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Honeycrisp and Cranberry Salad with spicy chili and nut crusted goat cheese medallions

Cranberry and Honeycrisp Salad with Spicy Chili and Nut Crusted Goat Cheese Medallions Two in the Kitchen v

With all the heavy food we will all be eating during the holiday season, it’s nice to have a delicious salad to keep things fresh!  This Honey crisp and Cranberry Salad is perfect for the season.

Topping off the beautiful fruits and greens are creamy goat cheese medallions crusted in a spicy chili nut mixture.  The combination of sweet and spicy gives a wonderful depth of flavor.

Cranberry and Honeycrisp Salad with Spicy Chili and Nut Crusted Goat Cheese Medallions Two in the Kitchen mv

The nut crust on these goat cheese medallions come together very easily with my Magic Bullet.  Have you ever used a Magic Bullet?

It is a staple in our kitchen and we use it on an almost daily basis.  My husband and I use it frequently for recipes and smoothies.  One thing I love about our Magic Bullet is that it is small enough that we leave it on the counter all the time.  It is not at all in the way like a big bulky full sized blender.

And for jobs like this, it works in a snap.

Cranberry and Honeycrisp Salad with Spicy Chili and Nut Crusted Goat Cheese Medallions Two in the Kitchen miv

To grind the pecans, I work in half cup batches, pulse a few times, remove the container and shake it, and pulse again until the nuts are ground.  I hate taking the time to chop nuts and buying whole pecans is so much more economical than  ground pecans so I just let my Magic Bullet do all the work!

After your nuts are ground, you will place them in a medium bowl and mix them with spices (see recipe) and drop goat cheese balls in the nut mixture and shape them into medallions.

Cranberry and Honeycrisp Salad with Spicy Chili and Nut Crusted Goat Cheese Medallions Two in the Kitchen n

These medallions are amazing by the way!  The creaminess of the goat cheese pairs nicely with the nut crust.  And the spice of the chili powder contrasts nicely with the sweetness of the fruit.

Cranberry and Honeycrisp Salad with Spicy Chili and Nut Crusted Goat Cheese Medallions Two in the Kitchen c

The dressing that tops this salad is the finishing touch.  And making a dressing with a Magic Bullet is a breeze.

My husband who developed this salad loves using a Magic Bullet to make dressings because he can make and store the dressing in the same container.  As two busy working parents, both my husband and I love  any kind of solution that will help us make less of a mess in the kitchen.

The lids that come with the container means that after taking the salad dressing out of the fridge, you can shake it up without making a mess.

If you are interested in reviewing or purchasing a Magic Bullet, you may click this link here which will take you to Amazon.  If you do purchase it through this link, Two in the Kitchen will receive a portion of the proceeds with no further cost to you.  We thank you for your support.

Cranberry and Honeycrisp Salad with Spicy Chili and Nut Crusted Goat Cheese Medallions Two in the Kitchen mi

This Honey crisp and Cranberry Salad is perfect for the season and made even more special with spicy chili nut crusted goat cheese medallions and a sweet and tangy honey cider vinaigrette.  Enjoy!  🙂

Cranberry and Honeycrisp Salad with Spicy Chili and Nut Crusted Goat Cheese Medallions Two in the Kitchen vii

Disclosure:  This post contains affiliate links.  If you purchase anything from these links, Two in the Kitchen gets a small portion of the proceeds with no further cost to you.  We only endorse products that we ourselves use and enjoy.  All opinions are 100% ours.  

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Honeycrisp and Cranberry Salad with spicy chili and nut crusted goat cheese medallions

Ingredients

    for nut mixture
  • 1 1/2 c. pecans
  • 2 TBLS brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 TBLS chili powder
  • 1 1/2 TBLS cinnamon
  • 1 TBLS cayenne pepper
    • for honey cider dressing
  • 1 shallot peeled and quartered
  • 1/4 c. cider vinegar
  • 2 TBLS dijon mustard
  • 2 TBLS honey
  • 1 c. olive oil
  • 1 t. salt
  • 1/2 t. pepper
  • mixed greens
  • 1 honey crisp apple, sliced
  • dried cranberries
  • 4-6 oz of creamy fresh goat cheese

Instructions

  1. Put pecans in the Magic Bullet in 1/2 cup batches and pulse several times until ground.
  2. Place the ground pecans in a medium bowl and mix in the brown sugar, chili powder, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper with a spoon until well blended. Set aside.
  3. Place shallot, vinegar, mustard, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper in a large Magic Bullet container and blend until well mixed. Keep the dressing in the Magic Bullet container, covered in the refrigerator.
  4. Make the goat cheese medallions by using a small cookie scoop or melon baller and scoop out cheese and place in the nut mixture. Roll it until coated. using palms, smash down the goat cheese and round it with your palms, dipping into the nut mixture again until well coated. Shake off any extra mixture. Use palms until the goat cheese is formed in a circular medallion. Repeat process until all cheese is used.
  5. Assemble desired greens in a bowl. Arrange several slices of honey crisp, drizzle with salad dressing and sprinkle with dried cranberries.
  6. Heat a small pan on medium heat and warm each medallion for 15 to 20 seconds (this is just to warm the medallions, not cook them)
  7. Place the desired amount of medallions on top of your salad, serve and enjoy.
  8. Makes 3-4 salads
https://two-in-the-kitchen.com/honeycrisp-and-cranberry-salad-with-spicy-chili-and-nut-crusted-goat-cheese-medallions/

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  2. I couldn’t agree more! I love salads during the holidays! Adds a nice balance and some good greens in between the carb fest! love the spicy chili and nut crusted goat cheese medallions!! wow!! and my friend has a magic bullet that she loves!!
    Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom recently posted…Pumpkin Sage SoupMy Profile

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