Cheesy Veggie Slaw

This is the only coleslaw I like. I'll eat other kinds if that's what I'm served, but this kind is really good. It's a mix-n-match salad that's pretty and tasty, and has the unexpected twist of having cheese in it.

So, start with 1 small head of cabbage, chopped fine or shredded
Then choose two or three of the following raw vegetables and chop them up: zucchini, cucumber, green pepper, red pepper, yellow pepper, orange pepper, stalk of broccoli, carrot.
Dice or shred 1-2 cups of cheese: cheddar, mozzarella, monterey jack, or swiss.
It's nice to choose contrasting colors of veggies and cheese, if you can. It makes the slaw look like edible confetti.
(optional: green or black olives.)

Mix up the dressing :

1 cup Miracle Whip
2 TB sugar
2 TB vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp mustard (dry, yellow, dijon, spicy-- whatever suits your fancy)

Stir the veggies and the dressing together and serve.

Friday Fiver

I know this is not Friday, but let's just say today is Friday B.

1. Favorite Pastry? Do I have to pick just one? I love pastry, mostly doughnuts. Right now my favorite is the little chocolate covered doughnuts you get at Walmart. They come in that plastic box, and I always dig in the very back for one that has an expiration date as far from today as possible.

2. How do you like to waste time? Re-reading old books. They are like comfort food: familiar, tasty, no surprises, nothing I don't like, and they require no thinking.

3. How would you describe your complexion? Aging. At least that's what they told me when I had a facial done last spring.

4. What do you hang on to that you really should get rid of? My homeschooling expectations of my kids. And actually, I'm doing better on that. I'm finally realizing that they are not scholars, or academic material. They are CREATIVE. And here's the kicker: IT'S OKAY. (the shouting is for me, not you... *smile, sigh* ... because sometimes I forget.)

5. What is the last thing that made you hurt? Thursday I made a quick, light meal that included salsa and tortilla chips. Somebody at the table, whose opinion I care about, piled chips on the plate, dumped salsa over it, and said, "Where's the rest of it?" Meaning, for taco salad-- where's the meat, and cheese, and lettuce, etc? For some reason that hurt.

Strawberry Brownie Pizza

This is a dessert I came up that turned out so yummy I made sure to write it down. It has three parts, starting with:

THE BROWNIE CRUST
Combine-
1/2 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp. baking soda
3 TB vegetable oil

Stir in-
1/4 cup boiling water

Beat in-
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 TB oil
2/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt

Spread brownie batter in a pizza pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes (or till done). Allow to cool.

THE FILLING
Beat until fluffy-
8 oz. cream cheese
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. almond flavoring

Spread filling on cooled crust. (if the crust is still warm, the filling will melt, which would probably still taste good, but it's messy and not very pretty.)

Top with-
1 pound cut-up fresh strawberries

Drizzle with glaze.

THE GLAZE
Melt-
1 TB butter
1 cup chocolate chips
milk to make drizzling consistency.