Think Pink and a Yummy Recipe.

Did you really think I would be able to let a day go by w/o talking about more of my Vegas trip? Well, I hope you'll find this double post is for a good cause. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I saw this little number while I was window shopping in the Venetian. My Mother in Law, Grandmother In Law, Bird's Aunt are all Breast Cancer Survivors. My great friend, Linda is a recent survivor of cancer as of April. Everyone in Bird's family has survived skin cancer. Bug's Sister in Law is battling Colon Cancer. A very dear friend of mine started Chemo this week and is having a really hard time with it. Then there's Tuesday. We are all impacted by cancer in one way or another. Please take time to do your monthly breast exams! It's so important for you and for your families! We/they need you! Join me in prayers for them and for a cure! Thank You!

I hope you enjoy my friend Carrie's

Feta Pear Salad.

A few years back I participated in a monthly recipe exchange. Each month we would submit one or two of our tried and true recipes to Carrie. She would organize them all and send them back to us via email. The end result, was a year of recipes for each month/season of the year. The recipes came from around the US and even other countries too. I use this book more than any of my store bought cook books. This is one of my favorites that Carrie herself submitted. I know you'll love it as much as I do. It's always at hit so if you make it be prepared for people to request the recipe! Plus, it's perfect for fall.

Salad Ingredients 1 head red or green leaf lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces 3 pears-peeled, cored and chopped (I've subbed cubed pears from the can in a pinch.) 5 oz feta cheese crumbles 1 avocado-peeled, pitted and diced ½ c thinly sliced green onions ¼ c white sugar ½ c pecans Dressing 3 tbsp red wine vinegar 1/3 Cup of EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil for those of you who aren't familiar with Rachel Ray.) 1 ½ tsp white sugar (I have substituted honey for sugar. Splenda might work too if you like.) 1 ½ tsp prepared mustard (I use Grey Poupon) pepper to taste ½ tsp salt 1 clove garlic, chopped In a skillet over medium heat, stir ¼ c of sugar together with the pecans. Continue stirring gently until sugar has melted and caramelized the pecans. Carefully transfer nuts onto wax paper. Allow to cool and break into pieces. For the dressing, blend oil, vinegar, 1 ½ tsp sugar, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper.In a large serving bowl, layer lettuce, pears, feta cheese, avocado and green onions. Pour dressing over salad, sprinkle with pecans, and serve. 6 servings.