Susans Broccoli Salad Recipes

Steps:

• While slowly cooking bacon to extra crisp, soak raisins in HOT tap water. Drain bacon on paper towels. Drain raisins. Pour extra fat out of frying pan.
• In same pan (keeping the fond (browned bits), toast sunflower seeds lightly for one minute.
• Make dressing by combining mayo, sugar, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Add crumbled bacon, sunflower seeds, and raisins.
• Trim florettes from top of rinsed, raw broccoli - toss into dressing. (You COULD choose to nuke or steam broccoli, but would loose much of the crunch). Use veg peeler to remove tough part of broccoli stem, then dice and add to salad. Toss, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium. Add bacon and cook, turning occasionally, until golden and crispy, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain; discard bacon fat or reserve for another use. Chop the bacon into bite-size pieces.
• Meanwhile, add broccoli to boiling water and cook until bright green, 1 minute. Rinse under cold water until cool (or transfer to an ice bath). Drain broccoli well and pat dry.
• In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, onion, vinegar and sugar and mix well. Add the broccoli, cheese, raisins and sunflower seeds. Season with salt and pepper, and toss until well combined. (If time allows, refrigerate for 30 minutes to 3 hours to allow flavors to meld, stirring occasionally.)
• Transfer broccoli salad to a serving bowl or platter. Top with bacon. Salad can be served immediately, or refrigerated and served chilled.

Steps:

• At least 3-4 hours before mealtime, combine the sugar, mayo and red wine vinegar. Combine the remaining ingredients. Pour dressing over the salad 30 minutes before serving.
• You can add other items, such as purple onion, raisins, sesame seeds, or anything else you desire. There is enough dressing to add a few more things. Or you could add some cauliflower florets...
• Recipe came from a Cowboy Cookbook I got a long time ago, and is really fantastic!

Steps:

• Make the dressing: Place raisins and red onion in a small bowl. Add vinegar, sugar, ¾ teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons of water, and toss to combine. Leave to pickle for 10 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
• Peel the woody exterior from the broccoli stalks and discard. Chop the stalks into ½-inch pieces. Chop the broccoli florets into ½-inch pieces. (The pieces do not have to be uniform or the same shape.) Place all the broccoli into a large mixing bowl.
• After 10 minutes, finish the dressing by adding the olive oil and sesame oil to the bowl with the pickling raisins and red onion, and stir well to combine. Taste and season with more salt if needed. It should be tangy, slightly sweet and a little salty.
• Add the raisin-and-onion dressing to the broccoli along with the apple and scallions. Using two large spoons, toss well so that everything is well coated. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste. Taste to make sure you are happy with the seasonings, adding more if needed.
• When you are ready to eat, add the almonds and grapes (if using), and gently toss. Serve at room temperature.