Thank A Veteran Today

And think about our veterans. That’s always good too. And not just today. 

I made some of the usual – Chicken on a Roll with Honey Mustard Dressing (email me for the recipe), Roasted Potato Salad and Baked Beans.

I also served some really great Amish Vegetable Chips. To learn more about them, you'll have to read my next(ish) post to hear about my travels...

The other thing I made was some pretty wicked Chinese-Style Cole Slaw.

It was wicked because, for the first time ever, I neglected to put on gloves when I was handling the hot peppers. In this case, it was a jalapeño, which might have been bearable, but the other was a fiery red habañero.

Really, what was I thinking? And there have been many times when I haven’t had gloves handy and I just use plastic bags with rubber bands around my wrists. WHY didn’t I do that? 

I tried to wash the hot poison off my hands. (I hadn’t yet read about rubbing your hands with vegetable oil after you wash them and then wash them again. It works!) Unfortunately (I still can’t believe how dumb I was), I took out my contac lenses with my burning hands. I think I must have been in a coma or something. It did everything you would think it would. My eyes burned to high heaven!!! AND I won’t even tell you that the next day I tried to salvage the contacs…Don’t do that either! 

But try this cole slaw. It tastes more like the cabbage salad you get in Chinese restaurants than the kind you have at a picnic, but it is GOOD. It would be fantastic with pulled pork, flank steak or really anything. Just be sure to do what I SAY, not what I DID when dealing with hot peppers. 

Spicy Chinese-Style Cole Slaw (serves 4 to 6)

Printable recipe here adapted from Gourmet’s Hot-And-Sour Coleslaw 1/2 small head cabbage, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced or grated 1 teaspoon salt 3 carrots, shredded 1/4 cup scallions, finely sliced 1/2  red pepper, cut into thin strips 1/4 cup cider vinegar 1/4 cup sugar 2 thick slices ginger 1  jalapeño, sliced into rounds (remove the seeds) – Wear gloves when handling 1/4  of a habañero, without seeds, stem, core or ribs - Wear gloves when handling 1 tbl. sesame oil Stir together cabbage and salt. Add carrots and scallions and stir well. Bring red pepper, vinegar, sugar, ginger, jalapeño and habañero to a boil in a very small saucepan, stirring over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Cook for about 30 seconds.  Remove ginger, jalapeño and habañero pieces (you’ll be glad you did). Stir in sesame oil, then pour over cabbage mixture and toss to coat. Stir really well before serving. Can be made a day ahead and refrigerated, tightly wrapped. Note: I don't usually tell anyone, but my baked beans recipe is this - Heat one can of Heinz Vegetarian Baked Beans with one can of Bush's Vegetarian Baked Beans. Add 3 good squirts of KC Masterpiece Original Barbecue Sauce. Simmer on a low heat for 15 minutes.They'll thicken up as they cook. Serve hot.