Broccoli Salad

I am in a salad kind of mood. And that got me thinking. You know when you get asked to bring a salad to a family or friend get together, and all you can think of is "do I bring a green salad, maybe topped with tomatoes and a few other veggies, finished off with a new bottle of Hidden Valley Ranch, or do I start cooking the pasta and go buy the Italian dressing now?" Yep, that is what comes to my mind, either a green salad, or a pasta salad. Both are good in their own rights, but I like to get out of the "same old" salad mode. So today I will post 2 of my favorite salads. I have a lot of favorites, but today I chose these two.

The first one is what made Jason start to eat broccoli after a life long feud with the vegetable. I took this to a party at his house when we were dating before his mission. And to this day, he loves the stuff. It has become a regular at family parties. It is super easy to make, and makes quite a lot. I am sure it will become a family favorite of yours as well.

Broccoli Salad

5 cups fresh broccoli, chopped into bite sized pieces.
1 cup red grapes
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup baco bits, (or cooked diced bacon if you are that ambitious)
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 c red onion chopped (optional)

* Toss everything in a large bowl.

Dressing

1 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
6 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt

* Mix well and pour over salad

See, I told you it was easy!

Cuki Salad (Cucumber Salad)

This one, my good friend Natalie introduced me to. It is Cucumber Salad (lovingly nicknamed "Cuki Salad"). It is a refreshing, light, not your momma's pot luck, type of salad. Give it a try, I am sure you will not regret it. And to be honest, I was super surprised when my kids downed half of the salad. Yeah, it is kid friendly! It is awesome if you use your own home grown cucumbers too. (Start thinking about your garden! hint hint!)


Cucumber Salad

4 medium cucumbers, peeled and diced, or sliced super thin
1 (8 ounce) container vanilla low-fat yogurt
1 (8 ounce) container reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp dried dill weed
salt and pepper to taste


* Drain cucumbers for a few minutes on paper towels.

* In a serving dish, stir together the yogurt, sour cream, onion, garlic, and dill.

* Add cucumbers, and gently mix to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

* Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving for best flavor