Yesterday day I thought we had a sure-fire winner of a recipe to post: homemade Twix bars. There was a gorgeous photo with it and a mouth-watering recipe. But, according to the under-the-hood site statistics that I am constantly monitoring it only did so-so with readers. I guess I let my own infatuation with Twix bars color my judgment. I've got a gazillion Amish and Mennonite recipes and I'm always trying to select the ones to post which I think you'll like most. Trying to guess which recipes will "push your buttons" in a good way is such an inexact science. Recipes that I think will go off like gangbusters seem to fizzle, ones that I don't think will do so well go viral. 
A recipe I posted last fall for caramel wrapped pretzels was a huge traffic generator. I thought it would just put up modest numbers.
A recipe I posted several weeks ago for "hot chocolate cookies" which I thought would be a monster hit fizzled online. Who couldn't like a chocolate-infused marshmallow-topped cookie?
Last week I posted a recipe for lemon pie and a separate recipe for its homemade crust. The lemon pie recipe put up strong numbers, but, go figure, the crust put up even stronger!
And while I'm often focused on chocolate confections, gooey breads, or hearty casseroles, a recipe success that completely caught me off guard: Beautiful Broccoli Salad. That's a DELICIOUS recipe given to me by an Amish woman in Navarre, Ohio. It really is a great salad, melding fresh summer flavors swimming in a sweet dressing. YUM. The bacon added gives the salad a sweet crunch also. It really is a near-perfect combination of flavors and textures. But usually salads don't put up huge numbers. But the broccoli salad went viral. My wife shot the photo and soon it was showing up in our Facebook newsfeeds from random people, on random recipe sites (most without attribution, some even with misplaced credit, so now you see most of our photos watermarked). I doubt either of us thought this simple shot of the salad and this recipe would become our number 1 recipe on Amish365.com
Now I just need to find one to beat it, it isn't Twix bars! Okay, just in time for Easter,here is that Beautiful Broccoli Salad recipe!
- 1 head broccoli, chopped
- 1 head cauliflower, chopped
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ pound bacon, fried and crumbled
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
- Combine the chopped broccoli and cauliflower in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, and salt to make a creamy dressing.
- Add the dressing to the broccoli–cauliflower mix, stirring to evenly coat the vegetables.
- Stir in the bacon and the cheese, reserving a small amount to sprinkle on top of the salad just before serving.
Debbie
I personally am not interested in recipes that don't sound "Amish". I don't associate Twixt bars with Amish. Post recipes like the food I used to get at Essenhaus in Middlebury when I lived in Indiana, and other Amish restaurants and homes, and those are the ones that I will snag and make.
Kevin
Debbie, good observation. I'll be interested to hear what others think, you might be on the right track as to why certain recipes get zeroed in on while others tank!
Barb
This brocolli salad looks wonderful and I've printed off the recipe to make this weekend! I think the Twix bars sound great also. Last week I did make the pie crust for a butterscotch pie I was making. The crust was delish and so much easier than rolling out! I also plan on making the lemon pie soon because my husband has been looking for an authentic lemon pie.
GLORIA JOHNSON
Kevin, I love all recipes but since you specialize in the Amish/Mennonite area, getting their recipes from you would probably please most of your readers. That salad does look delicious!
Wishing your family a Happy and Blessed Easter,
Gloria
P.S. Twix bars are a favorite of mine too!
brenda
Have a great Easter. First one for little Aster.
Do you think the timing was anything to do with the Twix recipe ? pre holiday after mothers are recovering from Spring break with the house full of children wanting to know what they can do and that they are bored. ???
Kevin
Brenda - You might have something there.....sometimes a recipes success is all about the timing. You have a Happy Easter also! - Kevin
Buffy
Hi Kevin, I also enjoy the mostly amish recipes as well. I make broccoli salad as well. My variation is made with greek yogurt to cut the fat but still has all the taste. I also add craisins and pecans/sunflower seeds and omit the cheese.
Kevin
Buffy - Hmmmm, I'll have to have Rachel make it that way, sounds good with the Greek Yogurt! - Kevin
Lynn
Was going to print the salad recipe however the carmel wrapped pretzels pic is showing instea with the salad recipe.
Kevin
Sorry, Lynn, that's a little hiccup with the system. I'm not sure right now how to correct it. You can still print out the recipe, just x out that picture
Janet Conley
Oh, I think those cyber bugs are out there. I got the recipe for broccoli salad, and the picture within the box is for the caramel wrapped pretzels!
It's probably because it's so far from Ohio to Washington..... they got us!!!!
This recipe sounds interesting, but it is nowhere near to the recipe I have used for 25 years. Keep up the good work, Kevin. We all love your column I' m making the lemon pie for Easter tomorrow...keep your fingers crossed, I'm not a pie maker??!!!?!?
Kevin
Good luck with that lemon pie, Janet. It turned out really well for us. Happy Easter!
Pam
Kevin, I have to say I get a lot of ideas from the recipes you publish. For example, I love the homemade pie crust recipe
. My favorite pie is custard and I can't wait to try the homemade crust instead of the store bought ones.
Barb
Just wanted to let everyone know that I printed off the salad recipe and although the caramel pretzels showed up on my computer screen, it printed off with a beautiful pic of the brocolli salad!
Joe Blust
Kevin I just bought a jar of Bread N Butter Pickles from Amish Wedding Co. in Millersburg, Ohio. My wife was wondering where did the "Bread N Butter" originate from and are the Amish Bread & Butter different than store boughten pickles. I noticed that the Amish has slices of onion in it. Thanks