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Yesterday, I found out that I definitely didn’t miss my vocation by not becoming a spy.
Too many negatives there, maybe? Oh well, never mind.
You see, Mr. Scrummy and I decided not to tell our Australian relatives that we were coming back to Perth again so that we could surprise them when we got here. But despite a few days of Mr. Scrummy’s mum ‘fishing’ for clues as to when would be a good time for us to drop in on them to ‘launch’ said surprise visit, suddenly it was the weekend and we just hadn’t managed it yet. So, early(ish) Saturday morning, I wandered into the kitchen still a bit jet-lagged, sat at the kitchen table leafing through a magazine, and suddenly there was a loud knock at the door. I looked up and saw Mr. Scrummy’s brother’s car in the driveway.
Bleary-eyed no more, Mr. Scrummy and I jumped up in a panic and manicly tried to grab all ‘evidence’ that we were there. It was almost as if everything moved in slow motion as we grabbed laptops and cables and handbags and coats and flew into our bedroom and jumped behind the door … just in time to hear Mr. Scrummy’s brother letting himself into his mum’s house.
Now, I would like to be able to report that Mr. S’s brother satisfied himself that his mum wasn’t at home and left, but no. Ohhh no. He opened his mail, talked to the cat, talked to himself, went out into the garden and rustled around in the shed, came back into the house, rustled around a bit more, went out to his car, came back in … you get the idea.
An hour and a quarter later (yes, ONE HOUR AND A QUARTER), we were still there holding our breath behind the door, willing him NOT to come down that end of the house, freezing our socks off I might add (Aussie winter, you know …), except, oh yes, I didn’t have any socks on so my feet were just about turning blue.
I pictured having to break the news to my sister-in-law that Mr. Scrummy’s brother was no more because he had had a heart attack after poking his head around the door and spotting two pyjama-clad people hiding there.
Now, not to beat around the bush too much with this story, let me just say that for the rest of the morning and afternoon we behaved like a couple of giggly ten-year-olds. Giggly ten-year-olds pretending to be spies, no less. We had another ‘near-miss’ later on when Mr. Scrummy’s brother left a message on the answerphone that his son would be passing by shortly to pick something up. We dashed out of the house, not even showered after our late morning 10k walk/jog, and drove to the safety of the pub and our potato wedges and sweet chilli sauce (poor us). We then retired to a coffee shop where we found out via Mr. Scrummy’s mum that my sister-in-law was very probably shopping nearby. We drank the rest of our coffees while furtively peering over a menu held over our faces (I made that last part up but it isn’t too far off the truth).
It was all worth it of course when we finally pulled off our surprise shortly afterwards. The family were indeed surprised and delighted to see us, but I have to say I think Mr. Scrummy and I had the most fun. So if you were wondering why I didn’t reply to any of your lovely comments yesterday then that would be the reason. Too busy with our undercover op. If you ever need a private investigator then you know who (not) to call.
OK, well if any of you are still there reading (I’m impressed if you are!) I think it’s time to move onto this very tasty, if I may say so, broccoli, bacon & apple salad. After almost a whole 24 hours of eating not-the-healthiest plane food plus a few days of mostly snacking since we had little idea where we were and what time it was, I decided to make something fairly simple but healthy and tasty. This salad seemed to fit the bill.
If you’re the kind of person who likes an explosion of different flavours and textures in your mouth all at one time, then this salad is definitely for you. There’s:
… crunchy little raw florets of broccoli,
fresh, juicy apple,
sharp cheddar cheese,
super flavoursome bits of bacon,
salty peanuts,
& the subtle zing of a little raw onion …
all bound together in a creamy (but on the light side) dressing made of Greek yoghurt, a little mayonnaise, mustard and honey.
I enjoyed a bowl of this salad by itself, and it was very satisfying indeed. I think it would be great as a side with roast chicken, or quiche, or even fish, too. It could also be a great work lunch or make-ahead take-along buffet dish. If you soak the apple in lemon juice before adding it to the salad, the apple doesn’t go brown and you can quite happily keep it in the fridge for a day (or two or three – I am eating the leftovers while typing this and it is still perfectly fresh-tasting). If you do make ahead, though, it’s best to add the peanuts at the last minute because they don’t hold onto their crunchiness for too long. Next time, I might also throw in a handful of raisins for an extra fruity kick.
We have another relative lined up to surprise this afternoon – Mr. Scrummy’s sister. Hopefully there will be no hiding behind doors involved this time!
So are you a fan of surprises? And how would you feel if you found out that someone was hiding in the house without you knowing about it? Creepy or what?!
Serves: serves 4 to 6
- 6 rashers of bacon, sliced into small pieces
- a little oil of your choice for cooking the bacon
- 2 small to medium heads of broccoli, thoroughly washed
- 1 apple
- 1 lemon
- 1 smallish onion, chopped finely
- about 3.5 ounces/100 grams strong cheddar cheese, grated
- about 2 handfuls of salted peanuts
- (optional – 1 handful raisins)
- freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ of a cup/about 210 grams Greek yoghurt
- 1 and ½ to 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Fry the bacon in the oil until cooked through (and crispy if you like), then set aside.
- Discard the ‘woody’ end part of the broccoli stalk, then chop the rest of the stalk finely. Then separate the broccoli heads into small florets. Put the florets and chopped stalk into a large bowl.
- Slice the apple (no need to peel) into small pieces and put them into a small bowl. Squeeze the juice of the lemon all over the apple, then add the apple and any extra juice to the large bowl with the broccoli.
- Now add the onion, cheese and peanuts.
- Stir all of the dressing ingredients together well in a medium-sized bowl, then add to the salad. Add black pepper to taste. Mix really well.
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I was thoroughly amused by your story! That is so funny about hiding from his brother, an hour and a quarter is such a long time to stay hidden! I’m really impressed, haha! I guess it would have been pretty scary for his brother if you guys decided to finally pop out after that long! I love the idea of surprise visits to family, but I’m never smart enough to pull them off, so bravo to you guys!! This salad is so creative! I love all the different flavors you used, and I especially love that you dressed it with Greek yogurt! It looks delicious!
Thanks for the sweet comment (again), Isadora! To be honest, this was fun, but it was fairly tricky to pull off. Catching a busy family all home together at a good time took plenty of scheming, that’s for sure! So glad you approve of the salad. The Greek yoghurt dressing was the best part because it pretty much tasted like mayonnaise but of course was a bit healthier than that.
Haha! That is hilarious! Your poor feet 🙂 There is nothing like a good adrenaline rush in the morning!
And there is nothing like a good summer salad that has bacon and apples! What a delicious combination Helen!
Haha … you’re right about that adrenaline rush! Fun, though …
Very happy that you like the salad, Mary Frances. I have to say that the bacon, apples, broccoli & cheese combination worked pretty well. 🙂
Great post Helen, I had a few chuckles reading this, love surprises. You only surprise the ones you care about, so it’s special right? Love this salad, broccoli is one of my favorites.
Aw, that’s so true, Cheri! Yes, it was a very memorable thing to do! So happy you like the salad. Hope you are still having a wonderful time in Oregon. 🙂
Monsieur Scrummy et toi, vous êtes comme deux gamins. Haha, je crois que ton beau frère aura pu mourir d’un attaque le pauvre! J’imagine s’il aura poussé la porte de la chambre…
Ta salade est divine, J’adore tous ces mélanges des goût et pour l’été est idéal!
Merci, Eva … malheureusement, il fait tres froid a Perth au juin … la nuit, au moins (par jour il fait tres beau!) A mon avis, pourtant, cette salade est ideal pour l’ete et l’hiver tous les deux!
Quant au beau frere, oui, j’ai vraiment pousse un soupir de soulagement! 🙂
Helen, je crois que t’aimerais ma salade, elle aussi très complet et tu peut la déguster tiède ou froid! Il faut que tu clique aussi dans le dernier lien, je pense que ça te plaira aussi 😉
Merci, Eva! Je suis sure que j’adorais ta salade! Je vais te visiter bientot pour cliquer ce dernier lien! 🙂
Fun post, Helen. Enjoyed reading about your spying antics.
And I love broccoli salad with bacon and apples. Delicious!
Haha … thanks, Norma! Glad to have made you smile! 🙂
Wow this is such a great way to use broccoli! I love finding interesting ways to use it but I’ve never tried broccoli in a salad before! The dressing looks absolutely delicious as well 🙂
I’d tried raw broccoli before in a salad but only a few times and I think they were always made by Americans. I don’t think this kind of salad is very popular at all in Europe – so I thought it was time I changed that! The dressing was definitely a winner – do give it a try, Lilli – I think it could be quite versatile and go well in many other salads.
What an eventful time you’ve had since you landed! It’s funny how much effort we put into “little” things, but because they’re special we have such fond memories of them afterwards. I bet everyone will remember “Scrummy Surprise-fest” for years to come. 🙂 I personally would be terrified to pieces if I began to think someone unannounced was in my house. I’d probably grab my dog and run outside to call the authorities. At least that didn’t happen to you two! Now this salad – it looks so great, especially for the U.S. summer we’re having. I love that it would pair well with just about anything, too. And I think I would love that dressing on more than just this salad!
Agree with everything you just said, Alyssa! I was really worried that we’d freak my brother-in-law out. I’m not sure I would have risked it with a woman! I remember once my sister hid in the house when I thought I was alone, then started making noises. Not loud ones but just enough to totally freak me out! Naughty girl!
So happy you like the salad. You’re right that this would go with almost anything – it would definitely be a good pot-luck dish. The dressing was a bit of an experiment but it definitely worked … and of course was very easy.
I have just done this alad for lunch! Was an instant hit for me and my husband: -)
have a great week!
You’ve just made my evening! I thought this was delicious but it’s wonderful to get positive feedback from others. You have a great week, too! 🙂
Sounds like it was a lot of working becoming a spy! Good thing you didn’t get caught though, especially for hiding out for as long as you did! This broccoli salad looks delicious! I’ve had similar versions before, but never one with bacon in it. Looks amazing!
Thanks, Gayle! This was sort of based on similar versions I’ve had a few times, but I’m not sure if I had bacon in them or not, it just seemed to go well with the apple and the crunch of the broccoli. Glad you like it!
P.S. Yup, the ‘spying’ was pretty hard work – not sure I want to do that again in a hurry.
That’s the funniest story!! I can imagine how much fun it would have been-it’s like a scene from a movie! Glad to hear that you pulled it off 😛
Haha … thanks, Lorraine. I take that as a big compliment coming from the best blog story-teller I know. 🙂
I love broccoli salad with bacon. But I’ve never tried it with apple. That sounds scrumptious!
Pinned.
Have a marvelous day Helen!
Thanks, Melanie! The apple works really well and I was especially impressed that I was able to stop it from going brown by soaking it in lemon juice. You have a great day, too!
Hi Helen, maybe you should just become a professional blogging storyteller instead! Too funny. Forget cooking. Easier to take photos of as well.Too funny.
All the winners are in this salad, broccoli, bacon, apples, cheddar, raw onion and the big surprise with the salty peanuts! I recently started adding a few peanuts to my salad and I’m loving this salty addition!
What can I say? This salad is a party in my mouth. All the right friends are there. And yes, nuts get soggy if added too early! I’m making this for my husbands lunch tomorrow, he’s going to be a happy man.
Oooh, Laura, I get so excited every time someone tells me they’re going to make one of my recipes – and also a little nervous! Still, I don’t think your husband will be disappointed with this. Mine loved it! I figured that it was OK to add the salty peanuts instead of adding any extra salt, but I think unsalted peanuts would be fine too as there’s plenty of taste in the bacon, cheddar and onion.
Thanks for being so nice about my story-telling attempts. I’ve never thought of myself as a particularly good story-teller, but that’s just what seems to keep ‘coming out’ when I start writing a post. Who would have thought it?! 🙂
What a gorgeous salad! And these photos are really incredible!
Thanks, Jocelyn. Actually, I was struggling slightly with the light for these photos (same old problem) but I think they just about made the grade. 😉
Awwhhh you’re too funny Helen! I simply adore reading your stories haha. It must have been a lovely surprise for your family indeed 😉
This salad looks glorious with all those brown bacon bits and the peanuts OHHHH what a combo!! Also, that greek yogurt dressing sounds phenomenal! xx
Thanks, Consuelo. So glad to have made you smile. This surprise was definitely a lot of fun!
So happy you like the salad, too. The dressing was my favourite thing about this salad, actually – oh, and the bacon, of course!
Hahaha! I was chuckling so hard at yall hiding (you with your blue feet ) from Mr. S’s bro – just so funny the lengths y’all went to to surprise the family – but so worth it! Cannot wait to hear what ya’ll did when the sis came by 🙂
Btw, I love salads with a combination of textures – and this has it all – along with a combination of so many different flavors!!
Yup, this was definitely bordering on going too far just for a little surprise … but hey, why not? 🙂
We visited Mr. S’s sis the afternoon after I wrote this post, and thankfully it was a bit easier to surprise her. We went with Mr. S’s mum, so she stood at the gate while Mr. S and I hid behind the wall and then jumped out at her when she got to the gate. She loved it!
So glad you like the salad – that’s what I liked about it, the fact that it has so many different flavours and textures in it! 🙂
Okay that was seriously a hilarious story!!!! That is some major dedication right there!
This salad looks awesome! I am definitely the only person in the world who doesn’t like bacon, but if you omit it I would eat this salad for all meals of the day! Yes, even breakfast 😉
Haha … I’d join you for a plate of this for brekky, Davida!
I don’t think this absolutely NEEDS the bacon. Chicken would be good, too, or I reckon you could just leave the meat out altogether and maybe add some raisins for some extra punch.
What a fun surprise! I had to laugh out loud about you two giggling like 10 year old girls. Waiting behind the door for 1 1/4 hours in pajamas could do that to you, I suppose! haha I love broccoli salad, and I’ve never made one with apple and sharp cheddar before — this sounds delicious, Helen! Pinning. 🙂 Glad you’re safe and sound and getting settled in Australia!
Thanks for the good wishes, Marcie. We’re just about over the jet lag now and feeling settled into a routine, so all’s good! Glad the story made you smile … I doubt we’ll do that again in a hurry, so I thought I’d ‘milk’ it by turning it into a post.
Happy you liked the salad, too. The apple and cheddar goes great together!
It sounds like fun! I am glad you guys didn’t get caught and you were able to surprise the family.
The broccoli salad looks and sounds incredible. I love every single ingredient!
Thanks so much, Pam. Each ingredient in this salad is so tasty by itself – that’s why I liked it so much. 🙂
Haha! This had me cracking up Helen!
This salad sounds delicious!
:-):-)
HAHA! This is an amazing story!!! I was laughing the whole time I was reading. I totally could picture the entire thing in my head. Hiding is one of the most stressful/fun things ever and I totally revert into a giggling kid again when I’m trying to be sneaky! This story just made my day.
This salad looks amaaaazing! I always go for the broccoli salad at salad bars, because I love it so much, but I’ve never made it at home. And OMG RAISINS!!! I love raisins in broccoli salad. I would add the raisins for sure as a broccoli salad without raisins is no broccoli salad to me!
Again, I just adore your stories! Please write a book already!
Thanks so much for ‘adoring’ my stories, Allison! You’ve made my evening by saying that. I try not to draw the stories out too much because I always picture people thinking ‘why on earth would I care that she dropped a pot of granola on her lawn or hid behind a door for an hour?’ But then I know that I enjoy other people’s stories (especially the ones that tell me a bit about what’s going on in their lives) so I just take a deep breath and ‘dare’ to write just what comes naturally to me in the next post. 😉
Glad you like the salad, too. I wondered if it was a bit too ‘ordinary’ to post, but I think broccoli salads are more common in North America than over in Europe. I for one hadn’t really tried one like this before, so I thought I would!
I’ll think about the book! Haha! Maybe an ebook of recipes & mini-stories one day! 🙂
Bahaha Oh my gosh that is an amazing story! I absolutely love it. I would be a terrible spy too – whenever I’m trying to be quiet I end up being actually louder!!
And this broccoli salad looks awesome girl. I haven’t made one I think since last year. And now you have me craving it!
Well I think I’ve arrived a bit late on the raw broccoli salad scene, so this was the first time I’d made one – loved it, though. Glad you enjoyed the story. I actually did make plenty of noise while hiding, but somehow got away with it. 😉
hahahaha!!!!!!! This is SOOOOOOOO CUTE!!!!!!! I can’t believe you both stayed that way for an hour and a quarter! :O It must have been such an awesome feeling – nervous and funny all at the same time!!!! Just TOOOO cute!!!! <3 This salad looks AMAZING!!!! I loveeee apples in salads for their crunch and cheddar cheese just makes everything better! Yummmm!!!!!!
Hi, Samina. Has the monsoon arrived yet? Glad I entertained you with the story. It was definitely a fun day. Never mind that it was a bit childish!
Glad you like the salad! 🙂
That made me giggle, it sounds like a lot of fun! The salad sounds fab and not too dissimilar to something I already make, lovely!
Glad to have made you smile! What do you put in your salad, Sian?
i will definitely try that salad. it sounds really delish. and your story is so funny. your poor blue feet:)
Hi, Sherry! Thanks so much for paying me a little visit and I really hope you do get around to trying this salad. It was so tasty and went a really long way as well. I ate little bits over a few days and it was just as nice on the last day.
Glad you enjoyed the story! 😉
Pretending to be like giggly ten year old spies is AWESOME. 🙂 and so is this salad
Haha! Thanks, Kathy! Glad you approve (of both the spying and the salad!)
This salad salad looks delicious! I love broccoli salads and this sounds like a great combination. I also love that you used greek yogurt in the dressing 😀
Glad you were able to pull off your surprise. i wouldn’t have been able to be quiet for so long. It would be at that moment I sneeze or get the giggles. Haha
Well, I definitely nearly did both (sneeze and giggle) several times, but just about managed to hold back. Happy that you like the salad. I’ll definitely be using that dressing in other salads, too, as it worked really well. 🙂
This salad sounds great! I am so glad your surprise worked as well as it did. Hope the winter weather is not too bad for the rest of your stay 🙂
Thanks so much, Tandy. I’m just watching footage of those two huge tornadoes in Nebraska, so I certainly can’t complain about the slightly stormy weather we have here today. Glad you like the salad – I’ll definitely be making that one again!
Helen, winter or no winter you do seem to have so much more fun in Australia! Haha with your great story you made us giggle too and your refreshing salad hungry as well. Enjoy Perth and yyour lovely family 🙂
J+C
Glad to have made you smile, girls! Happy that you liked the salad, too, and thanks for the good wishes. At the moment the weather is a bit wild with dark skies and heavy rain, but as winters go it’s what I would call very warm! It’s certainly absolutely nothing compared to that awful tornado damage in Nebraska I’m watching on the TV news right now!
That is hilarious!!! I would love to do that sometime to my family…
That salad looks lovely!
Hello, Anne! You should try to find an excuse to do this some time. It’s the first time I’ve done it and it was so much fun. So glad you like the salad!
This sounds amazing Helen! I love the flavours- so delicious!
Thanks, Jess! It was preeety tasty! 🙂
Ahah, this is hilarious! You are so brave, I love to do surprise but I just can not keep my mouth shut… I get so exited like a little girl that I just tell… I have made a few though but it takes all my energy so to spoil it!
Your salad is on my list, I got tired of green salad at work and I need to change it up! So thanks for the idea, I just need some broccoli 🙂 !
So glad you like this enough to have a go at it, Melanie. It would be a great work lunch because it stays fresh pretty well. Maybe just take the peanuts to add when you’re ready to eat so that they don’t go soggy. 🙂
You pulled it off!!! What a fun surprise…and an adventure you won’t soon forget. Your salad sounds terrific and would be a perfect addition to our 4th of July gathering.
Oh yes, you have 4th of July coming up! I felt like this was quite an ‘American’ salad as I was making it, so it’s good to hear that I was right. Glad you like it!
This salad looks so appetizing with all these flavours and textures! Looks like a meal in itself! Bookmarked!
Thanks so much, Ami. I ate it by itself and you’re right, it didn’t really need anything else! 🙂
Well I’m certainly glad you guys pulled off the surprise in the end!! I’m sure it was a bunch of fun. This salad looks so tasty! Perfect for bbq season here in the US.
Thanks, Joanne! Ooh, jealous about the BBQ-season (winter here in Oz of course). Never mind, at least it’s still quite sunny!
Hahhaha that is so funny! I was picturing 007 scenes as I was reading this lol! I am glad your family was surprised in the end and you both had a great time. I am going to try to surprise my mother and the rest of my family in Africa this fall with a visit. So far only my sister knows..so hopefully it goes well! (shhhh don’t tell)
Awww, that will be wonderful, Zainab! Well, hopefully you got some tips from this post, then. We can exchange notes afterwards. Your mum is going to be sooo happy to see you!
Positively full of the kinds of flavours that I like Helen. I have mastered raw sprouts so now I need to master raw broccoli.
Raw sprouts sounds like a great alternative. I’ll have to try that! 🙂
This story is hilarious, and so glad you eventually got to pull off the surprise. I was cracking up at “talked to the cat, talked to himself” oh boy. You guys are determined and it paid off. This salad looks so good and the pictures are stunning by the way! Pinning for sure 🙂
Thanks so much, Jessica! It was pretty funny listening to him chattering away by himself. Thanks for the piccy compliments … and for the pin. 🙂
This is the perfect summer salad. Hurry to light meals!
I think you’re right, Layla. Shame it’s winter here in Perth, Australia. Oh well! Glad you liked the salad!
Secret agent or chef? Who knows!? What a funny story and what a wonderful salad. Beautiful, fresh, and crisp. Perfect for a warm day!
Glad you enjoyed the story and recipe, Monet! I wouldn’t say I was either just yet. Chef-in-training and secret-agent-in-training, maybe? 🙂
I’ve just discovered your blog and I’m loving all the Greek recipes you have here, being a lover of Greece myself. Everything looks so yummy! I’m actually gearing up to start a food blog myself (just trying to think of a good name at the moment…) so it’s great to see how you have put together such a lovely website in just six months or so. Very inspiring! I’m definitely going to be a regular visitor here!
Hi, Rebecca! So great to ‘meet’ you! It sounds like you’re at the point I was at about last year when I did a lot of thinking, researching and ‘gearing up’ to start. Around December time I decided on a theme and just went for it. I still feel like I’m at the beginning stages of things but really enjoying it and learning all the time. I wish you all the best with your blog planning and if you would like to email and ask me any questions then you are very very welcome. I know the basics at least!
Thanks so much for the compliments – they mean a lot! – and I’m looking forward to getting to know you a bit better. 🙂
P.S. Another Greek recipe coming soon!!
OMG, I love this salad. Looks so delicious especially with the apples and raisins!!
Thanks so much, Olivia. I loved it! 🙂
Haha, oh my gosh, I LOVED your story Helen! That is too hilarious, I can’t believe you were able to pull of that surprise. Well done! And a delicious recipe to boot, but I just loved the story 🙂
Hey, thanks so much, Louisa! It made for a pretty funny Saturday. This weekend has a lot to live up to … 🙂
Love the greek yogurt here as I think the tang would be perfect in this. My mom used to make something similar to this dish and it was wonderful and kids love it. A wonderful way to get them to eat that healthy plant – broccoli!
It is a great way to get broccoli down yourself or someone else, isn’t it? Personally, I think I prefer it crunchy like this rather than cooked. The tang from the yoghurt is great – goes brilliantly with the other flavours. So glad you like it!
That’s HILARIOUS Helen!! 😀 I do love Aussie winters though! I once walked through snow (only a few inches) barefeet for a dare and that was absolute torture! Won’t be doing that again… unless there’s a substantial amount of money on the line 😉
Oh this salad though… I am SO going to make it! I’m always looking for great salad ideas with big flavors that are easy to make… and this is awesome!!
Hi, Dini! So happy you like the salad! I actually made this again this weekend for a barbeque, and we’ve just eaten the leftovers tonight. It truly is one of my favourite salads, so I hope you do give it a go. 🙂
I can’t believe you walked through snow barefoot!!!
I love Aussie winters too … I soooo miss the Aussie weather – it’s so true what they say about the awful UK weather. Even when it’s warm it’s usually too humid!!