Broccoli Salad

I think broccoli is my favorite vegetable.  Well, no, I take that back.  I might like carrots a bit more, but broccoli is a close 2nd.  Have any of you tried the Broccoli Salad that you can buy in a kit at Costco?  If you haven’t, I can tell you that it is delicious.  However, I’m also going to tell you not to go buy it and to just make this recipe because it tastes exactly the same, if not better! :)

This Broccoli Salad is one of my new favorite side dishes, thanks to a blog that I visit frequently, Anne Strawberry.  I’ve made it about 3 times in the past month or so.  It is full of fresh broccoli, crunchy toppings and a sweet dressing, and it’s just delicious.  This Broccoli Salad is crunchy, sweet and savory all at the same time and it makes for a quick side dish.  I’ve made the original recipe below and then I’ve also made a few modifications to suit our tastes.  I don’t like a lot of dressing on my salads, so you’ll see below that I decreased the amounts a bit.

Enjoy!

 

Ingredients.

Ready to eat!

Broccoli Salad by Anne Strawberry

Ingredients

• 4 - 6 cups chopped broccoli flowerets (I use 6 cups)
• ¼ cup diced red onion
• ½ cup toasted sunflower seeds (1/3 cup - I tried using pecans once, but preferred the sunflower seeds)
• 1/3 cup raisins (I use Craisins)
• 8 strips cooked bacon, crumbled

Dressing:         

• 1 cup mayonnaise (3/4 cup - I use Light Mayo)
• ½ cup sugar (1/3 cup)
• 1 ½ T. apple cider vinegar (red wine works, too) (about 1 tbs)

Directions

1. After making dressing, toss on salad and combine.
2. Serve immediately.

M&M Dream Bars

Hello friends, have you ever thought you blogged a post, only to find out 3 days later that it never went through?  That's what happened to me.  I thought I posted this on Friday, but just realized that it never went through due to a server error!  And here I was thinking that just no one was reading my blog. :)  Well, here is another tasty, sweet treat for you! We had a graduation BBQ at my work last month for those students, that work in our office, who graduated. As usual, I signed up to bring a dessert (does that surprise anyone?).

I’ve made this recipe a couple of times before, as it’s any easy go-to-dessert, plus it’s delicious. The first time I made these bars, I took them to my friend Alli’s parent’s Christmas party (easily jazzed up with red and green M&Ms)…and I’m proud to say that her mom requested the recipe and they are now a yearly additional to the dessert table! :)

These bars are sweet, chocolaty, nutty and are like a big oatmeal cookie! There is a layer of sweet gooiness in the middle that really amps up the recipe from other bars. I love them! They are fabulous…and of course, they were all eaten up by my co-workers!

Enjoy!

Ingredients.

Bottom “crust” layer.

Gooey deliciousness.

Right out of the oven.

Mmmm.

  

M&M Dream Bars, by Recipezaar

Ingredients

• 
  
  2 cups oatmeal
• 
  
  1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 
  
  1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 
  
  1/2 cup coconut
• 
  
  1 teaspoon baking soda
• 
  
  1/2 teaspoon salt
• 
  
  1 cup melted butter
• 
  
  1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 
  
  1/2 cup peanut butter
• 
  
  1 cup M&M' 
• 
  
  1 cup chocolate chips  

Directions

1. Combine oatmeal, brown sugar, flour, coconut, baking soda, and salt; add melted butter and stir until moist (the mixture will be crumbly). Reserve 1 1/2 cups and press remaining crumbs into a greased 13X9-inch baking pan (I line the pan with non-stick foil.). 
2. Bake 12 minutes at 375°F. 
3. Combine milk and peanut butter; carefully spread over baked crust. Sprinkle on M&M's and chocolate chips. Sprinkle reserved crumbs over chocolate pieces and lightly press crumbs down. 
4. Bake 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool completely before cutting. 

EatSmart Nutrition Scale – Product Review

A few weeks ago, the wonderful people at CSN Stores approached me with the offer to do a product review.  Get any product from their many online stores, receive a substantial credit to purchase the product and then post a review on my blog?  Heck yea!

 

So, out of all the numerous products that CSN stores I selected this wonderful EatSmart Nutrition Scale with Digital Scale and Nutrient Calculator (try saying that ten times fast!).  This scale is one of the coolest kitchen gadgets that I've ever seen.  Not only does it weigh your food for you, but it can also tell you the the amount of calories, carbs, fiber, sodium, fats, vitamin K and six other nutrients from thousands of packaged and 999 whole foods.  Pretty cool, right?

 

The EatSmart Nutrition Scale has come in very handy recently, since Jeremy and I are still on the P90X nutrition plan and our protein needs to be weighed out in ounces.  Plus, it’s just fun to measure random foods now. :)  Let’s take a look at it…

 

Measuring chicken, in ounces. 15 oz of chicken to be exact.

 

 

Yellow Bell Pepper, Code 167, 6.7 oz., plus, calories, carbs and fiber.

 

Sodium, potassium, magnesium.

 

Total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol.

 

If anyone is looking for a food scale, this one is awesome!  Check it out at the CSN Stores website, or take a look at some of their other items.  They have everything!  Seriously, from computer desks to barbeques to dog beds, they’ve got it all.  Thanks CSN for letting me do this product review!