Bacon Wrapped Fig and Honeycrisp Apple Salad with Salted Caramel Pecans.

Guess what, GUESS WHAT!!

I made salad! I know, it’s kind of been a while, but sometimes salad bores me. I get the feeling you know what I’m talking about. I mean, lettuce on a plate with ranch? NOOO. Like that’s not cool.

Don’t get me wrong, I love salad. I eat salad daily. But I HATE boring salads. Just don’t give me iceberg lettuce and call it a day. If I am going to eat a salad, it’s going to be an exciting one, full of flavors and full of cheese!!

You know, I’ve been thinking about it lately. I think I maybe talk about cheese a lot more than the average Jane. I’m totally OK with this, but I was just thinking, do you think I am cheese obsessed? I mean, I don’t even TRY to add cheese, it just happens. I can’t fully control the way my mind works. Especially when my mind is thinking cheese. Please tell me you understand. If you don’t… I’m not sure we can be friends.

Ok, we can be friends, because I’m sure I will still love you…but I might think you are totally weird. Just sayin.

Speaking of cheese? Let me tell you about the cheese I used in this pretty bacon wrapped fig and honeycrisp apple salad…well actually I used two. The first one is a gorgonzola. I think I’ve probably mentioned this before, but I am a huge fan of the blue moldy cheeses. They are some of my favorites. I LOVE blue cheese paired with sweet things like apples. It’s kind of the perfect combo if you ask me. Plus, blue cheese will forever remind my of my dad. He’s the first one to ever feed me blue cheese when I was little, and I have loved it ever since. My dad? He knows good cheese! Then I’ve got my mom, who knows good chocolate and bread, paired with my dad who know good cheese… and good veggies.

Clearly you see why my parents have been together for all these years…their food groups complete each other. Totally cheesy, but thinking about it now, it’s so true. If mom didn’t have dad she’d live on rice, bread, pasta, butter and hot chocolate. And if my dad didn’t have my mom? Well… he wouldn’t be the chocolate fan he is today.

That’s love guys.

Anywhoo, the second cheese is a, new to me cheese, that I am equally in LOVE with. Like totally head over heals in love. If this cheese had a cute brother in human form I’d marry him.

And ok… this post is getting weird. UGH. It’s Monday, it just has that effect on me.

But the cheese! I used a drunken goat cheese (I got mine at Whole Foods) and I am pumped about it. It’s the best cheese, SO good. If I can learn how to make this cheese with my fresh goat milk I totally will, but I am thinking it’s a bit harder than traditional goat cheese since this drunken goat cheese came in a wedge. Seriously though, if you can find this cheese please, please get it. You will love it, I just know it!

Ok, cheese talk over, on to the rest of the salad.

Bacon wrapped figs. If you’ve never done this, now is the time. It will change the way you think about figs, which I am guessing might be “eww”! If that is you, don’t think that way! Give figs a chance. I now love figs, but I too used to be that “eww” person. Now I am obsessed with them. I love their texture, their flavor and their gorgeous colors.

Plus, they pair amazingly with bacon, and anything that pairs well with bacon is a total winner, right? Yes. <–Truth.

So you have your cheeses, you have your bacon wrapped figs, what’s next? Some salted caramel pecans and perfectly crisp honeycrisp apples. Perfect combo right? Caramely pecans and honeycrisp apples?!??!

YUM!! Honestly the best!!

And you guys? How excited are you all about the fall apples showing up in stores? I am thrilled! I do however REALLY want to go apple picking this year. Back in Ohio and New York (where we had a cabin) there are so many incredible apple orchids. My family would go every year, but since we moved to Colorado, we have yet to go…it’s been eight years so I think it’s time we find a good orchard. Hmm, suggestions?? The problem is I think the closest one is at least 2 1/2 hours away… Road Trip!

And yeah, then you just add your greens + a simple cider vinaigrette and your done. Super simple, yet flavor packed! But for real – those apples and the drunken goat cheese?

Still dying over them. Gimme more!

Hey, an apple a day keeps the doctor away! Shh…he doesn’t need to know about the cheese…or the bacon. Our little secret.