Broccoli Salad

This is one of my favorite ways to eat broccoli. It makes a great potluck dish or side dish for a cook-out....and nearly everybody likes it. It is definitely best eaten within a day or so, because the bacon gets soggy and the nuts lose their nice texture. I made it with grapes, but you can certainly use raisins or dried cranberries with good results as well. The original recipe (from Allrecipes) also called for sunflower seeds, but since I couldn't find any already shelled, I used toasted walnuts instead.

Recipe:

8-10 slices bacon (I used turkey bacon)
1 large head fresh broccoli, cut into bite size pieces (I used 3 small heads)
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1/2 cup red grapes, cut in halves/quarters OR raisins
3 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 cup mayonnaise (light is fine)
1 cup toasted chopped walnuts OR sunflower seeds

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. (I cook turkey bacon on a foil-lined cookie sheet @ 400° until browned)

In a medium bowl, combine the broccoli, onion and grapes. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar and mayonnaise. Pour over broccoli mixture, and toss until well mixed. Refrigerate for at least two hours.

Before serving, toss salad with crumbled bacon and nuts or sunflower seeds.