Apple, Pecan, and Blue Cheese Salad

Salad:
Spinach or spring greens mix
Apples sliced very thinly
Candied Pecans (recipe below)
Blue Cheese crumbles
Maple Dijon dressing (recipe below)

Candied Pecans:
1 cup sugar
1/2 c water
Cinnamon to taste
Dash of cayenne pepper
1 tsp vanilla
2-3 cups pecan halves

Put sugar, water, cinnamon, and cayenne in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Once dissolved, stick in a candy thermometer and let boil on medium heat with NO STIRRING until thermometer reads soft ball stage, or 136 degrees F. Immediately remove from heat and stir in 1 tsp vanilla. Then stir in pecan halves and toss to coat.

Spread out on a well-greased baking sheet and bake at 250 for 30 minutes, stirring every 10. Let cool. Break chunks apart with hands.

Maple Dijon dressing:
1/4 c olive oil
1 heaping Tbsp Dijon
1 tbsp real maple syrup
1 tsp apple cider vinegar (or more to taste)
salt and pepper

Put in a jar and shake vigorously to combine.