Summer means lots of salads to me.  Pasta salads, potato salads, broccoli salads.  Anything quick and easy that can go with grilled meat.  It’s been super hot here in Seattle the last few summers and I am a grump about heat.  Nobody here has air conditioning! Do you know how miserable it is to sit and sleep in 90 degree weather with no A/C?  Not good for Shannon.  Not good at all.

There are two things I really hate doing when it’s hot.  Cooking over a stove and laundry.  Okay, I hate doing laundry all the time, but especially when it’s hot. Needless to say we spend a lot of time grilling in the summer.

If you need an easy side dish, everybody loves this creamy broccoli salad, even kids.  It’s packed with bacon, cheese, golden raisins, red onion, sunflower seeds, and creamy dressing.  You will be asked for the recipe for this one if you bring it somewhere.

This salad tastes best after it has been sitting in the fridge for a couple of hours, so plan ahead.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 lb fresh broccoli, chopped into very small pieces
1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup golden raisins (you can also use regular raisins or dried cranberries)
8 oz cheddar cheese, diced into small cubes
1/2 cup salted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup red onion, diced small
3/4 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Directions:
Toss broccoli, bacon, raisins, cheese, sunflower seeds, and onion into a large salad bowl.

Mix together the mayo, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper, and pour over the top of the salad.  Mix well and store in the fridge, covered, for at least two hours before serving.