Crunchy Slaw ~ A perfect picnic recipe

I'm not a fan of traditional cole slaw.  That's putting it nicely, in all actuality I HATE cole slaw.  And I really don't use the "H" word for very many foods.  But crunchy slaw is decidely NOT traditional slaw.  It's more like a salad with a bit of crunch.  It's a perfect dish to take along to a picnic or a potluck.  You can prep it the day before, then mix it all up the day of your event.  It's super easy to make (you know I love recipes that are EASY).  My recipe was made using my Aunt Patti's recipe & my cousin Kathy's recipe...I took what I liked from each of theirs and made my own creation, quite similar to theirs.  I hope you enjoy it!

First you gather your supplies:

A bag mix of cole slaw, peanuts, sunflower seeds, a pack of chicken ramen noodles, rice vinegar, peanut oil, green onions & sugar.

First heat oven to 400degrees and break up the Ramen Noodles on a cookie sheet (put chicken flavor packet aside for dressing)

Then toast the noodles for 5 minutes.  Keep a very close eye on them, they will burn easily!  I've burnt them many a time, I suggest that you purchase two packets just in case, and be sure to watch the clock.  You want them golden brown, like so:

What I do next is bag up all of the supplies seperately, because I'm usually preparing this for an event the following day.  I put the nuts/sunnflowers in one baggie, then the green onions in one, & the toasted Ramen noodles in one.  The next step is to mix the dressing (oil, vinegar, sugar & chicken flavor packet).  I use my salad dressing jar for this.  Now I have all of the ingredients prepared and ready to go!

Right before serving, you mix the cole slaw mix, dressing, green onions & nuts/seeds.  Then you top with noodles. 

I guarantee you that this dish will be a hit!  It's a perfect side for any summer gathering. 

So tell me, what's your favorite dish to bring to a summer picnic or potluck?

Here's the actual recipe...

Crunchy Slaw

Ingredients:

1 (3 oz) package Chicken Flavor Ramen Noodles

1/3 cup Peanut Oil

3 Tbs. Rice Wine Vinegar (or just Rice Vinegar or I know someone who uses cider vinegar & vegetable oil instead of peanut oil & rice wine vinegar)

2 Tbs. Sugar

1 bag cole slaw mix (found by bagged salads in produce section)

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1 cup dry roasted peanuts

1 cup sunflower seeds (no shell!)

Instructions:

1. Open Ramen Noodles & Set aside seasoning packet

2. Break noodles into small pieces, place in shallow baking pan. Bake at 400degrees for FIVE MINUTES or until golden....keep a close eye on them or they will burn. Stir once while cooking. Set aside and let cool

3. Combine Ramen seasoning packet, oil, vinegar and sugar in a jar and shake until mixed - cover and chill

4. Just before serving combine: cole slaw, dressing, nuts, sunflower seeds and green onions. Stir Well.

5. Top with toasted noodles.

I do steps 1-3 the night before, and then it only takes a minute to put together the day of the event.