Broccoli, Grape, Pasta, Bacon Salad

Submitted by All-Natural-Nut

"A wonderful summer meal, sweet and sour pasta, with the tastey undertones of bacon. This is from Southern Living Sept 2011. When I first saw it, I did not think it was going to be a good combination, but I made it because it seemed kid-friendly; but now *I'm* converted! I'm listing the ingredients the way they listed them, but honestly, half the sugar is perfectly yummy. Also, I did not find it necessary to chill the salad, so if you're running short on time, go ahead and eat it room temp! I also hid some boiled egg in this salad for extra protein for my kids--I just minced up the whites and blended the yolks into the mayonnaise mixture. They LOVED it! Lastly, the reviews for this on myrecipes.com gets 5 stars with 42 reviews, so it's worth a try!"

 

• Ready In: 3hrs 30mins
• Ingredients: 10
• Serves: 6-8

ingredients

• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 8 ounces farfalle pasta (bow-tie)
• 1 lb fresh broccoli
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1⁄3 cup sugar
• 1⁄3 cup red onion, diced
• 1⁄3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups red seedless grapes, halved
• 8 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled

directions

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.
2. 2. Prepare pasta according to package directions.
3. 3. Meanwhile, cut broccoli florets from stems, and separate florets into small pieces using tip of a paring knife. Peel away tough outer layer of stems, and finely chop stems.
4. 4. Whisk together mayonnaise and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; add broccoli, hot cooked pasta, and grapes, and stir to coat. Cover and chill 3 hours. Stir bacon and pecans into salad just before serving.