Tuesday, May 2, 2017

Cole Slaw and Other Things

It's May!
Do you know what that means?

It means that the Obis' big move is only a couple of weeks away.
I don't know whether to cheer or cry. In the end, I'll probably do both.

With time drawing near, though, hubby and I made quick trip to the ranch last week to box up some things at his mother's house. You see, not only are we moving from our house, we are having to empty my late MIL's house so it can be renovated. As if moving isn't complicated enough, we're essentially moving into/out of three houses.

Whew!

But back to the reason for our trip. Inside my MIL's house are many interesting things. Like books.
Lots and lots of books.
Travel books, gardening books, children's books, school books, books that date back to the 1800's. Heaven for many of you, I'm sure. But hubby and his sister had quite the task, sorting through all of these, deciding who wanted what, what was trash and what should be donated.

While they tackled that, I worked in the dining room where three generations of crystal had been at home for the past 40+ years.
You can't tell from these photos, but each of these cabinets was jam-packed.
And though my SIL and I had already divvied-up and packed away the items hidden in cupboards, it still took me a good 9 hours to carefully wrap and pack up everything.

Ah, yes... Nothing like a clean slate to make one feel as though they've made some progress.

Of course, waking up to a cool morning at the camphouse is always good for the soul.
A hot cup of tea, a porch swing and a little steam rising from the warm water... Perfect.

A couple of weeks ago we were discussing the different ways people make potato salad. Well, here's another summertime salad that can be just a varied.

Cole slaw.
A staple of backyard barbeques. Yet it also makes a good topping for sandwiches, depending on how you dress it.

Today, though, we're talking creamy cole slaw. My favorite when eating it alone.
And so easy to make.
You simply start with some shredded cabbage or, if you're like me, a bag of the tri-colored slaw from the supermarket.
Then, in a medium size bowl or measuring cup, add 1/2 a cup of mayonnaise and 1/3-1/2 a cup of sour cream. Then add a good squirt or two of Dijon mustard (a couple of tablespoons worth). I really like Dijon in salads because it has a nice tang.
Then add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt and a good pinch of ground black pepper and mix well.
Pour over your cabbage...
And toss to coat.
You can serve it immediately or place it in the fridge a bit to let the flavors meld.
If you prefer a thinner dressing, simple add some milk to your mayo mixture until you like the consistency before adding to the cabbage.

My husband loves cabbage, so we often have slaw in lieu of a lettuce salad. On this night we had it with some grilled chicken thighs.
However, this recipe is so easy to change up depending on what you're serving. If we're having fish or shrimp, I'll often substitute Old Bay Seasoning for the seasoned salt. For a little more tang, a splash or two of vinegar might be in order. Some folks add a little sugar for a sweeter flavor. Whatever you can think of. And don't we all love versatile recipes?

Now it's your turn.
Do you like cole slaw? If so, what's your favorite version?




Mindy Obenhaus lives in Texas with her husband and the last of her five children. She's passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more at www.MindyObenhaus.com 

10 comments:

  1. I love cole slaw! I love the sweet oil/vinegar/pineapple versions, and the creamy versions.... I've never done mustard with cole slaw, so that might be interesting.... I tend toward the mayo/vinegar/sugar/salt simple dressing, but honestly, Mindy, I've never met a slaw I didn't like, so I bet this is marvelous!

    I find that the dressing thins naturally by pulling moisture from the shredded cabbage once it's mixed, so I leave it on the thick side until after it's sat a while.

    Love it! Now you may have inspired me to make some today!!!!

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  2. Ruthy, the tang of Dijon is similar to the vinegar, so there you go. And I just might need to make some today, too, since I have a bag of tri-colored mix sitting in the crisper drawer of my fridge. Don't know what we'll have with it, as I've been using up what's left in the freezer, but I'll figure out something.

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  3. I love coleslaw but I've never made it! The like the creamy kind so I might just have to try this. Not a fan of the tangy, sour, oily kind.

    I can't believe all the packing up and moving out you're doing! How's your shoulder? That can't be good for it. Are the dogs all freaked out? My dogs always hated to move.

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    1. Dogs are fine, Kav, but they'd rather be outside playing ball, so they may be a little miffed about that.

      Believe it or not, within the past week, my shoulder has been feeling much better. I'm still not 100% pain free, but it's a noticeable difference. And I'm sleeping much better. All that said, I still have limitations and am keenly aware of them.

      Kav, it's easy to break this recipe down into small amounts so you don't have to eat on it for a week. Just use equal ratios of mayo and sour cream then wing the rest a little at a time until it tastes just right for you.

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  4. We're cole slaw lovers at our house, too! I love the creamy slaw, so I'll have to try your recipe.

    I don't envy your move, but I know you'll love the results. A dream come true, isn't it?

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    1. Jan, by the end of this year, all of the moving and renovations will be history and we'll be living our dream. Until then... Well, I always say that anything worth having is worth the work it takes to get there.

      Isn't slaw a quick and easy side? And a nice change to having salads every night.

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  5. Mindy, I don't think I've ever put sour cream in slaw. YUM! I'll have to try it.

    Best of luck with the moving! Sounds like you've made a lot of progress already. And man...two houses to pack! I'll be thinking of you over the next few weeks.

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    1. Yeah, leave it to us to make things more difficult, Missy. But it'll be worth it. Later anyway. It's all an adventure.

      I love the sour cream in slaw. That whole creaminess thing. Love, love, love it.

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  6. I don't have a recipe (deli again) but I love cole slaw. I especially love to dump it on top of ham on a Kaiser roll. HUNGRY now.

    Good luck with the move. I was messaging with my sister the other night as she sent photos of stuff in my mother's china closet to see if my daughters wanted any of it.

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    1. Mary Cate, I've seen a lot of recipes for slaw to top sandwiches. My husband saw a chef making one on Food Network a week or so ago and is now longing to do the same. And it's no wonder. I mean, you've got the sauce, the crunch... YUM!

      My SIL and I had done that very same thing with our daughters earlier. This time I was packing up the things we couldn't decide on. My boys have no interest now, but they or their spouses might want some things later. Then there are the great grandkids. But that's a job for another day.

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