Cabbage-heads!

We spent New Year's Eve and New Year's Day in Vicksburg; the DHubby and Daughter had a number of bowl game assignments lined up.  DH wore his Penn State sweatshirt for luck.  I went along for the ride, basically--and also to serve as chief cook and bottle-washer.  After some phone consultation on our menu choices, our daughter (pretty much a non-cook) shopped for groceries and stocked the larder, planning to have Cornish game hens one night and pork chops the next.  Cole slaw was to be one of the side dishes, along with sweet potatoes, green beans, and hoppin' john. 

Aside:  the night of the 30th / 31st was stormy, and we set off in rainy, windy, muggy conditions.  I'm blaming the weather for our forgetting the shopping bag with extra ingredients and the wine--obviously, a nearly tragic oversight!  We stopped at a small local grocery, Super Junior, before arriving at our daughter's home, since I knew what had been left behind; after we unloaded the car, DH set out for a nearby wine shop for additional necessities.  

Once supplied and snugly inside--just before a huge storm broke--we began putting things away.  I opened the refrigerator and saw a large, green, round, shrink-wrapped item........and I asked our daughter, "Dear, did you think you were buying cabbage?  Because this is iceberg lettuce."  (Hilarity ensues.)  Actually, it came in handy for lunch sandwiches the next day.  


On New Year's Day, the Football Buddies cheered in vain for their teams, all of whom (alas) lost their bowl games.  I busied myself in the kitchen, took a walk, worked some crosswords....then ran out for a couple of items from Super Junior (thankfully, it was open!) after our discovery that Kroger's chops were, um, expired.  I was rummaging happily for the nicest pork chops when a young guy (nineteen or so) said, "Ma'am?  Could you help me?"  He gestured at the vegetable display.  "Which one of these is cabbage?"


He was reaching for the iceberg lettuce.  Survival tip:  when in doubt, ask a gray-haired old lady.  I picked out a nice cabbage for him, saying, "My daughter just made the same mistake!"  


If you are able to tell the difference between iceberg lettuce and cabbage, please try this nice dressing on your slaw:


2 packets Truvia (zero calories) or 2 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
Whisk in a bowl or shake in a small jar to dissolve salt and sweetener.
Add:  2 Tbsp vegetable oil
           1 Tbsp sesame oil
Whisk or shake well to combine and toss with shredded cabbage.  (You might also add some shredded red bell pepper, and the addition of toasted sunflower seeds is tasty.)