Pecan, Gorgonzola, and Cranberry Salad

The first recipe is from today, Friday June 3rd. I used the "Super Greens" salad idea in the Summer 2016 menu magazine, but I used the Mixed Greens (formerly Tasti Crisp) instead. Most customers liked it. Gorgonzola is an acquired taste for some however. You can do many variations on this recipe. I told customers that if they didn't like the gorgonzola, a feta or a crumbly goat cheese would do just fine. The 12 oz. Organic Raw Pecans were too pricey for most of my customers at $14, so I pulled some small bags of Diamond chopped pecans ($3.29) for my display. Grilled chicken would go great with this recipe!

Pecan, Gorgonzola, and Cranberry Salad

1 (5 oz.) clamshell Spiral Path Mixed Greens

1 (4 oz.) container Gorgonzola cheese crumbles

1/2 of a 6 oz. bag of Wegmans Organic Sweetened Dried Cranberries

3/4 c. Wegmans Organic Raw Pecan Halves, broken up

1/3 c. Wegmans Organic White Balsamic Vinegar Dressing

Demo Instructions:

Mix all ingredients EXCEPT DRESSING in a large bowl. I like to pour some dressing in a plastic sample cup, and as I dole out the salad into the sample cups, I scoop a bit of dressing out of the dressing cup and into the sample cup. This way the salad doesn't get as soggy. Try to make sure each customer gets some cheese, a pecan piece, and a cranberry or two in the sample cup.

Merchandising:

The main focus is on the mixed greens here, so in a 2ft case I had 2 columns of clamshells, 1 column of cheese, double or triple stacked, and a column of dressing. I used a clear divider (L shaped), and I butted it against the side of the case, taller side vertical so the bottles of dressing would gently slide down on the plastic when a customer took a bottle out. This kept me from having to re-position the dressing as customers took it, and it keeps the bottles from falling over. The cranberries and pecans went on top of the case. I made sure all prices were clearly written. Ask your coordinator if you have coupons for the organic dressing.

If you have any questions, comment below! :)

-Caroline