Pretty Purple Coleslaw

Where has purple cabbage been all my life? Okay, even the ho hum green just got introduced to me a few years ago. But the purple--it's just so beautiful. I've made several salads with it recently and although none of my children has yet eagerly ventured into eating those salads, they've all been intrigued and some have even swooned ("Mom, it's puuurple") over the way these salads have looked. When you've got picky kids, that's a pretty big step (and a far cry from the usual it-looks-gross response).

After making an incredible and colorful rainbow salad (coming soon), I still had half a head of cabbage left. And then there was Memorial Day and then there was coleslaw. The end. Seriously, though, I was craving some delicious slaw something fierce, and this simple, beautiful little concoction really hit the spot and added a pop of color to our burger and chips meal.

I love it on so many levels: 1) It's pretty, 2) It's pretty healthy (sure there's a dressing, but there's also a purple vegetable), 3) It's easy, 4) It can make a bunch of food quickly and is therefore is really good for potlucks or BBQs, 5) It's cheap, 6) Even though it's easy and cheap, it's really really tasty.

I'd never made regular old coleslaw before (gasp) and had always assumed there was some magic to it. Nope. No magic. Unless you consider mayonnaise magic (I kinda do). It was incredibly simple and can be left that way or dressed up a bit with chunks of apple, sesame seeds, or whatever. I went simple.

Pretty Purple Coleslaw
adapted from Homeschool Encouragement
Makes at least 12 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Rest time: optional, but I do think this is better after it chills for a couple hours
Cost: $2.70 (that's about a quarter a serving)
cabbage: 2.00, carrots: .15, mayo: .40, vinegar: .10, sugar: .05

Veggies:
1 smallish head purple cabbage, chopped
1 C carrots, grated (about 2 carrots)
Note: I made my slaw with just those two ingredients and it was delicious and beautiful. However, if you wanted to dress it up, I think that a cup or so of tart chopped/grated apples and a scoop of sunflower seeds would go really well with it too. I don't think it needs it. In fact, those who love classic slaw would surely prefer it without, but I do think it would be a great way to pimp this coleslaw if that's your thing.

Dressing:
2-3 Tbsp sugar
1/4 C apple cider vinegar
3/4 mayonnaise
1/2 tsp salt

Chop your cabbage. I do this by slicing it into rounds and then cutting those rounds up. Shred your carrots. Combine in a large bowl.

Combine dressing ingredients.

Mix dressing into veggies. Let sit at room temp for 20-30 minutes. (This allows the sugar to melt into the dressing, so don't skip this step.)

Chill for an hour or two if you can spare it. Stir again before serving.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Zucchini Lemon Bread

Pictured here with all white (all-purpose) flour and a more sugary glaze. 

Zucchini season is coming. It's like the zombie apocalypse, only greener and without dead people who are trying to eat you (sounds like a win win to me). But anyway, yes, zucchini--sometimes there's a lot of it. I have a zucchini bread on here that I love with my soul, but when I saw this zucchini lemon bread on Cooking on the Ranch, it really caught my eye. It was like a lemon bread with zucchini snuck in. Zucchini sneaks very well (just like a zombie, right). Zucchini is so mild in flavor that it can meld with a lot of foods while also adding moisture to them.

This bread is delicious. The first time I made it with all white flour (pictured above). The second time I used half whole wheat flour so that I could justify it for breakfast instead of dessert (story of my life, people). I think I might like the second version even better. I often enjoy the depth of flavor a whole grain gives baked goods. I also thinned out the glaze on top so it was intensely lemony and I looove that.

And here with the whole wheat and thinner glaze. 

Zucchini Lemon Bread
adapted from Cooking on the Ranch
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
makes 1 loaf
Cost: $1.50 (or about $.10/serving)
(flour: .10, whole wheat flour: .20, eggs: .20, oil: .10, sugar: .10, milk: .10, lemon: .20 (asian store price), zucchini: .50 (and that's gonna be all but free come summer)

Note: I peeled my zucchini in order to keep my children unsuspecting. Because that's the kind of Mom I am.

1 C all-purpose flour
1 C whole wheat flour (preferably white whole wheat)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 C canola oil
2/3 C sugar
1/2 C buttermilk (or 1/2 Tbsp vinegar with 1/2 C milk)
juice of 1 lemon
zest of 1 lemon
1 C grated zucchini

In large bowl, beat eggs. Add canola oil and sugar. Then buttermilk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and zucchini. Mix.

To this add the dry ingredients. Mix.

Grease a loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until a knife inserted comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. (Note: If you use a 9x5 inch pan, your baking time may be shorter.)

Let cool 15-20 minutes. Add glaze. Let cool another few minutes and remove from pan (if you want; we're not bossy around here).

Lemon Glaze:
(Yes, you can skip the glaze, if you want to be lame or healthy or something, but I do believe it increases the overall lemony-ness of this bread. It adds another $.30 cents or so to your cost)
Note: The original recipe called for 2 Tbsp lemon juice and 1 C powdered sugar. It was good, but I found that I liked it better with less sugar. I poured some lemon juice into a bowl and then added powdered sugar until the mixture was still clearish (as opposed to white, which is how it is with more sugar) and sweet/tart. Feel free to experiment with the ratios of lemon to sugar as your little heart/tongue desires.

1/3 C powdered sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Combine. Drizzle over top of bread (I do this while still in loaf pan so that the pan catches the drippings and then they sort of soak into the loaf. But you can take the loaf out and then glaze if you wish.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

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Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

I realize that the time is nearly foregone for posting soup recipes, but I did want to try to squeeze in one more. I think I can get away with it because this soup is sort of a double agent. Sure it could be a comforting creamy winter soup, but there's also something inherently bright and summery to it. I used canned corn and Rotel, but some off-the-ear corn would rock and I'm betting some homegrown tomatoes and a jalepeno would work too.

Also, it's stupid simple (why didn't I give my blog that name, you ask). You throw stuff in a crock pot and let it sit. I seriously looove those recipes. I actually had kind of low expectations for this soup because it seemed a little too easy. Nope. It totally worked.

It was also one of those wonderfully adaptable soups. Only have 1/2 lb of chicken breast--no problem. Want to add beans--go for it. Random bits of cheese--be my guest (although I'd recommend at least a dose of cheddar). Spicy--fine; not--okay too. Top it with cilantro or not. Serve it with a dash of lime or not. It just works. I mean unless you sub beef for the chicken and nutritional yeast for the cheese and peas for the corn and apple juice for the chicken broth--in that case I'm not sure I can help you...

Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup
adapted from Cinnamon, Spice, and Everything Nice
Serves about 10
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 4 hours
Cost: $4.00
chicken: 2.00, Rotel: 1.00, corn: .50, chicken broth: .50, cheese: 1.00

Note: If you want you can saute a chopped onion and a few cloves of garlic and a small chopped red pepper in some oil and then dump that in, go for it. I took the low (and stupid simple road) and sprinkled in some onion powder and garlic powder and skipped the pepper--told you it was adaptable).

1 lb chicken breast (less works and mine were frozen)
4 C chicken broth
1 can Rotel (2 would work too)
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained, optional (I skipped--I love them but Kip hates them)
onion powder
garlic powder
1-2 tsp chili powder (I used 1)
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1 1/2 C shredded Cheddar (or Monterey Jack or both)
1 C sour cream
tortilla chips and avocado for serving if you wish

Put everything into a crock pot (except cheese and sour cream) and cook on high for 3-4 hours on high or on low 5-6. A half hour before you eat, take the chunks of chicken up and shred them. Put them back in. Then stir in sour cream and shredded cheese (I shred my own; if you buy it shredded it won't incorporate quite as well because they coat it with something).

Serve with extra cheese or avocado or tortilla chips or whatever.

Note: We made homemade tortilla chips by cutting up a tortilla and pan-frying it until golden on either side and then salting it. My kids are gaga for these. And maybe one day they'll get their own post, but for now this will have to do.

PRINTABLE RECIPE