Broccoli salad

The last few weeks have been rough for various reasons, but it has reminded me how excellent my friends and family are. The emptiness of friendship is one complaint I've yet to make. I had so many people help me pack up my stuff, haul boxes to storage and the donation drop-off, and clean up my disaster of an apartment. To them, I say, "Thank you, I love you, I don't know what I would have done without you."

I'd probably have done a lot of crying without you. A lot a lot of crying. Thanks, folks! On to food . . .

When my friend Diva came over to help me pack up my kitchen, I asked her to bring a wedge of hard cheese (not Swiss!) for part of our meatless dinner of broccoli salad and garlic roasted potatoes. She had to stop by Ikea for some stuff, so she ended up picking out a cheese from Ikea's refrigerated section.

I know what you're thinking, because I thought it too. Yikes! Cheese from a Swedish home goods store? Double yikess! Well, I gotta tell you, it really wasn't that bad. In fact, this Ost Präst (literally 'Cheese Priest/Pastor') is pretty tasty. It reminded me of a cross between gouda and Parmesan--nutty, salty, sweet. It went perfectly with the broccoli, cranberries, and pumpkin seeds.

This is a really simple salad to make, and you don't have to turn on your stove to do it (though, if you want to make roasted potatoes, you will need your oven). I think it's a great addition to a potluck or summer barbecue, especially if you want filling options for vegetarians.

Try it out and let me know how you like it! I think this would also be good with chopped walnuts (instead of pepitas) and, if you're going really wild, toss in some orzo too. Enjoy!

Broccoli salad
enough for about 2-3 people as a main dish

Ingredients

In a large bowl, toss together:
2 heads of broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets
4-6 oz Ost Präst cheese (or another hard cheese like Cheddar or Gouda), cubed
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (sunflower seeds will do)
1/2 cup cranberries

In a small bowl, whisk together:
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (red wine vinegar works too)
2 tbsp sugar

Add mayonnaise dressing to the broccoli, using your hands to make sure the salad is coated in the dressing. This is great at room temperature, but if you're not eating it right away, put it in the fridge to chill until you're ready to serve.