Cole Slaw Salad

This salad is a family favorite.  My mom started making it over 25 years ago.  It's a real easy salad to throw together.  It's a great one to make the day before it's needed too. You can mix the salad ingredients together.   Then mix the dressing together.  Just be sure to toss the dressing right before serving.

Cole Slaw Salad
1 medium head cabbage, shredded
1 green pepper, chopped
1 package chicken ramen noodles, crunched up
1/2 cup slivered almonds

In a large bowl place cabbage, green pepper, almonds and crunched up ramen noodles.  Reserve seasoning packet for the dressing.

dressing
seasoning packet from the chicken ramen noodles
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Mix all ingredients together except oil.  Whisk together until sugar is dissolved.  Then whisk in oil.

Pour dressing on cabbage mixture.  Serve immediately.

BLT Pasta Salad

My dear friends, Andrea and Bill, have a huge garden every year.  Last year they planted 47 tomato plants.  They are generous with their tomatoes.  Andrea also shared this recipe with me.  It's a great way to use up some of those delicious tomatoes in the summer. 

My sister-in-law requested this salad at a recent family event.  It was pretty good with the store bought variety of tomatoes.  But boy it got me thinking of summer days with fresh from the garden tomatoes.

This recipe makes a lot.  I double it for family events but I have a HUGE family.  So unless you have a HUGE family (and a HUGE bowl), I'd stick with the original recipe.

BLT Pasta Salad
1 package (16 oz) wagon wheel pasta
1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled or chopped
4 ripe plum tomatoes, halved then sliced
3 cups chopped romaine lettuce

dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 T. cider vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions, al dente is best.  Rinse under cold water and set aside to drain.  In a large bowl combine pasta, bacon, tomatoes and lettuce.

In a separate small bowl, mix dressing ingredients until smooth. 
Pour over pasta mixture and toss to coat.

Serve Immediately.

Thanks Andrea.  This one's a winner!