Broccoli Salad

Winter makes it harder to find great veggies but it is still possible. This salad is wonderful in cold weather-- the bacon, cheese and nuts combined with the cruciferous, arugula and onion makes this crunchy salad rich tasting. Perfect for a winter's evening.

Chopped Broccoli Salad
1 1/2 cups roughly chopped broccoli
1 cup roughly chopped arugula (measure loosely, not packed)
1/2 cup roughly chopped purple cabbage
1/2 cup finely grated Bella Vitano Balsamic Cheese (can use Swiss or even Romano)
1/4 cup pine nuts
4 to 5 slices cooked crisp bacon, cut in pieces
3 tablespoons sliced green onion, green and white parts
1/3 to 1/2 cup of your favorite dressing (see Hints)
Toss all ingredients together and serve.

Hints: This salad can be made ahead and chilled or served at room temperature. I snip the bacon strips into 1/2 inch pieces with kitchen shears over a hot pan and cook until crisp, stirring frequently. That is a trick my old friend Denise taught me years ago and it works beautifully for nearly any recipe calling for "crumbled" bacon. I like to use a slightly sweet dressing which can be as easy as opening a bottle of Ken's Steak House Sweet Vidalia Onion and pouring it on. Or you can use a home made poppy seed, almond or citrus vinaigrette. Or just use ranch if that is what you like.

I buy this cheese at Costco. Great for a lot of dishes or on a cheese platter.

 This salad can be a one dish meal for lunch or a light dinner. It is also great with a chicken dish or roast pork. Leftovers are super the next day, too.