Warm Goat Cheese, Bacon, Spinach Salad

Serves 2 (multiply for more!).

Ingredients:

3 cups baby spinach leaves

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (plus 2-3 teaspoons extra for topping cheese)

1 tablespoon white balsamic vinager

4 slices microwave bacon

8 ounces goat cheese, cylindrical

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1 egg

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line baking sheet with foil.

Freeze goat cheese. (This will help the cheese hold its shape when you bake it.)

Once cheese is frozen, use very sharp knife to slice cheese into 1/2 inch-thick rounds.

Crack egg into small bowl and whisk together. Place bread crumbs on small plate. Season crumbs with salt and pepper.

Dip each cheese round into egg and then bread crumbs. Cover each round of cheese very well.

Place crumb-covered cheese rounds on foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Using a teaspoon, sprinkle a couple drops of olive

oil on each cheese round. Set oven to broil and move oven rack to highest setting. Place baking sheet back in oven. Broil cheese rounds with oven door open, so you can make sure the rounds don't burn. When the rounds start to turn golden brown and the kitchen smells like goat cheese, you'll know the cheese is done.

Remove baking sheet from oven.

Microwave bacon. Let cool slightly, then crumble.

In medium-sized bowl, toss spinach with olive oil and vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Plate spinach leaves on salad plate. Sprinkle bacon pieces over greens. Gently place 2-3 rounds of baked goat cheese on each salad.

Serve warm.