# Surprising Broccoli Salad



## texasgirl (Apr 16, 2005)

3-4 Bunches of fresh broccolli crowns, cleaned and cut to bite size
1 package of crisp bacon, crumbled (can use the already cooked)
1 small purple onion (chopped)
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

Mix all together.

Dressing:
2 cup of mayonnaise
1 tablespoon of white vinegar
1/4 cup of white granulated sugar
mix together and pour onto the salad and mix well.

Refrigerate for about an hour. 
This recipe can be multiplied many times. If too dry, you can mix a little more of the dressing.

I never leave a party, that I bring this to, with leftovers.
I get request for it all the time at family functions.


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## kadesma (Apr 16, 2005)

*looks yummy*

Texas,
this looks great...I love broccoli and this salad is almost like one I buy st fantastic little deli..The only difference being is that they add sunflower seeds...I've tried making the dressing, but haven't hit on the right stuff...But your dressing looks like the right thing..Thanks so much. 
kadesma


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## texasgirl (Apr 16, 2005)

Haven't tried sunflower seeds, I'll have to do that next time.


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## kadesma (Apr 16, 2005)

texasgirl said:
			
		

> Haven't tried sunflower seeds, I'll have to do that next time.


Hope you like them...I'm a sunflower seed nut  
kadesma
Thanks again


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## conniesue (Apr 21, 2005)

*sunflowers seeds*

It is very good with sunflower seeds.
connie


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## texasgirl (Apr 21, 2005)

I'll try it next time I make it. I like sunflower seeds.


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## kitchenelf (Apr 21, 2005)

My SIL made something very similar except she used half broccoli and half cauliflower spring onions for the red onion.  Made sure they were very small flowerettes and cut the mayo way down when she was dieting - like to about 3 TBS and would mix and mix and mix and mix until everything was coated and oddly enough it was.  

Thanks for reminding me of this - it's a great summer dish.


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## Charlotte (Apr 22, 2005)

Sounds like a great salad - I can't wait to try it!

Don't forget to toast lightly the sunflower seeds in a non-stick pan, the toasting really brings out the flavour!


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## kadesma (Apr 22, 2005)

Charlotte said:
			
		

> Sounds like a great salad - I can't wait to try it!
> 
> Don't forget to toast lightly the sunflower seeds in a non-stick pan, the toasting really brings out the flavour!


Charlotte, 
This is a great salad. I just love it. OH, thanks for reminding me to toast those seeds. 
kadesma


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## licia (Sep 27, 2005)

I've seen it with raisins too and thought that was so strange, but it was very good.


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## In the Kitchen (Sep 27, 2005)

*texas*

Sounds like a winner!  Great combination with bacon and cheese.  Thanks for sharing


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## SierraCook (Sep 29, 2005)

There are a couple other versions of broccoli salad posted in the thread below.

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/showthread.php?p=82773#post82773


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## AllenOK (Sep 29, 2005)

We started making this salad at my work this year.  We use both sunflower seeds and raisins, and without the cheese.  The members go nuts over it!  I've even made it with the half-and-half mix of broccoli and cauliflower.


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## mish (Oct 2, 2005)

Yum, Texas. I love broccoli. I bet some cherry tomatoes would be an added colorful treat. We could call it a BB&T Salad. Sometimes I add mushrooms, raisins or Mandarin oranges. Anyone tried broccoflower? It's Dee-lish. Here's a mayo-based dressing to use on grilled veggies, fish (salmon), etc., if you would like try it in place of the cheese.

Lemon Basil Mayonnaise
1/2 cup mayonnaise 
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh garlic 
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves


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## Jikoni (Jan 16, 2006)

What is a take out? It's probably a very dumb question, but we are an international community, and my idea of a take out is where you buy food and bring it home.


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## texasgirl (Jan 16, 2006)

That's what I know as take out, Sizzles, why?


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## Piccolina (Jan 16, 2006)

sizzles said:
			
		

> What is a take out? It's probably a very dumb question, but we are an international community, and my idea of a take out is where you buy food and bring it home.


 It's often called "take away" in Europe, Sizzles and you are right it's just when you go and buy food from a restaurant (or have it delivered to you at home) and take it home with you


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## Constance (Jan 16, 2006)

Lipton's makes a dry ranch dressing mix that I add to sour cream, and it's so delicious with raw broccoli...much better than the Hidden Valley stuff.
I have never made a broccoli salad, but if I did, that would be my dressing. I would add cooked crumbled bacon, grape tomatoes, chopped sweet red peppers, crumbled bleu cheese, and maybe a little cauliflower.

Mish, I found a nice head of brocciflower at the grocery the other day, and included it in the 7 layer salad that I took to the wake. It tastes just like cauliflower, but is a chartreuse green...very pretty.
I'd like to get ahold of some purple broccoli or cauliflower. It would be so pretty in salads! But I've only seen it in the seed catalogues. I grew plants in the greenhouse one year, but no one wanted them, and by the time I got a chance to get my garden in, it was way to late for cauliflower. Our summers here SIZZLE!


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## Jikoni (Jan 19, 2006)

Sorry Picollina and Texasgirl and everyone else.I misread the 'take out' thing, it said 'cookout' on another thread.


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## texasgirl (Jan 19, 2006)

sizzles said:
			
		

> Sorry Picollina and Texasgirl and everyone else.I misread the 'take out' thing, it said 'cookout' on another thread.


 
 No problem. I misread stuff all the time!!


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## bosco81 (Apr 29, 2006)

I am a new member and was scrolling down the lists and came across the "surprising brocolli salad" it caught my eye.  Your recipe is almost the same as mine but, I leave the cheese out, add a sprinkle of Pine Nuts and add WHOLE red seedless grapes.  It is common for my grandkids to clean up the bowl and aask if that is all I made,  They wont eat Brocolli any other way.  But they will eat a lot of it this way.  I love it too. I capitalized WHOLE grapes, because I was short of grapes and decided to cut them in half, bad idea they added too much liquid.  So the Whole ones work great.


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## texasgirl (Apr 29, 2006)

Welcome to DC, bosco!!
It seems there are lots of ways to add and subtract things to this salad. I love it. I'll have to try it with the grapes.


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## lindatooo (May 1, 2006)

Haven't had this in years! Love it!  Thanks!


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## kitchenelf (May 1, 2006)

texasgirl said:
			
		

> Haven't tried sunflower seeds, I'll have to do that next time.



(Julie - I apologize now if you read this!!!!  )

My ex-wife-in-law (don't ask but some of you understand) made that Asian salad with the ramen noodles - it called for sunflower seeds - oooops, she used the whole seeds instead of just the kernels.


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## mish (May 1, 2006)

kitchenelf- it called for sunflower seeds - oooops said:
			
		

> How silly.  Everyone knows you need a nutcracker.


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