Spicy Cole Slaw with Candied Jalapenos

I love cole slaw. It's so easy now that they do all the shredding for you. I know fresh chopped cabbage is better & I should tell you to use that, but sometimes we need things that are really quick & easy!

Cole slaw is one of those salads that can take on many different flavors. One of our favorites would be Spicy Cole Slaw with Candied Jalapenos. It's great with BBQ, burgers or anything off the grill.

Spicy Cole Slaw

1 package of precut slaw mix

2 tablespoons of Franks Sweet Red Chili

1/2 cup pineapple tidbits, drained well
reserve 1 tablespoon of the pineapple juice

2 tablespoons of chopped candied jalapenos (recipe below)

1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion

Mix the Frank's Sweet Red Chili sauce & 1 tablespoon of the pineapple juice.

Add this to the slaw, then add all other ingredients. 

Toss well to coat.

Will still look a little dry, but the cabbage will release moisture as it sits, so don't add more wet ingredients.

When you are ready to serve, if it looks to dry add a little more of the Franks before serving.

Place in fridge & let chill for at least 30 minutes before serving for the full flavor to develop.



Candied Jalapeno Peppers

4 large jalapeno peppers, washed well
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/8 tsp of kosher salt

Wash jalapenos & cut into rings. You can remove the seeds if you would like less heat. I enjoy the heat & left them in.

In large skillet mix water & sugar, add the salt. Bring to a low boil, mixing well.

Reduce heat to medium-high heat & add jalapenos.
Stir to coat peppers with sugar mixture, cook for 3 minutes.

Remove & let cool the peppers cool.

After they are cooled, bring sugar mixture back to medium-high heat & cook again for 3 minutes. Remove & cool.

Can be stored in fridge until ready to use in recipes. Use within a week for food safety sake!

Vegetables were not created to be limp!

Resolve to Change #2
Don't kill your veggies...they've done nothing wrong!


Until about 20 years ago my vegetable plate would have been corn,green beans, and lettuce salad. I hated this seemingly unneccesary food group with a passion. Those funky colored English Peas could make me run crying from the table. Don't even begin to make me try greens of any kind. I ate salad that consisted of iceberg lettuce, bacon bits (those hard red kind) and cheese. I added the boiled egg and Thousand Island dressing to my salad. These were my "vegetables".

I have grown leaps and bounds since then, but still need work on a few of those greens! Upon examining what I hated about vegetables I discovered it was the way they were prepared. The overcooked, limp, mushy things on my plate really took away from my Southern meals. Why would you cook beautiful pieces of fried chicken and make fluffy mashed potatoes to only plop down mushy vegetable to complete the plate?

Over the years I have learned to eat so many vegetables I never thought I would enjoy. Cooking a vegetable until it loses it's color also drains it of all it's nutrients. Vegetables should be steamed, sauted, grilled or eaten raw to retain their health benefits. I am so addicted to farmers markets and love asparagus grilled with fresh garlic and olive oil. Frozen vegetables are the next choice after fresh for taste, but even canned veggies retain some nutrients to provide our bodies with what we need.

Be kind to the little green beans...love your asparagus...handle with care your sweet little carrots...don't send them to the party all limp and mushy!! Try this recipe this spring when the asparagus is fresh, it's so easy and guick, don't cook too long!...No limp veggies!

Roasted Fresh Aspargus with Garlic
Wash and clean the amount of asparagus needed to serve 5-6 spears per person.
Pat dry with towel, snap off woody ends and place in shallow ovenproof dish
Toss with 1 tabespoon of olive or canola oil
Finely chop 2-3 cloves of garlic, add to asparagus and salt lightly if desired, Toss well to coat.
Bake or grill at 325 degrees for 10 minutes or until spears begin to turn brown, may need to turn during cooking time,depending on your oven or grill.

Check out some really good information at the American Dietetic Association
http://www.eatright.org