Welcome to Part 2 of our super fabulous 4th of July party food series! Last week, I shared a freakin’ amazing almond streusel-topped blueberry galette that is seriously one of my favorite summer desserts of all time. Today, we’re going savory with this super loaded bacon-y broccoli salad. Because it’s not a national holiday if there’s no bacon involved! At least that’s the rule in our house.
Guys, today we need to talk about something really important.
Something called…mango bacon guacamole.
Last week, we talked about how important great snacks are to summer fun (um, absolutely critical, obviously). I think the ultimate summer snack has to be chips and guac. Maybe it’s the California girl in me, but I seriously need to be restrained around any form of guacamole. I will eat the whole bowl and go looking for more. I wish I was exaggerating, but I’m totally not. I know my fellow guacamole devotees understand.
When you think about it, summer is really all about the SNACKS. There’s barbeques, picnics, pool-side munchin’, long road trips…the list of prime snacking opportunities goes on and on. When you’re laying out on a towel workin’ on your tan or playing beach volleyball all day, you’re not trying to sit down and order a giant steak. You’re trying to eat a million snacks and call it a day! I’m a major proponent of snacking all year around, but summer activities especially require some seriously delicious munchies.
Last summer, I waxed poetic about my all-time favorite kind of salad: panzanella. I mean, it’s a bread salad. What’s not to absolutely love? I made this salad a million times last summer and I don’t see this summer being any different. But while I’m waiting for those perfectly plump tomatoes to hit the farmers market, I decided to whip up a spring version that I have to say I – gasp! – might like better than the original.
I think the giant hunks of thick-cut bacon and the bread toasted up in bacon fat might have something to do with it. Maybe.