Broccoli Cheese Salad
The fresher the ingredients the better when making this salad. However if you are looking for time saving shortcuts, use bagged pre-cut broccoli, bagged pre-cubed cheese, and a bottled sweet dressing (such as Marie’s poppyseed). Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Ingredients
4 cups broccoli, cut up
1 medium red onion, sliced into rings
1 6 oz box button mushrooms, sliced
2/3 cup mozzarella cheese, cubed (or extra firm tofu cubed)
1/3 cup Bac-O's (or crumbled crisp bacon optional)
Italian salad dressing (for marinade)

Dressing:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup low fat mayonnaise
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Directions
Cut cheese (or tofu) into 1/2" cubes and marinate for a couple of hours or overnight in zesty Italian salad dressing.

Use only the flower parts of the broccoli and quarter them into small bite sizes. Slice the red onion with that State Fair slicer into separated rings about 1/4" thick. Rinse the mushrooms, dry and mix with broccoli and onion rings. Make the dressing and spoon it over the mix of broccoli, mushrooms and red onion. Be gentle. Pour just enough to lightly coat the veggies. Pour excess Italian dressing off the mozzarella cheese. Add cheese and Bac-O's to salad and mix thoroughly. Serve immediately. Do not add dressing ahead of time.

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