This is a staple side dish in our home. It's worlds away from the store-prepared kind, at least the ones I've tried, although I do remember trying one of those that I thought was quite good. I think it may be that freshness is very important. Sometimes cole slaw keeps well, and sometimes, it doesn't. I'm not quite sure what makes the difference. Anyway, you'll find it's quite easy to prepare and worth the not-so-great-effort required.
| 4 | cups | CabbageSliced as thinly as possible |
| 1 | cup | Green PepperSliced very thinly in long strips |
| ½ | cup | CelerySliced as thinly as possible |
| ½ | cup | Onions, Sweet or SaladSliced as thinly as possible, in strips similar in length to the green pepper |
| ⅓ | cup | MayonnaiseHellmann's, or Best Foods in western USA, is a great choice |
| 1 | tbsp | HoneyScant, or to taste |
| 1 | tbsp | Lemon JuiceScant, freshly squeezed |
| 1 | In a large mixing bowl, place all the vegetables as they are prepared. Make a "well" by creating an indentation in the middle as you push the vegetables to the side of the bowl. |
| 2 | Feel free to add other vegetables. A variety of colored peppers works especially well. You could use scallions instead of salad onion. I've found, however, that cucumbers do not work well; they produce too much liquid. Occasionally, my husband likes pineapple, which must be especially well-drained to work well, or even served on the side in small pieces. |
| 3 | In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, honey, and lemon juice until well-combined. Be a little patient. Mix the ingredients slowly together at first and soon they will combine into an excellent dressing. |
| 4 | Pour the dressing into the well in the midst of the sliced vegetables. With two large spoons, or a spoon and fork, gently mix together the vegetables and dressing, just until they're somewhat incorporated. Then let the mixed ingredients sit for at least five minutes. This is very important. Just before eating, mix the cole slaw again and you'll find that it all works very well. If you feel it's needed, cautiously, add a little mayonnaise. |
| 5 | It's important not to overmix. Overmixing causes the dressing to become liquified and then disappear into the bottom of the bowl. This may be the most essential part of the directions for preparing cole slaw. It's important that the vegetables and their dressing remain well-blended and not separated. |
| 6 | If you like cole slaw, I think you'll enjoy using this recipe often. |