Grape "Salad"

I think that most of us can agree that we should probably be eating more salads.  If that's the case for you, then I've got a recipe that I know that you will love.  Although it's called a grape "salad," it's actually a dessert, which, in my opinion, makes for a much better salad than those of the green and leafy variety.  It will be a lovely addition to your summer repertoire, because while its sweetness gives you the sugary satisfaction that you crave post-meal, it's also teaming with grapes so you're getting healthy nutrients and a cool, refreshing taste.  Take it to your next summer picnic and no one will complain about the fact that you brought fruit.  To make enough to fill a 9 x 13 pan, you will need:

2 lbs. each red and green grapes (you can stick to one color if you like, but I think that the combo makes it look prettier)
1/2 cup sugar
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 oz. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup toasted pecans

Start by washing your grapes and making sure that they're good and dry.  Spread them out on some paper towels and pat them down to remove any excess moisture.

Let them continue to air dry while you whip up the rest of the filling.  Grab your cream cheese, your sugar, your sour cream, and your vanilla.

Using a mixer, blend the sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla together until smooth.

Then add the sour cream and mix until everything is well blended.

Now it's time to add the grapes.

Give them a good stir.

You can stop stirring when they're thoroughly coated with the creamy mixture and look like this:

Now you can spoon them into your 9 x 13 dish and spread them out into a nice, even layer.

Cover your dish with plastic wrap and then pop it in the fridge for at least a few hours or overnight.

In the meantime, you can toast your pecans.  Place them in a pan on the stove over medium heat for a few minutes and stir occasionally until they start to smell heavenly and turn a darker color.

Take them off the stove, and once they've cooled, stir them into the brown sugar.  After your grapes have been chilling for a while, take them out of the fridge and sprinkle the nut mixture onto the top.

 Cover the dish again and put it back in the fridge until you're ready to eat.  At which point, grab some pretty glass dishes and some spoons and serve it up!

 Isn't it pretty?

A little bit creamy, a little bit crunchy, and very different from the other sweet treats that everyone else will be bringing to your picnic.  Open up a bottle of dessert wine and enjoy!

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