Broccoli Salad

I realized the other day that I warned everyone on Facebook that I was most likely done posting until after Christmas, but I failed to mention it on my blog.  I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.   We changed plans at the last minute (which I should have expected) and ended up doing massive amounts of driving.  I think it was all worth it in the end.  Everyone had a great time together and there weren't any massive catastrophes.  I just wish we could come up with a way to teleport places.  The 14 hours of driving home with our 2 kids about killed us all.  They were actually really good considering they were in such a confined space for practically the whole day, and I was too.  I didn't tantrum once.  I was really trying to be adult about it.  

I got some sweet kitchen tools for Christmas that I think I will dedicate a post to them at some point.  I can't wait to use all of them and share them with you guys.

This salad was another inspiration for the blog.  My sister-in-law and I have called each other countless times trying to make sure we have all the ingredients right.  And a few times, one of us would say, "This would be so much easier if it were on a blog somewhere."  Well, Merry Christmas to us.  We made if for Christmas Eve dinner and decided it was the perfect time to blog about it.  I am sure we will still call each other from time to time, but will spend our time talking about more important things, like how Channing Tatum is way better looking than Bobby Long.

I feel like this next part is a confession.  One of those confessions that you only tell your dearest friends because you know they won't judge you.  Or at least they will pretend they aren't judging and save their gasps and looks.  Are you ready?  I hope so.  *This next part is a whisper: The inspiration for this salad actually came from a salad that I used to purchase at the Walmart Deli.  I don't know exactly how it started or why I bought it in the first place, but I can tell you that this salad has satisfied any void left by the Walmart salad.  This one made me forget the other even existed.  You could even say I traded up.  Have you had it before?  The Walmart one?  I hope there is at least one person out there who knows of my pain.  

Phew, I am so glad I got that off my chest!

Something about this salad conjures strong emotions in people.  They either love it or hate it.  I really feel like the only ones who hate it are the ones who haven't tried it though.   It's super easy to make, especially if you have a food processor.  If you are cooking the bacon yourself, I recommend using the oven so you can cook the whole package at once.  (I usually cook all bacon like that anyway)  I also think craisins would be a great substitute for the golden raisins although I haven't tried that yet.

Broccoli Salad
3-4 crowns of broccoli, chopped
1 pkg. pre-cooked bacon, chopped (or you can cook the bacon and let it cool and chop it if you’d like)
½ cup chopped red onion
1 cup chopped carrots (the pre-shredded kind also works well)
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup sunflower seeds, pre-shelled and salted

Dressing
¾  cup sugar
1  tsp. mustard
1  tsp. salt
⅓  cup apple cider vinegar
2  T chopped red onion
1  cup canola oil

Mix salad ingredients together in a large bowl.  

In food processor or blender, combine sugar, mustard, salt, vinegar and red onion.  Mix until thoroughly combined.  With machine running, slowly add oil.  Pour over salad ingredients 

and mix.  

Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours.

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