Tasty Bites: Mom's Creamy Coleslaw

By Beth V

This recipe has been probably been prepared upwards of 50 times over the years by my sweet mom. She is known for her delicious coleslaw and potato salad. Generally, when asked for a recipe, it goes something like this… add a little of this, until it looks right, then add some of that, taste it and add a little more until it tastes right…you get the idea! So, I undertook to translate her recipe into a written form with actual measurements. This is such a simple and delicious recipe.

Start with 1 average-size head of cabbage. Peel back the tough outer leaves. Cut off the stem and cut the head in half. Cut out the solid white crispy core. Lay the cut-side of the head flat in the cutting board and cut into very thin ribbons.

Turn the cutting board, then cut across going the other direction so that your cabbage is finely chopped.

My mom cuts hers into quarters and grates it using the large holes on a box grater. If you have a food processor, this is a perfect application for the grating disk as well. Or, you can simply buy a bag of shredded cabbage for coleslaw from the bagged-salad section. I feel like the cabbage is a little more tender when you start from scratch, but it probably doesn’t make a huge difference either way. Now, grab a peeled carrot and grate that into the cabbage.

The dressing is key here. Start with a cup of good mayonnaise. Pick one that you really enjoy since any off-flavors will not be masked in this super-simple dressing. Add in 3 tablespoons lemon juice and 3 tablespoons sugar. Stir this well until the sugar crystals have dissolved. Since I had fresh lemons available, I used fresh-squeezed lemon juice. My mom uses the bottled kind. Either way tastes great.

Pour over the cabbage/carrot mixture. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

This is best prepared several hours in advance or even the night before. The cabbage will release some of its liquid, making it a bit less crunchy and the flavors will have a chance to combine nicely.  This salad stores well for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. Stir well before serving.

Enjoy!

Mom’s Creamy Coleslaw

1 average-sized head of lettuce, chopped or grated (or a bag of shredded cabbage from the salad aisle)

1 carrot, peeled and grated

1 cup good mayonnaise

3 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons sugar

Chop or shred the cabbage and pour into a bowl. Grate the carrot into the cabbage. In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice and sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Pour over shredded cabbage and stir until it is well-coated. Refrigerate several hours or overnight before serving to allow the flavors to blend. Stores well for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.

Beth is a stay-at-home mom of three wonderfully active children ages seven, four and one. She is married to Jason V (who also writes for us here at MAD21) and spends her days teaching, changing diapers, sweeping up Cheerios, stepping over Legos, keeping peace among the kids, and enjoying the creative outlet of cooking.