun new recipe and well balanced...back to work and wedding planning!  Enjoy and please leave comments after you make--love to hear feedback!