Broccoli: Yuk or Yum?

Is it possible to make a good salad with broccoli? One that folks will really want to eat … one that they might even ask you to make again? Well, depending who you ask, the answer will be a resounding NO. Broccoli seems to be the one green veggie that gets a lot of guff. Like spinach, it seems to be one that kids (and many adults) love to hate. But somehow I got lucky: my kids aren't part of the broccoli-haters club—and neither am I. Its pluses are many: quick and easy to cook, goes well with American cheese (just toss in a couple slices to melt for the easiest cheese sauce ever), plus it's bursting with vitamins C, A, and K, dietary fiber, and has been associated with the words 'anti-cancer.' So it’s a no-brainer to eat it at least once a week. But I’ve been looking for a different way to make it—a no-cook method that will still taste great. Not counting florets dipped in Ranch dressing.

Hmmm, what about Broccoli Salad ...? The last time I tried my hand at this salad, the dressing ended up way too sweet and it didn’t have enough punch. Second time's a charm though, isn't it? I tweaked the dressing ingredients (less sugar/more vinegar), added more bacon cooked the Hands-off Way (can't go wrong there, eh?), and it was a winner. Just don’t be in too much of a hurry to eat it as soon as you’ve got it mixed up—it’s best if it has at least one hour for the flavors to mix-n-mingle (softens the broccoli too), and it’ll keep just dandy for 3-4 days afterward. If it lasts that long.

What do you think -- is this a salad that would rate YUK or YUM in your family?