By End of May. The daycare's program year is officially over and the summer schedule starts next week. I have said my seasonal goodbyes to the kids moving up to preschool and I am already emotionally ready for the new batch of two-year-olds who will come in June looking like they have never seen an art table before, because they have not, and I will show them and they will put their hands in paint for the first time and look at me like I have given them something extraordinary, because I have.
Tyler met Gloria and James this Sunday. I had been building up to this and then I just decided to do it because there is no perfect time and I wanted to know how he was in that room. He was exactly himself, which is the best possible answer. He ate two plates of the fried chicken I made, said yes ma'am to everything Gloria asked him, which she asked him things directly because she is Gloria, and sat with James for twenty minutes during the football highlights with the easy silence of two men who understand each other without requiring explanation.
On the drive back to Millbrook he called me and said those are good people. I said I know. He said you are lucky. I said I know that too. He was quiet for a moment and then he said I mean it in the sense that they are lucky to have you. I said thank you. He said I just want you to know I see it. What you have built with them. You built that. I had to pull over for a minute after I hung up because I needed to sit with that sentence without driving.
Tyler ate two plates and complimented the chicken, which I appreciated, but the thing I was quietly proud of was the coleslaw sitting next to it — cool and sharp and bright in a way that cuts through all that richness and makes the whole plate make sense. I’ve made this Three Pepper Coleslaw so many times that it feels like mine now, and I wanted everything on that table to feel like mine, because I wanted Tyler to see the whole picture of who I am when I’m in that house with those people. This is the recipe. It earned its place.
Three Pepper Coleslaw
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 15 minutes (plus 30 minutes chilling) | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 small head green cabbage, thinly shredded (about 6 cups)
- 1 red bell pepper, julienned
- 1 yellow bell pepper, julienned
- 1 poblano pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Prep the vegetables. Thinly shred the cabbage and julienne all three peppers. Combine in a large mixing bowl with the sliced green onions and cilantro.
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, celery seed, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and cayenne until smooth and fully combined.
- Toss and season. Pour the dressing over the cabbage and pepper mixture and toss thoroughly until every piece is coated. Taste and adjust salt or vinegar as needed.
- Chill before serving. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors come together and the cabbage soften slightly. Toss once more before serving.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 110 | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Carbs: 9g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 190mg