Apple Chicken Salad

This is one for my mom so it must be good.  I generally would steer away from it because of the walnuts *cancer sores* but it sounds fabulous!

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dried Italian herb blend
dash ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Candied Walnuts
1 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup whole walnuts

Salad
4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
2 cups chopped red leaf lettuce
2 cups chopped iceberg lettuce
1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese
1 rotisserie chicken that has been deboned and chopped into bite size pieces
3-4 strips crisp cooked bacon, crumbled
2 granny smith apples, thinly sliced

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Make the balsamic vinaigrette by combining all ingredients, except olive oil, in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until sugar is dissolved. Pour the oil in a thin stream into the bowl while mixing. Continue mixing for several seconds until the dressing thickens. (Or you can use a shaker jar to mix.) Cover and chill.

2. Make the candied walnuts by combining oil, honey, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium skillet over medium heat in the order listed. When mixture begins to bubble, add the walnuts and stir constantly until sugar begins to smoke and/or caramelize. Immediately turn off heat and keep stirring the nuts so that they do not burn. After a minute of stirring off the heat, pour nuts out onto some wax paper that you have sprayed with cooking spray. When nuts cool, break them apart if they have stuck together.

3. Toss all salad ingredients together except the vinaigrette, and chill. Add dressing just before serving.