Broccoli Bacon Salad

Hands down, this is the all-time best salad ever. I could eat this everyday. (Do I say that too much? I need to stop posting recipes when I'm hungry...) My friend, Marcia, gave me this recipe and I went for years thinking it was hard to make so, naturally, I never made it. Then one day I did. You know what? It's not hard. It's actually really easy and so delicious that I was mad at myself for waiting so long. Don't make the same mistake. 

6 cups broccoli florets, cut into small pieces

Half of a red onion, minced

16 oz. bacon, cut in small pieces and cooked crisp

1 pkg. craisins

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup salted sunflower seeds (wait and stir these in with the dressing to keep them crunchy.)

Mix altogether and refrigerate. About ½ hour before serving, wisk together dressing (recipe below) and pour over broccoli mixture. Stir together then serve.

Dressing:

1 ½ cups mayonnaise

¾ cup sugar

3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Baked Bacon

 This is the only way to cook bacon, as far as I'm concerned. I learned this technique from Our Best Bites and I'll never go back. I manage to fit a pound of bacon on the baking sheet by scrunching it up a bit. It still bakes fine even if it's not flat. 

Turn oven to 400°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Lay out bacon slices in a single layer, avoiding overlap. Place pan in oven (no need to wait for it to preheat) for about 12-15 minutes, 15-17 minutes for crispier bacon. Cooking time will also depend on the thickness of the slices. Immediately remove bacon from pan and place on paper towels to soak up grease.

When the bacon is cool, place the same paper towels used to drain the bacon right onto the baking sheet. They will soak up the grease. Then take the foil and wrap it up into itself. Toss in garbage.

Ghezzi Pasta (Pasta Alla Carbonara)

Oh, this is a good one! First made for us by Elder Ghezzi, an Italian missionary who served in our area, this has become a family favorite. Smiles all around when we have this for dinner!

3 eggs, beat well

1 lb. bacon, cut up and cooked (or baked), I like it pretty crispy in this dish

1 lb. penne pasta, cooked and drained

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 c. fancy shredded parmesan cheese

Stir eggs into drained pasta until eggs are cooked. Stir in bacon, salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese. Serve with additional parmesan.