Broccoli Salad

When I lived in Idaho, one of my favorite places to go to lunch was a place called 5th Avenue Bagelry. They made the best sandwiches, with fantastic unique ingredients, and killer drinks. But one of my favorite things to get there was their broccoli salad. It was fresh broccoli tossed with all sorts of goodies like bacon (BACON!), sunflower seeds, craisins, and a sweet tangy dressing. There was no end to how much of this salad I could eat! Luckily, it's very easy to make and is a guaranteed crowd pleaser. It's a great dish to serve in the summer for barbecues, but also good for when it's freezing outside and you need a little taste of summer to give you hope! Definitely try this salad, it's great with just about any dinner.

Broccoli Salad
Slightly Adapted from Allrecipes

Ingredients

1 pound bacon
4 cups broccoli florets
5 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Place bacon in a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly browned. Cool, crumble, and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, toss together broccoli, green onions, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and bacon.

3. In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, sugar, and red wine vinegar. Toss with vegetables to coat. Add cheese and toss again, lightly. Cover, and chill until serving.