Easy Coleslaw - Recipe

I like simply made and tasty recipes, and my Easy Coleslaw is one of the best, and I make it more than ever since packages of shredded cabbage and carrot are so cheap. 

I grew up eating Southern-style Slaw -- super creamy from all the extra mayo. Go to any local BBQ Joint and choose a side of Coleslaw to go with fried chicken or sliced smoked brisket. 

I only use 3 ingredients for my Easy Coleslaw, just a package of shredded cabbage and carrot, mayonnaise, and black pepper. 

I always find chilled bags of chopped Coleslaw mix at the 99c only Store in the deli case. It is a good mix of green and purple cabbage along with the shredded carrot. You can add a little extra carrot if you like - I do if I have a carrot in the refrigerator crisper. Carrot is easy to shred if you have a box shredder.

There are a lot of mayo types to choose from these days. And real mayonnaise always shows up at my local 99c only Store and Dollar Tree. Keep it vegan with veggie mayo.

I leave out extra ingredients a lot of recipes like to add. Extras include a teaspoon of celery seed. Some like their Coleslaw sweet so add a teaspoon of sugar or favorite sweetener. 

A splash of vinegar will give Coleslaw an extra kick. I have a Deli-style Coleslaw recipe that has a mix of vinegar and olive oil, just click here to see that one.

I like an Easy Coleslaw that's creamy with mayo and peppery. Chill it and serve it for your next family picnic or barbecue.

Easy Coleslaw - Video

Play it here, video runs 1 minute, 31 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Ingredients

• 1 pre-shredded package cabbage and carrot - about 14 ounces or 6 cups (loosely packed.)
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise - Okay to add a tablespoon at a time to reach desired creaminess.
• Black Pepper to taste - about a teaspoon of black pepper. I like an extra pepper taste. Okay to add some salt, too. I find mayo is salty enough.

*Recipes with real mayo should be kept refrigerated until ready to serve. Do not leave Coleslaw in direct sunlight.

Directions

Add a 14-ounce package of shredded cabbage and carrot to a large bowl.

I start with a quarter cup of mayo and mix well. Okay to add a tablespoon of mayo at a time to reach desired creaminess. 

Finally season with pepper. Add a little at a time and taste Coleslaw. A  tablespoon of pepper is about right. I do like extra fresh ground black pepper. Okay to add or leave out salt -- mayo is salty enough for me.

Finally, mix well. Taste and add more pepper or mayo if needed.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. If you make it a day ahead, you may need to add a tablespoon or two of fresh mayo, to bring Coleslaw back to normal creaminess. Once mayo is mixed into Coleslaw it will break down a bit overnight and may sweat out some water, do drain if needed.

Hindsight

Other recipes call for celery seed, sugar, and vinegar. Make the recipe the way you like it by adding any of the above.

Each day the Coleslaw is in the refrigerator, the mayo will break down some and become watery. You can drain liquid from Coleslaw and add a tablespoon of mayo at a time, to bring back desired creaminess. 

Vegan mayo works fine. There are Coleslaws without mayo. You can just use vinegar and a little olive oil instead of mayo. You may want to add a little sweetener. Shelled roasted peanuts are a nice extra-crunchy addition for vinegar/oil Coleslaws.

If you want to make Homemade Coleslaw start with half a head of cabbage and a whole carrot. Shred or finely chop. Finally, add mayo and black pepper. That will make about the same amount as a packaged bag of shredded Coleslaw. 

Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan

Cauliflower tastes like a mix of cabbage and broccoli to this cheap epicurean. Steamed is fine, but I prefer my cauliflower oven roasted. It brings out a caramelized sweetness, and by drizzling on some olive oil and adding dried parmesan, kicks it into a scrumptious flavor profile.

And cauliflower is a cheaply nutritious veggie I don't cook enough with. My local market always has it on sale.

The dried parmesan I use probably has been on the shelf  for a decade, but roasting it helps bring back the sharp cheesy flavor. Of course, you can use a fresher expensive name brand.

I like to cook the cauliflower with leaves and stems - no point in wasting anything, it's all good! Roasting veggies helps to retain their natural crunch.

I bet that once you try my Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan recipe, it will become a favorite you will frequently serve.

 Ingredients

• 1 head of cauliflower - break off or chop florets.
• 2 to 3 tablespoons of dried parmesan - okay to use fresh shaved.
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• Black pepper to taste - dried parmesan has plenty of salt to my taste.

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. I roast the whole head of cauliflower including stem and leaves. Remove stem and leaves from cauliflower. Trim off brown or dried ends of stem and leaves. Slice stem into one inch pieces. Turn over cauliflower with stem side up and break, or slice off cauliflower florets. Usually the last floret is a big one, so just slice it into edible size pieces.

Arrange stem pieces, leaves and cauliflower florets in a baking pan or dish. Drizzle with olive oil, turning florets to coat well. Sprinkle on dried parmesan. Finish with black pepper to taste.

Bake uncovered for 30 - 45 minutes, to desired tenderness*. Turn cauliflower florets a couple of times during baking to evenly brown. Cauliflower stems will pierce easily with a knife or fork when done.

*Sometimes I cover the cauliflower for half the time so it steams even softer, just uncover for the final 20 minutes or so, to get some of the brown caramelization.