Category Archives: SALAD RECIPES

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TOMATO SALAD (LITTLE CONDIMENT SALAD)

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There are really only 4 good reasons to make this salad. The first reason – it is more of a condiment than a true salad. In other words, you don’t have to make a huge bowl to fulfil the “salad or veggie requirement” in your meal. With this salad, an average serving would only be about half a cup. 2nd reason – it’s quick and easy to prepare. Number 3 – it is best made ahead of time. 4th, but absolutely not the last reason – this salad is beautiful to look at!

I started making what I refer to as “little condiment salads” probably 25 years ago. This was after my kids were out of the house and I wanted just that extra little flavor sensation to spice up an otherwise ordinary meal. (You know, the basic three course dinner – meat, starch, and veggie or salad. The holy trinity of dinner preparation.) So long ago I decided, that in some cases, a little dish of something delightful, like this tomato salad, was just the ticket. And I’ve been making this salad, or a variation (see below) ever since.

So next time you feel the meal you are planning needs a little extra touch to make it even better, give this “condiment” a try. You will love the fresh flavor and the vibrant color. Or if you know you are going to have one heck of a day, make your salad the evening before. The salad is not going to wilt or grow soggy. (That’s your job after a hard day!) In fact, it will simply be in your fridge waiting for your tired body to throw some rice in your rice cooker and cook up some pork chops. Then when the rice and chops are ready, you need merely open the fridge, take out the salad and sit down to a lovely meal. I hope you enjoy this salad as much as we do.

You know, I almost missed the most important reason you should prepare this salad. Reason number 5 – this salad is just plain delicious!

  • 3 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • scant 2 T. chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 T. finely chopped fresh chives
  • 1 T. finely chopped white or yellow onion
  • 1 garlic clove, finely minced
  • 1 tsp. coarse salt (I use half kosher and half smoked black pepper, but any coarse salt will do)
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • heaping 2 c. cherry tomatoes (red or orange) cut in half

Whisk together the olive oil, parsley, chives, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Gently stir in the tomatoes. Best made ahead of time to allow flavors to meld. Serve cold.

Variation: Use any of the following in place of or mixed with tomatoes: cucumber, celery, carrot, avocado, red pepper, etc. Also basil or mint can be added, along with feta cheese. A bit of fresh lemon juice is also a lovely addition. Basically any combination that appeals. The point is to keep the salad small and more of a condiment than a bowl of salad.

 

 

CHOPPED SALAD WITH SALAMI AND CHEESE

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Remember when chopped salads were all the rage? Well in our home, chopped salads are STILL very much in fashion. In fact, more so than ever! And with this heatwave we are experiencing, I have practically no desire to cook, much less spend any time over a hot stove! Thus – salad for dinner. Please note, Mr. C. and I lovingly refer to this time of year as “the salad days” of summer. (Not to be confused with the Shakespearean idiomatic expression “Salad Days” referring to a youthful time, accompanied by the inexperience, enthusiasm, idealism, innocence, or indiscretion that one associates with a young person. A more modern use, especially in the United States, refers to a heyday, a period when somebody was at the peak of their abilities—not necessarily in that person’s youth.) Thank you Wikipedia!

Anyway – I can’t really remember which restaurant in Seattle featured this salad oh so long ago. But since the recipe appeared in my first cookbook (1998) without any reference to the contributor, it must be a recipe I copy-catted at home. Sounds like something I would do, right??

So if you too are still fond of eating, but not of cooking at this time of year when the temperature is way hotter than we Western Washington wimps can tolerate, give this recipe a try. It takes very little time to throw together, and we’re talking only one bowl dirtied in the preparation of this dish. And that of course translates to less time in the kitchen after dinner too. (I’ve always told you I’m on your side. And in this case, I’m on Mr. C’s side too since he is the meal cleanup crew in our household.)

So stay cool my friends, drink lots of liquids, and enjoy the warm weather while you can. It will all too soon be “soup season”.

  • ½ c. light mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp. ketchup
  • 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
  • ½ tsp. Worcestershire
  • ¼ tsp. sugar
  • pinch of kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 T. chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 4 c. chopped romaine lettuce
  • ½ c. thinly sliced fresh basil
  • ¼ c. chopped red onion
  • 1 roasted red pepper, thinly sliced
  • ½ – ¾ c. diced salami
  • ½ – ¾ c. diced mozzarella cheese
  • ½ – ¾ c. diced provolone cheese

Whisk the mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, parsley, and garlic together in a medium sized salad bowl. Add the romaine, basil, red onion, red pepper, salami, and cheeses. Stir until all the ingredients are covered with the dressing. Serve immediately.

Note: I usually don’t serve this salad with bread. But if you are being fancy, a nice crusty Italian loaf on the side would taste wonderful with this salad.  A nice red wine wouldn’t hurt either. (And no, wine does not count as drinking lots of liquids!)

 

 

REMOLACHA (ARGENTINE BEET SALAD)

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We first tasted remolacha when we visited Argentina a few years ago. Before that time I had never tasted roasted beets in a salad. Now it’s quite common, thank goodness. Of course, several decades ago, you couldn’t order any item in a restaurant without the plate appearing with the requisite slice of pickled beet garnish. (I still can’t eat pickled beets from a can.) But give me a salad made from beets like my sister-in laws Beets in a Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette (on this site), and we are talking a completely different story!

And truly, there is nothing better than a fresh from the ground beet roasted with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. A perfect side vegetable. Or mixed with greens, a simple dressing, chèvre or feta, and some nuts for additional flavor and crunch, and you have this salad which is truly fit for a king!

So especially now when beets are literally popping out of the ground and being sold in every farmer’s market in America, give this delicious salad a try. And while you’re at the farmer’s market, you might pick up a container of locally made chèvre to go in your salad. We especially love to use flavored chèvre in this recipe. Our favorite is garlic and basil.

So do yourself a favor. Support your community by buying local, and your own health by choosing organic whenever possible. If this salad doesn’t convince you that beets are a treat, then I don’t know when I’m beat and will retreat from making any further comments on the subject!

  • 2 medium sized beets
  • 2 tsp. + ¾ c. extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ c. red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp. honey
  • 1 T. finely chopped shallots
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt or more to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 c. salad greens (I use a combination of romaine, arugula, and spring greens)
  • 3 oz. chèvre (goat’s milk) cheese, room temperature (you can use feta if you prefer)
  • ½ c. toasted walnut or almond pieces

Remove the tops and the roots of the beets and peel with a vegetable peeler. Cut the beets in bite sized pieces. Place on a baking sheet and toss with the 2 teaspoons olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Roast in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes, turning once or twice with a spatula, until the beets are just tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Set aside.

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Meanwhile place the red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, shallots, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper to taste, and remaining ¾ cup olive oil in a jar. Cover with lid, and shake vigorously to blend. Taste and adjust seasoning, if required.

When ready to serve, place salad greens in a medium sized salad bowl. Add the roasted beets, and enough salad dressing to lightly moisten all of the greens. Gently crumble the chèvre into the bowl along with the nuts. Toss lightly and serve immediately.

CURRIED CHICKEN AND ROMAINE SALAD

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So what do you do when you have one half of a cooked chicken breast, and one raw chicken breast in your refrigerator? Well you know you can’t serve the raw chicken breast as is, so that means you have to cook it. But then, how are you going to serve the chicken once both pieces are staring at you wondering what’s to become of them? Well – since you are currently on a salad binge, you make up a recipe for chicken salad. Or at least that’s what I did last evening.

While I love a good chicken salad with grapes as one of the ingredients, I didn’t happen to have any in the fridge yesterday. And because I was too lazy to put on my lipstick and drive the arduous 3½ miles to our local grocery store, I decided to explore other avenues for flavor enhancement. That’s when I remembered one of my favorite chicken casserole recipes that features curry powder in the sauce. So I thought, why not add some curry powder to my salad dressing? I didn’t want to add too much so I started out with just ¼ teaspoon. That didn’t taste like quite enough, so I added another eighth of a teaspoon. Perfect! So that’s why I wrote the ingredient amount below as a heaping ¼ teaspoon.

Whenever I serve something to Mr. C. for the first time, I usually preface my remarks about the recipe with “if this new concoction is horrible, we can always go out for pizza”. But last evening, because I had already sampled the salad (adjusting seasoning you see) I didn’t even bother to offer an out. I knew he would love the salad. And I was right!

So if you too are ever faced with what to do with leftover chicken, and the chicken itself is not offering up any inspiration, may I suggest this salad as a quick and easy solution. Because if I do say so myself, it’s just darned delicious.

And although the chicken breasts couldn’t communicate their approval of how they were being served last evening, I’m sure had they been able, they would have been proud to be such an integral part of this new main dish salad. (And yes, I am as guilty of anthropomorphism as the next gal!) After all, I still believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. So how could you expect me not to presume to know what chicken breasts are thinking?  Duh!

  • ½ c. light mayonnaise (I use Best Foods “Light” mayonnaise)
  • 1 T. fresh lemon juice (don’t even think about using that bottled “stuff”)
  • pinch seasoned salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • heaping ¼ tsp. curry powder
  • 2 c. chopped, cooked chicken breast meat*
  • 1 lg. stalk celery, chopped
  • 2 green onions, finely minced
  • ½ c. slivered almonds, toasted
  • 1 lg. heart of romaine lettuce, chopped into bite size pieces

Whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, seasoned salt, black pepper, and curry powder. Stir in the chicken, celery, green onions, and toasted almonds until well combined. Add the lettuce and stir until all the lettuce pieces are coated with the dressing. Serve immediately. Serves 2-3.

*If you don’t have any cooked chicken on hand, cut 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast in half lengthwise, sprinkle lightly with seasoned salt and pepper, and fry in a small amount of olive oil just until done. Allow to cool, then cut into bite size pieces.

CHEESEBURGER SALAD WITH BACON AND AVOCADO

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If you have been following my blog, you already know that I am not a gourmet. I am however, a gourmand.* (Not always proud of that classification, but if the shoe fits, etc. etc.) And as a true and faithful gourmand, some of the food I am passionate about is as common as a cheeseburger. But as I get a little older, some of the foods I used to eat with nary a concern for calories or nutritional content, have turned against me in the form of digestive problems and additional weight. (Simply not fair!)

So, in trying to still be able to wholeheartedly enjoy my favorite foods, I have been working on recipes that mimic certain foods, but are healthy, less caloric, and easy to prepare. And since a good bacon, avocado, and cheese hamburger is still one of the foods that make life worth living for both of us, I decided to try putting all the ingredients associated with our favorite burger into salad form. And by golly, both Mr. C and I felt totally satisfied after eating one of these salads last evening. We absolutely did not miss the bun, or the mayonnaise sauce in the least. The salad had way more veggies than a real burger, but regardless, the flavor of a good burger came through in every bite. And of course, this new recipe fulfilled my desire to provide you all with more recipes containing ground beef.

So give this recipe a try. It’s a very nice change of pace from a taco salad, while still being a snap to prepare.

*Gourmand – a lover of good food who often eats too much.

  • 4 slices thick lean bacon, chopped
  • 1 lb. very lean ground beef
  • ½ red onion, very thinly sliced, divided
  • ¼ c. ketchup
  • 2 tsp. yellow mustard
  • 2 tsp. Montreal Seasoning
  • 1 lg. heart romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
  • 1-2 lg. dill pickles, diced
  • 1 Hass avocado, cubed
  • ½ c. grated sharp cheddar cheese

Fry bacon until crisp in a large skillet. Remove cooked bacon to paper towels to drain. Set aside. Pour off as much bacon grease as possible from pan. Brown the ground beef in the same skillet over medium heat. Add half of the sliced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the ketchup, mustard, and Montreal Seasoning; stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning.

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To assemble: Place lettuce on 2 large dinner plates. Add some of the meat mixture (I usually have extra meat when I make this salad). Then top with tomato, pickle, remaining red onion, avocado, cheese, and the cooked bacon. Serve immediately. No additional dressing required.

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ASIAN GROUND BEEF OR GROUND CHICKEN SALAD (OR WRAPS)

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I love salads and am always looking for new ways to serve healthy salad ingredients in a more interesting and tasty fashion. So when I was also trying to think up exciting ways to use ground beef, I immediately thought of Asian wraps.  But there is something you should know about Mr. C and me. We are messy eaters. And trying to keep even an ingredient as ordinary as taco meat corralled in a crisp tortilla can be daunting for us. And don’t even get me started on what kind of a mess we can make when eating a really good and juicy hamburger!

So the thought of deliberately setting us up for another messy food experience just for the sake of presenting this set of ingredients in a trendy culinary manner, fairly screamed for an alternate solution. So last evening, when all the usual wrap suspects were assembled as a salad, we actually looked like two adults enjoying a wonderful meal, rather than two children left unsupervised to make as much of a mess as possible! After all, the same ingredients were in the salad as would have been presented in a wrap. So there really was no taste difference. The ingredients were simply presented in a much more dignified manner! (Plus we didn’t need to spend any time after dinner cleaning up after ourselves.)

So if you too are inept with hand held food, give this recipe a try as a salad. If you are able to walk and talk at the same time and eat wraps in a decorous fashion, by all means serve this delicious meat filling and veggie additives (inspiration from PF Chang’s recipe for Chicken Lettuce Wraps) in darling little lettuce leaf cups. Just please don’t tell me about it. I know I’m uncoordinated, but I hate to have that reality stuffed in my face. (Actually, if any stuffing is to be done, I want it to be another one of these wholesome and delightful SALADS, thank you very much! And in the near future too!)

  • 2 tsp. vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp. sesame oil
  • 1 lb. lean ground beef or chicken
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 T. grated ginger
  • ¼ c. hoisin sauce
  • 2 T. peanut butter
  • 2 T. soy sauce
  • 1 T. rice wine vinegar
  • 1 T. water
  • 1 tsp. Sriracha, or more to taste
  • 6 green onions, thinly sliced, divided
  • 1½ lg. romaine hearts, cut into bite sized pieces or 1 head butter lettuce, washed and individual leaves removed at the root
  • 1/3 c. chopped salted peanuts
  • 1 small carrot, shredded
  • 1 c. very thinly sliced English cucumber, cut into half moons

Heat vegetable oil and sesame oil in a large frypan over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the meat as it cooks. Stir in the onion and cook until translucent. (Don’t let it get brown.) Add the garlic and ginger and stir fry for one minute. In a small bowl combine the hoisin sauce, peanut butter, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, water, Sriracha, and 1/3rd of the sliced green onions. Pour over the meat just before you are ready to serve. Let simmer for about 1 minute.

To serve, place romaine on two good sized dinner plates. Spoon as much of the meat mixture (you will probably have extra) onto the lettuce as desired. Garnish with the remaining green onions, chopped peanuts, shredded carrot, and cucumber.

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Serve immediately. No dressing required.

To serve as wraps, spoon several tablespoons of the beef mixture into the center of lettuce leaves. Sprinkle on the peanuts, remaining sliced green onions, shredded carrot, and cucumber. Crump the leaves together at the top and eat like a messy taco. (The very reason I serve this as a salad.)

The meat mixture can also be served over rice if the whole healthy “lettuce and veggies” thing is unappealing. (No guilt trip intended!)

 

SALADE DE CAROTTES RÂPÉES (FRENCH GRATED CARROT SALAD)

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This grated carrot salad recipe that I found on Jennifer Segal’s Once Upon a Chef web site is just amazingly delicious. I was looking for a fresh carrot recipe, and I just didn’t want the old carrot with raisins combination. (In truth, I have always found a carrot and raisin salad moistened with a slightly sweet dressing underwhelming, to say the least.) But when I studied the ingredients in Jennifer’s recipe for this French favorite, I was hooked. I mean really, who doesn’t like a fabulous Dijon mustard and fresh lemon juice vinaigrette to begin with? And fresh Italian parsley? (I use fresh parsley as often as possible. And to think people used to use parsley only as a garnish!)

So for yesterday’s JazzVox pre-concert meal, I decided to take a chance and serve this salad. Well, I am here to tell you, it was a success. So much so that several people asked for the recipe. And why wouldn’t they? It’s a very economical salad to prepare and contains a vegetable that is crunchy, tasty, a wonderful color, and highly nutritious. Carrots, as everyone knows, are a very good source of beta-carotene, fiber, vitamin K, potassium, and antioxidants. Carrots are also associated with lowered cholesterol levels, improved eye health, and a reduced risk of cancer. I say everyone knows about carrots, because didn’t all of us have parents that told us that carrots were good for our eye sight? Along with the fact that spinach would help us grow up big and strong! And by the time my children had young children of their own, good old broccoli was also added to the “vegetable manipulation” list. (Broccoli is supposed to make us smarter! Never did me any good in that regard, and George H. W. Bush knows I ate and still eat a lot of this cruciferous vegetable!) But I digress….

So if you want a taste treat that uses some very humble ingredients and is very easy to prepare, this is the recipe for you. And it’s French! What more is there to say?

  • 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste
  • 3 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp. honey
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 lb. carrots, both ends removed, washed and dried (peeling not necessary)
  • ¼ c. roughly chopped fresh parsley
  • 2-3 finely chopped green onions

Combine the mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper in a small jar. (Dressing can be made several days in advance.) Grate the carrots in a food processor or on a hand grater. Dry on a paper towel lined baking sheet for about 20 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add enough dressing to moisten the carrots. Don’t overdress the salad; the carrots should not be swimming in dressing. Stir in the parsley and green onions. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for an hour or two before serving. Add salt and/or lemon juice, if needed, just before serving. 

ROMAINE LETTUCE WITH ITALIAN SALAD DRESSING

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The other day I was planning to serve a very rich lasagna, and decided that what I needed to go with the lasagna to help cut through the richness from the meat, the sauce, and the inordinate amount of cheese, was a simple romaine salad with an acidic dressing. Not too acidic you realize, but with just the right amount of acidity. And this simple dressing that I have been making since I first discovered champagne vinegar about 10 years ago, immediately came to mind. It‘s one of those salad dressings that coats lettuce beautifully, without leaving it soggy. So a perfect salad dressing to dress up plain bite sized pieces of romaine.

While I’m on the subject of romaine, I think I’ll take the opportunity to expound on its many virtues. (Sometimes I feel romaine is underrated and not given the credit it’s due! So I intend to set the record straight right now.)

First of all, from a nutritional standpoint, romaine lettuce is a very good source of dietary fiber, manganese, potassium, biotin, vitamin B1, copper, iron, and vitamin C. It is also a good source of vitamin B2, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B6, phosphorus, chromium, magnesium, calcium, and pantothenic acid.

Plus, it’s crunchy. (In my book, one of its most redeeming qualities!) And it’s a fairly dark green. (And green is my favorite color. So duh!)

Now I know, many of you are really into the gourmet lettuces. And I understand. I love them too. But when I think salad, I think crunch. And I’m sorry folks, spring mix by itself just does not crunch! Neither does rocket (arugula) or red leaf or any of the other popular soft leaf varieties! And I am still of the school that strongly believes that salad must crunch! To be a proper salad, that is!

So what I am really advocating, in case you haven’t already figured it out, is that romaine lettuce is the bomb! And although you may use other lettuces in your salads as I often do, romaine should still be there to provide that crunchy element necessary to make your all greens salads perfect. (And yes, I love salads with just greens. I also love salads that contain almost all the contents of my refrigerator and pantry. But let’s save that type of salad for another day!)

So if you too love an easy and delicious salad, give this dressing a try. Combined with beautifully perfect bite sized pieces of romaine lettuce, there is just about nothing finer to serve with a rich main dish. Honestly, I promise that you will not miss your darling little leaves of gourmet lettuce. You will also love the fact that you have not spent your paycheck to enjoy a salad that has nutritional value and tastes like it was prepared by the chef at Canlis!

So have fun with this dressing. It is almost fool proof and can be dressed up in any way you choose. Add it to a mixed vegetable salad, a kale and blue cheese salad, or on top of your favorite Cobb salad. Just make it. It’s easy, inexpensive, and perfect. Enjoy!

  • 3 T. champagne vinegar
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • ¾ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ½ c. extra virgin olive oil
  • romaine lettuce or a variety of lettuces including romaine

In a small bowl or covered jar, whisk or shake together vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and garlic. Add the olive oil and either whisk or shake until the liquid is emulsified. Adjust seasoning. Store in the refrigerator, but bring to room temperature before adding to greens of your choice. 

 

 

CRUNCHY CABBAGE SLAW WITH PEANUTS AND PARMESAN

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And yes I know! After you peruse the recipe listed below, you are undoubtedly going to be saying to yourself that it looks like a strange combination of ingredients for a coleslaw. Well, at least the butter, peanuts, and Parmesan part. But there are times when you just have to trust me, and this is one of those times.

I have been making this salad now for more than 20 years. And I can hear what you’re thinking.  “If that’s the case, why have you waited so long to publish the recipe?” Well I guess my only excuse is that I have been busy sharing other recipes with you. And let’s be honest. Not everyone is as enamored with slaw as I am or you are. (You’re reading this recipe, so obviously you like coleslaw too.) So how come you are publishing it now you ask?

Well, it all started because I needed a slaw to serve yesterday with chili. (You really need to serve something crunchy with chili and cornbread, or your guests might as well check their dentures at the door!) So with crunchy and delicious in mind, this old favorite jumped into my brain along with one of my favorite cookbook related memories.

I was still working in HR at the time I self-published my first cookbook which included this recipe. One day I was sitting in my cube minding my own business, when a fellow associate burst through my “door”* jumping up and down with excitement. Apparently she and her teenage daughter had prepared this salad the evening before and her whole family had loved it. She must have thanked me 5 times before she left my cube. I was exhausted by the time she returned to her office and I hadn’t even lifted my carcass off my chair!

So if a good coleslaw excites you too, this is one you simply must try. It’s delicious, and all of the slaw can be prepared ahead of time (even the day before) except for the last minute addition of fried peanuts and finely grated Parmesan cheese.

*And for those of you who don’t know what a work cubicle (cube) “door” looks like, allow me to elucidate. It looks like air! A cubicle door is merely an opening in a small partitioned, low walled work space, through which anyone can enter any old time they choose, and not a single secret can be hidden either from view or from auditory perception. In other words, doorknobs need not apply! Enjoy the slaw.

  • 4 c. shredded green cabbage
  • 1 c. shredded red cabbage
  • 1 c. finely chopped celery
  • ½ c. sour cream
  • ½ c. light mayonnaise
  • ½ tsp. seasoned salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ c. thinly sliced green onions
  • ¼ c. chopped red bell pepper
  • ½ English cucumber, partially peeled, seeded, and cubed
  • 1 T. chopped Italian parsley
  • 1 T. butter
  • ½ to ¾ c. lightly salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
  • 2 T. finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Combine cabbage and celery in a large salad bowl. Cover and refrigerate. Mix sour cream, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, green onions, red pepper, cucumber, and parsley together. Cover and refrigerate. Just before serving, melt butter in a small sauté pan. Add peanuts and stir fry until lightly browned. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Toss chilled vegetables, dressing, and peanuts together. Serve immediately.