If the end of January is approaching then I know I can expect a variety of things:  emails from sites I subscribe to sharing the perfect Super Bowl snacks, bloggers swapping their tried and true party dish faves, and people talking about whether they’re planning on a game day get together or not.  None of it has been discussed in our house yet, because we’ve been busy, busy, busy with life enjoying a long weekend making like tourists in West Hollywood, soaking up the last bits of our youngest’s company before he returns to San Francisco for the spring semester, celebrating family birthdays and anniversaries, and in the past couple of days, nursing one of our cats back to health after a run in with a neighbor’s kitty.  Goodness!  And it’s not over yet.  Any time now, my husband will ask about what’s on our  Super Bowl agenda.  It always seems to be a last minute sort of thing most years, and that’s just fine with me because it doesn’t take too much thought to decide which snacks football fans will expect to have at their fingertips whether they’re for our small family, or a larger group.

I doubt there has ever been a time we haven’t had fresh salsa or pico de gallo with guacamole and tortilla chips.  A pot of chili with all the fixin’s and a salad for halftime eats are also the norm even though the chili recipe varies from one year to the next.  But I’m also known for sneaking in something that may raise eyebrows, causing certain guests to cast one another a nervous glance before pointing and asking, “What is that?” then politely suppressing the urge to continue with, “Do I have to eat it?”  as they reel their fingers back in.  Actually, they now ask, “How do I eat it?” because it seems my food often has rules that accompany it — or must seem like it does.   Is it supposed to be dipped, or layered?  Which of the ingredients on the plate create the best bite?  Is it finger food, or do I need a plate and fork?  To their credit, they seem much more enthusiastic than they did years ago, so I know my risks to encourage people to try something new haven’t failed, and that makes me happy.

They’ve long accepted they will never see “taco pie” loaded into a corn chip bag with a plastic spoon sticking out of it coming from my kitchen because they figure it’s something the snack bar on the Little League field sold when they were kids.  Once upon a while ago, they may have seen cheese sauce hot from the microwave ready to pour over their tortilla chips and call the mess nachos, (shhh…don’t tell anybody) but now, they get hummus or white bean and roasted garlic dip with toasted bread, crackers, or raw veggies and they like it.   And sometimes, they get to bite into spicy grilled sausages, nestled into a crusty sandwich rolls smothered with grilled onions and peppers, then topped with mustard.  That still counts as manly game day food, doesn’t it?  I hope so, because if it doesn’t, then my football party days are over.

Many of my close friends have been changing the way they eat for a variety of reasons.  Losing weight always seems to be on everyone’s mind, but honestly, as we’ve gotten older, lowering cholesterol or blood pressure, controlling Type 2 Diabetes, and yes, even learning to tolerate food during and after cancer treatment have far outweighed the desire to lose a few pounds for the sake of simply looking better in our clothes.  None of this has stopped us from enjoying the food we share when we get together because making sure it’s fresh and delicious is the ticket.

These crab stacks are the perfect party food.  They’re light, bursting with flavor, easily adaptable to a variety of ingredient choices, can be made in advance, and most importantly, fit nicely into anyone’s healthy life style.  I’ve been invited to Gojee’s virtual potluck and know people will enjoy it!  Starting on Thursday, January 26, check out other potluck dishes fellow gojee contributors shared. Go to gojee.com and enter “gojeepotluck” into I Crave.  You can also follow #gojeepotluck on Twitter.  

If you’ve never visited gojee, then you’re in for a treat.

See you there!

Crab Stacks with Ginger Lime Dressing

Ingredients

6 Tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

2 T agave nectar

6 T lime juice

4 cloves garlic, diced

1/2 c. water

1/4 c. pea shoots

1/4 c. Roma tomatoes, diced

1/4 c. cucumber, sliced

1/4 c. red onion, diced

1/4 c. mango, diced

1/4 c. avocado, diced

1 jalapeno, roasted and chopped

1/4 c. fresh crab meat

2 T chopped peanuts

1 tsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. Prepare ginger-lime dressing by mixing ginger, agave nectar, lime juice, garlic, and water. Pour into a sealable container and refrigerate at least 1-2 hours and as much as over night.
2. To assemble the crab stacks, you’ll need two cylinders such as dessert rings or recycled cans with the bottoms removed.
3. Lightly spray the inside of the cylinders with cooking spray, then line two small dishes with pieces of plastic wrap large enough to pull up and over the cylinders (you’ll need to do this after you’ve built the stacks) and place the cylinders on top of each.
4. Begin layering ingredients inside each of the cylinders in this order:  pea shoots, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, mango, avocado, jalapeno, then finally, the crab.  Gently press down on each ingredient as you fill to make sure it’s securely layered.
5. If making ahead, pull the plastic wrap up over each and wrap, then place in the fridge until ready to serve.
6. To serve, choose a large platter and place each cylinder on it.  Unwrap and holding the cylinder with one hand, slide the plastic from beneath it.  Then slowly lift the cylinder, pushing lightly on the ingredients to reveal the stack.
7. Finish by sprinkling the chopped peanuts and cilantro over each stack, sprinkle baby salad greens around the platter if desired, and drizzle with the ginger-lime dressing.
8. Allow everyone to admire the crab stacks before encouraging the first guest to dig in, scooping into the stack with crackers or toasted slices of bread.

Notes:

• This recipe was adapted from Rappongi’s Chef Stephen Window’s Polynesian Crab Stack.  Rappongi’s is one of our favorite San Diego restaurants.
• The original recipe calls for sugar instead of the agave nectar and double that quantity.  I’m not fond of overly sweet salad dressing so prefer my adaptation more.  It allows for the flavor of ingredients to stand out instead of the sugar in the dressing.  Honey would be another good choice.
• I used canned crab meat for this recipe Blue Star.  It comes chilled in a 1 lb. can and is much more than is needed for this recipe, so I wrap it up and freeze it for a later use.  It’s pricey at about $16/lb. but when you consider all you can make with a pound, it’s worth it.
• Have some fun with the ingredients if those on the list above aren’t available to you.  Pea shoots are available at Whole Foods and Sprouts, but you could use a different type of sprout instead, or leave them out all together.
• Colorful bell peppers, either diced raw, or roasted and cut into strips would be a nice option.  Thinly sliced apple would also be delicious, grilled pineapple, or citrus such as blood orange slices, or grapefruit.  If you don’t like crab, then try shrimp or tuna.
• The peanuts add a nice crunch to the mix so if you can’t use peanuts, then try toasted pine nuts.  Even a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds would add a nice touch.
• If you’re in the mood for a treat, just make one of these crab stacks for yourself and increase the amount of salad greens.  It makes a beautiful, elegant lunch, or starter for a special dinner.
• Speaking of salad greens, that’s my first ever crop of salad greens I’ve grown.  I have a pot just outside on my patio that barely gets enough sun in the winter, and so sprinkled the seeds over the soil my tomatoes are usually planted in.  The tender crop has somehow managed to escape the attention of snails so has done really well!  All in all, as much as it is interesting to do this, we eat so much salad, there’s no way one pot could ever keep up with us.  Still, I’m proud of my first effort!

 For more delicious crab recipes perfect for parties

Cayla’s Kitchen Sink — “Cold Crab Dip”

Pham Fatale — “Seafood Crab Salad”

Chez Us — “Hot Spicy Crab Dip”

It’s late afternoon and the day has been more busy than expected.

You glance at the clock realizing you haven’t given dinner much thought and since take out was on the menu last night,  you’re probably going to have to make dinner tonight.  You don’t really want to make dinner because you’re tired, but you’re also hungry and something with all the right flavors would really hit the spot.  A mental scan of the fridge and pantry contents isn’t adding up to much — or is it?

There’s sliced cheese, some deli meat, and a few jars of things like roasted peppers, pepperoncinis, and olives.  You know you always have onions, some salad greens. Maybe even a slice of bacon or two.  Wait.  Isn’t there some left over chicken as well?

A quick stop at the store for some crusty bread and it looks like sandwich night is in order.

No fuss, no muss.

Delicious.

Quick & Easy Hot Deli Style Chicken Sandwich Recipe

Ingredients

1 loaf French bread, unsliced

chicken meat, cooked and sliced

salami or other deli meat

provolone or other cheese

onions, sliced and sauteed

avocado, mashed and seasoned with salt and pepper

sliced tomatoes

mustard

arugula or other salad greens tossed very lightly with vinaigrette

Directions

1. Slice the loaf of bread lengthwise like it’s a giant hot dog bun.
2. Spread each side with mustard or your favorite sandwich condiment.
3. Cover the bottom slice of bread loaf with the chicken, then layer the sauteed onions over the chicken.
4. Cover the onions with the cheese.
5. Place the bottom slice of bread on a baking sheet and slide into the oven on broil, watching it carefully until the cheese melts.  Remove from oven.
6. Now add any deli meat you have to cover the melted cheese.
7. Finish with the tomatoes, avocado and salad greens.
8. Place the top slice of bread loaf over the loaded bottom slice.
9. Insert skewers into the loaf along its length.
10. Slice between skewers and serve.

Recipe Notes:

• We’ve been eating these for years.  They came in especially handy when the boys were home.
• They’re different every time I make them, but a favorite method is to cover the cheese with the deli meat and add the top of the bread.  Wrap the whole thing in foil and heat about 15-20 minutes.  Open it up, then add the veggies.  Super good.
• Roasted peppers, pepperoncinis, olives, tapenade, and goat cheese have all been included in this sandwich.
• Having a quick get together or want something for halftime during a football game?  Try this.
• Experiment with different kinds of bread as well — like an entire boule.  Just cut it into quarters and it’s ready to go!

One of the things my husband will tell you I ask him is whether he’s had anything green during the day.  He’s fairly patient with this interrogation because he’s intelligent and knows that ultimately, regardless of what he eats, there have to be vegetables in his diet– especially brightly colored vegetables.  But sometimes, green is enough, and often easier because all it takes to incorporate it into a day’s worth of meals is to have a salad.  A big salad.

I know many think salad is a warm weather dish, but to me, it’s one of the easiest ways to make sure vegetables are on the plate.  Fresh vegetables.  Nothing fancy — just a mix of what sounds good, what’s in the fridge, or what’s in season.  And?

The salad needs to take up half the plate.

I grew up eating salads made exclusively with iceberg lettuce.  I’m sure many of us did, and from what we now know, it’s because that’s what was in the market.  Zero choice.  But one of the first types of lettuce I discovered when I was freshly moved out of my mother’s house was Boston Butter Lettuce.  It was beautiful, delicate, and something I’d never seen before.  Although I originally saw it in small heads placed in rows upside down in the produce rack, more and more, the heads I’ve become accustomed to seeing are larger.  Much larger, and sealed safely inside plastic containers to keep them from being bruised.  I felt decadent the first time I bought a head of butter lettuce,  enjoying the tender leaves with all kinds of tasty salad ingredients, and thinking that yes, it tasted a bit on the buttery side.

During our short trip to Laguna Beach this past summer, we had a late lunch on the balcony overlooking the beach at The Beach House.  Although we both agreed the food was wonderful, I especially enjoyed the completely green salad made of a whole head of butter lettuce and all other green ingredients tucked under the leaves. Avocado, green striped tomatoes, green onions — wonderful.

When I saw the “Boston Lettuce Salad with Herbs” in the September issue of Food & Wine, I decided to make a similar version of a delicious Boston Butter Lettuce Salad.

Perfect for dinner, a special occasion, or just lunch all by yourself.

Check off your greens for the day!

Boston Butter Lettuce Salad with Avocado, Corn, & Tomatoes Recipe

Dressing Ingredients

2 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon

3 T extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp. sherry vinegar

1 T water

salt & pepper to taste

Salad Ingredients

1 large head butter lettuce

1 cup of chopped fresh tomatoes

1 scallion, sliced thin

1/2 avocado, cubed

1/2 ear of corn, raw

1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese

Directions

1. Lightly toss all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or combine in a jar to shake.
2. Arrange the head of butter lettuce in a shallow bowl, trimming away any roots or dried stem.
3. Tuck the other ingredients between and under the leaves, or if you’d prefer, pour them over the head of butter lettuce as you prepare them.
4. Drizzle the dressing over the head of butter lettuce.
5. Cut through the head of lettuce if sharing — in half for two, or quarters for four.
6. Pour any additional bits and pieces of ingredients into the split head of butter lettuce before serving.
7. Don’t forget to sprinkle on the goat cheese.

Recipe Notes

• The recipe for “Boston Lettuce Salad with Herbs” at Food & Wine can be found here.
• This type of salad green is called a variety of names, such as butter lettuce, Boston Bibb, bibb or it seems any combination of those.  It’s still a velvety, tender salad green.
• I purchased hydroponic butter lettuce grown in the container I bought it in, roots and all.  Interesting.
• To keep it fresh, it’s easy to layer lightly between damp paper towels.  Or, if you’ve prepared a salad and want to keep it chilled, dampen a paper towel and lay it over the top of the salad before putting it in the fridge.
• I don’t remember exactly what the salad at The Beach House had in it, but avocado and green striped tomatoes were a definite.  I just loved the presentation.  It kept me busy!
• I used a handful of the last of my tomatoes from my meager summer pot this year — they were perfect since they were seriously green.
• Thinking fried green tomatoes would have been excellent in this mix — with bacon bits.  Sorry!  Can’t help myself.
• I have never liked the flavor of tarragon.  I think it reminds me a bit of licorice, and I don’t like licorice.  But I keep trying to understand the flavor.  It’s nice in this, but I’m a cilantro kind of person, so that would have been amazing.
• Have some fun with this.  I know I always say that, but think of it.  It’s not hard to make, so why not switch it up a bit to add a variety of ingredients or a different dressing.
• Mmm…butter lettuce.  Have you tried it recently?  There are all kinds of things to use it for — like lettuce wraps.

More Boston Butter Lettuce Salad Recipes

The Raw Chef — Lemon & Avocado Butter Lettuce Salad

Dinner with Daneman — Orange Salad with Fennel Pollen and Goat Cheese

Nothing but Bonfires — How to Make the World’s Best Salad

The Fromagette — Crab, Avocado + Mango Salad

The calendar asserts that summer is dwindling, but I know better.

Damp air, flat, steely skies until late in the morning and an urge to put on a sweater are only teasers of what will come much later here than most other places in the country.  Usually, I allow myself to be lulled into remembering all that I love about Fall weather after having had weeks of heat and humidity, but not this year.

No, I’ve enjoyed the blue skies and temperate weather — pleasant breezes that keep the house cool and the pots on our patio from needing constant watering.  I haven’t had my fill yet, but know by the time September has passed, I’ll be ready.  It’s usually our warmest month, only once every blue moon or so bringing blustery showers and a thunderstorm.  But it’s been years since we’ve seen that.

So for now, a bowl of soup is fine.

Something bright and full of flavor, but not packed with calories.

Take advantage of all the beautiful sweet peppers at the market right now — or if you’re lucky enough to grow them yourself –  and try this roasted sweet pepper soup.  If you’re thinking it’s still not quite soup weather yet, then freeze it.  It’s worth waiting for.

Roasted Sweet Pepper Soup Recipe

Ingredients

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 lbs. mixed sweet peppers

2 lg. cloves garlic, minced

2 T. flour

2 c. vegetable stock

1/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped

1 c. low-fat milk

1 c. non-fat yogurt

salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place whole peppers on a baking pan about 6″ under the broiler.  Allow the skins to blacken before turning them to blacken the other side.
2. Remove the pan from the oven and cover with a clean dish cloth.  Allow to sit for 15-20 minutes, or until peppers are completely cool.
3. Peel blackened skins from the peppers, remove membranes, stems, and seeds.  Do not rinse!
4. Coarsely chop the peppers and set aside.
5. Heat olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium low heat, then add the onion and garlic and saute until transparent.
6. Add the roasted peppers and stir to combine.
7. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and toss lightly, cooking for 2 minutes, but avoid browning.
8. Stir in the vegetable stock and raise the heat to allow the mixture to come to a boil.
9. Reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
10. In a food processor, blender, or with an immersion blender, carefully puree the hot mixture until smooth.
11. Add the cilantro and blend well.
12. Return to the sauce pan, stir in the milk and yogurt, and allow to gently reheat.
13. Season with salt and pepper.
14. Serve.

Recipe Notes

• Many thanks to Eileen who noticed I’d forgotten to show where the peppers are added in the directions.  Just a tiny oversight!
• I’ve been making this soup for years, tweaking it here and there depending on what I have on hand.  The original recipe contained heavy cream, and I just can’t see doing that to a great vegetable soup.  The yogurt is a perfect addition because it provides a pleasant tartness that works quite well with the roasted pepper flavor.
• Roasting peppers can be a smelly process, but we love the smell.  Regardless, I always turn on my exhaust fan when I’m roasting them just to make sure the smell doesn’t end up in our bedrooms!
• I couldn’t pass up the bag of cute mini sweet peppers for less than $4.00, but trust me — what a royal pain to peel.  Turn on HDTV, stand at the counter with a nice beverage and just don’t think about it.  You’ll be done before you know it.
• Sometimes I roast green chilies with the sweet peppers and goodness they’re good!  Roasted onions work well, too, if you want a sweeter mix.
• You can prepare the roasted sweet peppers a day ahead if you need to.  Just wrap them well and keep them in the fridge.
• If you’re going to prepare the soup ahead, then allow the finished soup to cool completely before covering it and either storing for a few days in the fridge, or better, freezing to enjoy on a blustery day.
• Sweet peppers make me think of summer, so soup weather or not, this hits the spot.

More Roasted Pepper Soup Recipes

Simply Recipes — “Roasted Red Pepper Potato Soup”

Food Blogga — “Southwest Roasted Red Pepper and Corn Soup”

seasaltwithfood — “Roasted Red Pepper Soup”

A Veggie Venture — “Day 361:  Roasted Red Pepper Soup”

The Youngrens — “Recipe Sunday | Rainbow Roasted Pepper Soup”

You thought I was gone, didn’t you?  Gone as in not writing here any longer.  Not posting recipes, or photos, or recording notes of what I’ve made.

I’m sure someone somewhere has deemed such negligence to be a blogging foul and most likely written a post about it listing the “Top Ten Things Not to Do”  in blogging.  But I’m here, not intentionally avoiding writing, but busy with other things and enjoying every minute of it.

It feels exactly like a vacation.

Chalk it up to amazing summer weather — weather that completely makes up for what we didn’t have last year.  Clear skies, warm days, almost no humidity.  Night breezes through open windows with a hint of salt in the air reminding me there’s an ocean not too far away.

Perfect.

I’ve not been lolling about, however.

My oldest niece asked me to make her wedding cake, and since I’ve not made one before, it’s been the excuse du jour to obsess over details — some important, and some not so much.

I’ve continued to behave like a DIY groupie on the patio project with my husband who has finally had time to help with the work.  He mixes cement and I set the stones on the planter tops, making progress more quickly than I’m able to by myself.  Bathroom towel bars have been replaced sans appropriate tools, dust has been wiped from my ancient sewing machine to make drapes for my office of fabric I purchased months and months ago, and boxes of things I saved for a reason I’ve forgotten have been sorted.  At this point, cooking would be far easier.

I have done some cooking, but mostly uninvolved salads or pasta wedged between wedding cake experimentation, forced by lemon cake that wasn’t lemony enough according to taste testers.

Not so perfect.

When I was tired of having my head in the cake world, we’d get sandwiches from our favorite deli on the way to or from the beach after a rare walk, or before watching a not so rare sunset.  We’ve sampled some of San Diego’s food trucks and taken a bit of a staycation, enjoying Southern California  like a tourist might instead of taking it for granted which is something I’ve done for years and years.

Sounds pretty summerish, doesn’t it?

All I need is a hammock, some shade, a beverage and perhaps a bit of this carrot raisin salad I put my own spin on.  It’s light, just slightly sweet, and full of fresh crunchiness.  Perfect for a picnic anywhere you want to relax.

Hope your summer is going well, too.

Carrot Raisin Salad

Ingredients

carrots

radishes

green onions

raisins

sliced almonds

Greek yogurt

honey

salt & pepper

Directions

1. Prepare the carrots any way you like them — julienned, sliced thin, or shaved into ribbons.
2. Slice the green onions and radishes thin as well.
3. Sprinkle in some plump raisins and slivers of almonds.
4. Add a heaping tablespoon or two of the yogurt and finish with a drizzle of honey.  Agave nectar is great, too.
5. Season with salt and pepper and toss just until everything is moist with the yogurt.
6. Allow to sit covered about 15 – 30 minutes for the flavors to mingle if desired.

Recipe Notes:

• My mother used to make carrot raisin salad for us once in a while when we were growing up and it’s always been a favorite of mine.  She’d grate a huge bowl of carrots, add the raisins, a dollop or two of mayo, and give it all a good sprinkle of sugar.  A couple of scoops of it was perfect for lunch on a hot summer day.  The salad — not the sugar!
• I know many people turn up their noses at a traditional recipe that has been made “lighter,” but honestly, even my mother’s version was much lighter than many of the recipes I see around which contain as much as a cup of mayonnaise and nearly as much sugar.
• I used 0% fat Greek yogurt for this, but the 2% and whole milk versions are equally good.  If you like it more creamy, add more yogurt.  Your heart, thighs, and abdomen will thank you.
• Carrots are so sweet, adding sugar isn’t necessary, but the honey is a nice touch.  Just a drizzle.
• Spicy radishes and onion are a pleasant surprise in this.  I love a good combination of sweet and spice.
• Just think of all the calories you’ll burn chewing…

Sometimes I end up at the market without having thought of eating before I get there.

It’s been a busy morning, time has gotten away from me, and editing photos of food, or reading and writing about food hasn’t been a great substitute for actually remembering to eat. Ending up at the market hungry is not a good thing for my wallet or my posterior, so I fend off the cravings until I find myself looking at the salads in the deli case trying to decide which of them is least toxic.  They seem fine based on the cursory primping someone has taken time to do, with veggies artfully arranged, and a serving spoon carefully inserted at a jaunty angle.  I’ve barely scanned the case before a helpful person asks whether I’d like to taste something.

I wave aside the offer of a taste and instead, request a small cup full of broccoli salad.  It’s fairly green, shows evidence of other veggies in the mix — maybe some seeds as well –  and doesn’t appear to be drowning in mayo which is certain death for any salad I’m considering.

The clerk seems surprised by my lack of interest in a sample tasting, but fills the small container with a scoop of the chopped salad I pointed to, and sends me on my way with a fork and a napkin. As soon as the groceries are in the car, I pop the lid and take a bite, not expecting the sweetness.  It’s not too sweet, but I’m already pushing away thoughts of  Miracle Whip, wondering if it’s an ingredient — just about the only thing worse than mayo overkill in a salad.  As I chew, I notice other flavors like chopped dried cranberries and sunflower seeds.  Minced red onion.  Definitely sweetness coming from whatever the light dressing was, but without the greasiness that I think mayo can leave in a salad.

It was good.  Still a bit sweet for me, but pleasant enough to help save me from expiring from hunger in the market parking lot so I could get home and do some searching about broccoli salad.

Of course, it’s all over the Internet.

It’s a perfect salad for now, easy to make, and doesn’t have to be unhealthy if you use less sweetener, cut way back on the mayo, and think about getting the right balance of flavors and textures in every bite.

It’s even better when you make it ahead.

But you probably already knew that, right?

Broccoli Salad

Ingredients

2-3 broccoli crowns, raw, chopped, including the stems

2 slices thick bacon, cooked, chopped

1/4 c. red onion, diced

1/4 c. red pepper, diced

2 T roasted, salted sunflower seeds

1/4 c. dried cranberries

2 T mayo

drizzle of honey

squirt of lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Combine the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Add the remaining ingredients to a small bowl and stir to combine.  Adjust seasoning as desired.
3. Pour over the salad ingredients and toss lightly.

Recipe Notes:

• Once I’d begun to look for broccoli salad recipes, I noticed that many contained far more mayo than was necessary — sometimes as much as 1-1/2 cups!  Have a bit o’ salad with that mayo, folks?  At some point, doesn’t that negate the value of the vegetables?  The quantity of sugar in the recipes also seems excessive with as much as 1/3 cup.  Even more interesting was the quantity of broccoli added in these recipes — often quite a bit less.  I even found a version that included 10 slices of bacon.  Really? Goodness.  Look at me preaching.
• So how large is a “crown” of broccoli? A good six inches in diameter for the purposes of this recipe.
• I saw a recipe for “Summer-Salad Mayonnaise” in the May 2011 issue of Martha Stewart Living and thought I’d make half a batch to try in a variety of recipes.  It contains minced cornichons and peppers, and has a brighter flavor than jarred mayo.  I made mine with extra virgin olive oil instead of the safflower oil, however, and that will change the flavor especially considering the quality of olive oil you choose.
• My husband and I split most of this batch for dinner one night and we loved it.  I had to bribe him to consider it, because he won’t eat mayo, but he admitted he enjoyed this.
• In some recipes I read, I noticed that some don’t like raw broccoli.  I don’t mind it, but if you’re one who needs it to be cooked a bit, then consider a quick steam instead of a parboil, then rinse or dunk it in very cold water.  This will stop the cooking, cool it down for the salad, and most importantly, keep all the vitamins in the broccoli instead of in the water that goes down the drain after you’re done with it.
• If you’re not a dried cranberry lover, then try raisins, or chopped dried apricots or cherries.  I think the important thing is to get the softer texture and the tang from any of these dried fruits.  It’s a nice contrast to the broccoli.
• If you’re not a dried fruit lover, then chop some apples and add those instead.
• Of course you can leave the bacon out, but it’s so very, very good.  Choose lean bacon, make it crispy, and drain it well.
• The sunflower seeds are wonderful in this, but pecans would be great, slivered almonds, or even walnuts.  Again, the contrast to the other flavors is very nice.

More Broccoli Salad Recipes

• Sesame Broccoli Salad Recipe from Eating Out Loud
• Broccoli Salad from Cooking with Michele
• Vegan Broccoli Salad with Spicy Sesame Peanut Dressing from The Perfect Pantry
• Peter’s Broccoli Salad from Stacy Snacks