Some Minnesota falls are better than others. Some are more colorful, crisp and cool, while others are just cold. Then there are those "second summers" that creep deep into fall, only to be replaced by, well, winter.

This year feels like the latter, but even if the frost hasn't covered the pumpkins yet, I'm still going to work in as many fall flavors as I can. I'll just shift from my normal autumnal fare of hot and hearty comfort foods to something a little lighter, like a salad.

Although the summer tomato season has passed, that doesn't mean we have to pass on salads. There are plenty of fall ingredients we can toss with a delicious dressing and some greens. One of my favorites is apples.

Here in Minnesota, we know a good apple when we sink our teeth into one. Even though we're famous for the ever-popular Honeycrisp, this time of year, grocery store produce sections are packed with many different varieties of local apples.

First Kiss, Zestar, SweeTango and many more apple varieties are easy to find and delicious when added to a green salad.

In this week's recipe, any one of these would be welcomed, tossed along with crisp romaine in a creamy honey-mustard dressing. Nutty cubes of Gruyère cheese are added, along with crunchy toasted hazelnuts. The result is a complex salad, packed with interesting textures and flavors.

I would serve this salad alongside any simple roasted meat or poultry.

Or, if you'd like to transform this salad into more of a main dish, you could certainly add a handful or two of shredded chicken to the mix.

No matter what kind of fall we're in store for this year, don't let it stop you from enjoying the flavors of the season.

Romaine, Apple, Hazelnut and Gruyère Salad with Creamy Honey-Mustard Dressing

Serves 4.

There's no better way to celebrate than with this flavorful autumnal salad. From Meredith Deeds.

For the dressing:

  • 3 tbsp. heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp. cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp. honey
  • 1 tbsp. whole grain Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

For the salad:

  • 8 c. chopped romaine lettuce
  • 1 medium crisp apple, cored and thinly sliced
  • 4 oz. cubed Gruyère
  • ½ c. roughly chopped toasted, skinned hazelnuts

Directions

Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, combine the cream, vinegar, whole grain mustard, Dijon mustard, honey, salt and pepper. Whisk in olive oil and set aside.

Prepare the salad: In a medium bowl, add romaine lettuce, apples and 6 tablespoons dressing. Toss to coat. Add more dressing, if desired. Transfer to serving platter or plates. Scatter the Gruyère and hazelnuts over the top. Serve immediately.