I absolutely love coming home from church and having guests join us for dinner. We had the blessing of hosting a young man overnight who works at The Wilds. Our daughter, Alli and her family joined us, too, and it was a sweet blessing to serve them.
I want my grandsons to have special memories of eating Sunday dinner at Gigi’s house, so it is my intention to have them as often as is possible for both of our family’s schedules. Their mommy is doing a fabulous job teaching them to be gentlemen with good manners, and it’s sweet to watch them as they are learning. Oh, they’re still tough little guys, but they know to wait for the hostess before they begin eating, to put their napkin in their lap, and to wait to be excused from the table. I admire the hard work it takes to instill those kind of good habits. I know it doesn’t just “happen!”
I was so surprised that both of my eight-year old grandsons had seconds on SALAD yesterday! But then because I know how absolutely delicious this salad is, I totally understand! It has ALL the things to make you come back for more. It’s a favorite Pioneer Woman recipe I found years ago.
I’ve share this recipe before, but it wasn’t really highlighted, and I thought it was time to give it its own post! This is a green salad with apples, Craisins, sugared pecans and blue cheese. The homemade dressing is what brings all those flavors together in one happy bowl! It’s a vinaigrette that is perfection, and whips together in minutes.
With the apple season upon us, this is the perfect addition to those fall flavored meals! I made Greek Chicken and this was a perfect accompaniment.
Green Apple Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette Dressing – Pioneer Woman
Ingredients
12 ounces, weight Salad Greens (spring Mix)
2 whole Apples, Cored And Sliced Very Thin
1/2 cup Pecan Halves
1/4 cup Dried Cherries
6 ounces, weight Blue Cheese, Cut Into Chunks – I used Feta
1 Tablespoon (heaping) Dijon Mustard
1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup (more To Taste)
1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar (more To Taste)
1/4 cup Olive Oil
Salt And Pepper, to taste
Preparation Instructions
Add greens, apple slices, pecan halves, dried cherries, and blue cheese chunks into a large salad bowl.
In a small jar, mix Dijon, maple syrup, vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Put the lid on the jar and shake well to mix.
Pour a little salad dressing over the top of the salad and toss to combine. Taste salad and add more salad dressing to taste.
The young man we hosted lives at camp and when he came down for breakfast he said, “It’s so nice to be in a home. Camp is great, but this is nice after living with a few guys.” That touched my heart, and it made me so glad that we were able to refresh him a little bit of the blessing of our home.
Do you have invite guests in? Do you open the door and ask others to join you for a simple meal? My dinner was a simple one to do ahead, making the prep easy. When everyone came in after church I had the meal finished in about 20 minutes. Serving buffet style makes it more casual, and is also easier for guests to get up to help themselves to seconds.
If it’s been a while, I’d challenge you to make an invitation for others to come for a meal soon – even a simple soup and bread. Pray for the needs of your guests at the mealtime prayer. Sit and chat. Play a game afterwards. Go sit outside for dessert. Just open the doors and invite others in. Be ready for your heart to be very full.
Tell me about your favorite way to host guests. What do you serve? What do you do to make them welcome?
RefreshHer 