Candied Pecan, Cranberry, and Roasted Squash Salad

Ingredients:

• Any type of lettuce you like, I used a spring mix
• ½ red onion-chopped
• 1 red pepper-chopped
• 1 cucumber-chopped
• Dried cranberries
• Olive oil
• Lemon
• Salt

For the roasted squash:

• Cubed squash or sweet potatoes
• Cinnamon
• Salt
• Olive oil

For the candied pecans:

• 2 cups pecan halves
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• ¼ cup lightly packed light brown sugar

Directions:

1. cook roasted squash

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Toss chopped squash with olive oil, cinnamon, and salt to taste
• Roasted until crispy, about 40 minutes

2. while squash is roasting, cook your pecans (This recipe is from Joanna Gains at Magnolia Table)

• In a skillet, melt butter. Add brown sugar and stir until well combined
• Add pecans and stir so they are completely coated in the sugar and butter mixture. Cook until toasted, about 8 minutes
• Pour mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Let cool. Break apart before using
• Candied pecans can be stored in an airtight container up to 4 days.

3. Put your salad together

• Add lettuce, onion, red pepper, and cucumber together.
• Since this salad has a lot of ingredients, I like to keep the dressing simple and drizzle olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt on the lettuce mixture as the dressing if you’re going to serve it right away. If not, I combine olive oil, lemon, and salt and leave it on the table for individuals to add as they prefer.
• Top with roasted squash, dried cranberries, and candied pecans.