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Sweet Old-Fashioned Apple Raisin Cole Slaw

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apple raisin cole slaw

 

I really hate to admit this, especially being from the central midwest, but, gosh I hated cole slaw when I was a kid! I mean, it was just plain and simply, pure torture. Not just a “dislike”, but painful to my tastebuds!

I think the main reason must have been that the ones I had been made to eat, a gloppy mound of “stinky stuff” placed on my plate and forced to endure or “No dessert!” – – the ones brought to picnics and family gatherings – – just plain had too much vinegar in them.

They weren’t creamy…there was no sweetness whatsoever ..not at all. You could smell it clear from the other end of the picnic table. It was just that strong. And it just was never something I could handle. So I thought as a small child. But turns out… I was right. 😉   

After being in the hospital multiple times for lengthy amounts of time, a doctor once explained to me why food suddenly tasted so strong that I could hardly eat it. He said, “When you’re born and throughout your childhood, your tastebuds are very sharp! Everything tastes extremely strong. As we grow older, our taste buds dull and slowly become less sharp, and we can tolerate more things. And when you have to go without eating for a long amount of time, your tastebuds restore back to when you were a kid.” Ok, sooooo…..

…..nice way of saying, “Food is intense, and when you start to get old, your taste buds dull.” That’s what I heard anyways. It all made sense. But in a sad way. 

But here’s the kicker….if our taste buds didn’t dull a bit, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy the things we do now, right? When I was a kid, I haaaaaated green beans. And peas???!!!!  Oh good lord, just stick a hot poker in my eye so I can leave the table and go do my homework. Please!!!

Seriously, I would not have been kidding. Wearing an eye patch for a week would trump peas any day. And lima beans would justify an amputation. 

I think I had THE MOST healthy BONES in the entire world when I was a kid. Not due to eating my veggies….but because I used to use milk to gulp them down. 😉 One bite of alien green things washed down with one gulp of milk. Repeat until plate is cleaned. (Or until mom finally gives up and the very last was QUIETLY scraped back into the pan on the stove. 😉 ) Just kidding. We never did that. Leftovers would mean certain death.

We hid the last of the peas in the garbage and were very eager to take out the garbage that night! Don’t judge! I’m sure you all pulled some fast maneuvers , too! 😉 It’s called, “Surviving childhood.”  

But THIS cole slaw….developed for sensitive taste buds of ALL ages, will not have you hiding it in your napkin, trying to feed it to the dog, or pitching it into the garbage. Trust me. It’s good. 😉 I’ve since resigned from the Coleslaw Haters Club and haven’t been to the said-suggested support group in over 3 years! I’m cured!! 😀   

But with this recipe only. It’s juicy, sweet and creamy and loaded with apples, raisins and sweet baby carrots. Even “Mr. Picky Pants” himself surprisingly agreed that’s it’s just plain good. 😉    

All kidding aside, I do hope you enjoy this version and it gets to come along to many barbecues and picnics this summer! And just pretend there’s baby carrots in mine…I was out and we got blasted with a snow storm. Going to the store was not an option! But it was still darned good without them!

Enjoy all, and please think spring!! 😀   

 

SWEET OLD-FASHIONED APPLE RAISIN COLE SLAW

6-8 servings

 

half a head of cabbage, shredded

1/2 of a Red Delicious apple, cut into 8th’s lengthwise and sliced 

1/2 of a Granny Smith apple, cut into 8th’s lengthwise and sliced

1/2 of a red onion, chopped into small pieces

4 sweet baby carrots, shredded

1/2 cup raisins

3/4 cup mayo

1/4 cup sour cream

2 Tbl. sugar

2 Tbl. apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. celery seeds

 

DIRECTIONS:

Place first 6 ingredients in large bowl. Toss to mix.

In small bowl, whisk rest of ingredients until creamy. Pour over cabbage mixture and stir to coat all. Chill. Even better the next day!

 

Laura

Saturday 25th of January 2020

what stops the apple from browning? do i need to put it in some lemon juice first?

Friday 23rd of September 2022

@Laura, I heard of others but this is best and spray it on don’t soak

Barbara

Sunday 3rd of April 2016

Recipes sound so gooood!!

Kelly

Sunday 3rd of April 2016

Thank you very much, Barbara!! :D