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.

Honey-Ginger Crunch Mix

I love snacks.  They are a great way to make your tummy stop rumbling in between meals.  Are you looking for a new snack?  Well, I suggest that you make this sweet Chex mix, because it is delicious!  I came across this recipe about a year ago when I had extra Chex to spare, after making the regular Chex mix.  It’s a nice change from the traditional savory Chex mix and it’s got some of my favorite ingredients in it. 

This mix contains nuts, pretzels, coconut, Craisins and honey.  Yum!  Plus, it’s got ground ginger in it.  I don’t know about you, but I love ginger.  It’s such a great flavor and it’s a bit unexpected in this mix.  Of course, I made a few modifications to the recipe, based on what I had in the pantry.  I used cashews and peanuts instead of almonds, and I added chopped, dried apricots with the Craisins.  Mmmm, I love this mix.  If you’re ever looking for a new type of Chex mix, head on over the the Chex website because there are a bunch of delicious varieties to try.

Enjoy!

Ingredients.

Cooling.

Ready to eat!

Honey-Ginger Crunch Mix

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger or cardamom
• 6 cups Rice Chex® cereal
• 2 cups bite-size pretzel twists
• 1 cup unblanched whole almonds
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 1 cup dried cranberries or pineapple

Directions

1. Heat oven to 250°F. Spray large roasting pan with cooking spray.
2. In 1-quart saucepan, heat brown sugar, butter, honey and ginger to boiling. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Into roasting pan, measure cereal, pretzels, almonds and coconut. Stir in brown sugar mixture until evenly coated.
3. Bake 50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool, about 15 minutes. Place in serving bowl; stir in cranberries. Store in airtight container.