I have subbed out the apples for pears, plums or peaches in the past and each is delicious! You can be flexible with the fruit you use. My favorite way to have bacon is in the form of Real Hormel Bacon Pieces (see link below.) I will forever and always have a problem with the smell that lingers in my kitchen after cooking bacon. This is the best kind I have tasted, because it's the real stuff. So that's that. Also, if I have some on hand, I like to use garlic-infused olive oil to make this dressing, because it saves me a step and tastes just as good.