Neelley King’s Famous Chop Salad

Everyone needs a Neelley. Everyone also needs to have some of Neelley King’s famous salad.  I say this often, and I mean it every time I say it. Neelley is my Martha Stewart friend. The one who can do anything, create the perfect tablescape, and cooks the best food. It only took one time for her to bring this dish to my house for me to ask for the recipe. It’s so good! I deemed this Neelley King’s famous salad after being asked for the recipe every time I made it.

I like to make this salad in a large bowl, and will double the recipe when I know family is coming over. Even Matt, my husband, asks for this salad. If there is an ingredient you want to swap out- go for it! You’ll notice in the pictures that roasted sweet potatoes, halloumi cheese and pomegranates were swapped out for the cheese and cranberry elements. Make your own honey roasted pecans or do what I do and purchase them from your grocery store. Whatever you do, don’t mess with the dressing. It’s the perfect amount of balsamic glaze and poppyseed dressing. I make extra and put it on all sorts of salads, and think it would even be great in a chicken salad! Once you make this recipe you’ll understand. Don’t forget to send me a picture once you’ve made it and let me know how much you loved it.

Last thought and tip: this salad is all about timing. Like I stated in the recipe, don’t pour the dressing on until it’s ready to serve. Also, you’ll want to have pears that are ripened, though not overly ripe. When I get hard unripened pears at the grocery store, I place them in a paper bag and allow them to ripen over two or three days. You’ll have the perfect pears, every time! Plus, they’re sweeter this way!