Almond Broccoli Salad

There’s still some time left this summer to make Toasted Almond Broccoli Salad.  And by the way, it makes a great fall salad and holiday salad as well!  Thanks to Amy J. (our recipe contributor) for the great salad recipe–again!

When our first child was a
baby we had the incredible opportunity to move to Canada and live there for 5
years.  We had no family up north so our
Canadian friends became our family.  My
dear friend Silvana D. was one such friend! 
She was family!  Just like another
sister! 

Silvana is my beautiful Italian
friend who is an expert in just about everything!  She is one of the best cooks I’ve ever known
and the last I heard she was writing a cookbook!  People die for anything that comes out of her
kitchen!  She taught me lots of cooking
tricks and shared lots of amazing recipes with me!  I will share some of those later on….you
lucky folks!

Silvana served this salad at
a Christmas party she hosted years ago. 
I had to return to the bowl and serve myself a second…and yes…a third
helping!  I was shamelessly addicted to
this salad!   It was different from the
traditional bacon broccoli salad with a sweetened dressing.  This was savory and flavorful, a completely
different and AMAZING blend of flavors! 
I asked her how she made it and she so graciously shared her
recipe!  My kids LOVE this salad!  Every time I take it to a party, people ask
me for the recipe!  The colors pop and so
do the flavors!  

Enjoy, Enjoy,
Enjoy!!  Love and broccoli,  Amy J J

Gather your ingredients…

Broccoli, and cauliflower
separated into bite sized flowerets

Red grapes and green grapes,
sliced if desired

Chop your celery

Look at these colors!
Delish!

Don’t be fooled by the
simple sauce ingredients!  The toasted
almonds mixed with the Best Foods mayo bring such a rich toasty flavor to the salad!  Then, you add a bit of salt and fresh pepper!
 AN UNBELIEVABLE COMBINATION!

Toss the veggie/fruit
mixture with the mayo/almond mixture until combined and the veggies are lightly
coated.  Season with salt and fresh
pepper to taste.  Sprinkle with extra almonds.  Enjoy!

Toasted
Almond Broccoli Salad

2 cups broccoli, separated
into bite sized flowerets

2 cups cauliflower,
separated into bites sized flowerets

1 cup red grapes, sliced

1 cup green grapes, sliced

4 stalks celery, chopped

½ cup dried cranberries,Craisins

¾ cup sliced almonds…plus
more to sprinkle on top, you can use slivered or chopped almonds…whatever you
like.

Mayonnaise…1 or 2
spoonfuls…your preference

Salt to taste

Fresh pepper to taste

*While you are chopping,
slicing and sectioning your fruits and veggies, toast the almonds in a 350 oven
until golden brown and fragrant.  They
will toast for about 10-15 minutes depending on your oven.  Stir them every 5 minutes to ensure even
toasting.  YUM!

*Cool toasted almonds
completely.  Stir broccoli, cauliflower,
grapes, celery, and Craisins together. 

*Stir almonds in a spoonful
of mayonnaise.  This gives the mayonnaise
and incredible toasted, savory flavor! 

*Toss the veggie/fruit
mixture with the mayo/almond mixture until combined and the veggies are lightly
coated.  Season with salt and fresh
pepper to taste.  Enjoy!