I don't know about you, but before I'll buy ready-made salad dressing - I'll purchase a salad dressing mix and make it myself.
What I found out is, this is a really the best move. I mean, store bought salad dressing is just that, store bought salad dressing.
You have no idea how long it's been sitting on the shelf. So how fresh can it really be? And what kind of preservatives are in it?
When you use salad dressing mix instead of bottled salad dressing, you have many more options and can cook more creatively.
Taste-wise, this is one of the best marinated broccoli salad recipes that I've ever tried. What's great is how easy and quick it is to make this cold broccoli salad recipe. This broccoli salad recipe is the bomb!
Your prep time is 15 minutes. And it only takes about 10 minutes to cook the bacon and optional boneless and skinless chicken breast.
This easy recipe for broccoli salad is for all of the broccoli lovers out there that don't have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen.
Carlo's Broccoli Salad Recipe
(Printable Recipe)
Serves 4 to 5 people
2 big heads raw broccoli, cut into small bite size pieces
8 pieces bacon, fried crisp and broken into small pieces
2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts grilled, boiled, broiled, or sauteed and cut into pieces (optional)
1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup slivered almonds or chopped cashews (optional)
1 and 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Dressing:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsp/ white granulated sugar
2 tbsp. Hidden Valley Original Ranch Salad Dressing and Dip mix
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1.)In a big bowl, combine the broccoli, bacon, onion (and nuts, if using them).
2.) Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Add more vinegar and lemon juice (to taste) if dressing is too thick.
3.) Either pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine, or serve alongside the salad. The flavors are even better if the dressing is tossed with the salad half an hour before serving.
4.) Just before serving, add the cheese and toss again.
Cater-Hater Tip: You could steam the broccoli if you prefer to. And you could add raisins, cranberries, cauliflower, salami, Mandarin oranges, mango, tomato and feta cheese, sunflower seeds, fresh dill, or rice.
Experimenting with food is fun. Case in point... This broccoli salad recipe is the bomb. You can make this salad alternating any of your favorite vegetables that you choose. I chose broccoli. And boy, was it ever good! Of all of the recipes pertaining to broccoli, this one is one of the best fresh broccoli salad recipes to make year 'round.
Chicken, Cooking, Home, Mayonnaise, Salad, Sugar, Vinegar, Wine, Feta, Food, Blog, Blogs, Blogging, Weblog: Technorati Tags
