Chinese Cabbage Salad

This is another family favorite.  We were blessed with a restaurant sized bag of shredded cabbage this week, so we were able to make enough to send with David to work. It's nice to share a recipe that you know others will love. This is one of the few things I make that I *always* get requests for the recipe. ;)

Chinese Cabbage Salad (Menard-modified version of recipe from menusformom.com)

1 head of napa cabbage (or whatever cabbage you like to use)
1 bunch minced green onions - I NEVER add these, but many people like them
1/2 cup or so of shredded carrots (I use these when I think of it in place of the onions. They hadd some nice color)
1/4 cup butter (original recipe calls for 1/3 cup butter)
1 (3oz) package ramen noodles, broken
2 TBS sesame seeds (these are great to add if you have them. I never do ;) I have used sunflower seeds instead and they work great too.)
1 cup slivered almonds (I really like to add these in, but if I don't have any to add the salad still turns out tummy)
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3/4 cup vegetable oil of choice
1/4 cup white sugar (original recipe calls for 1/2 cup, but we think that is too sweet.  I've used honey in place of sugar often)
1.5-2TBS Bragg's Amino Acids (original recipe calls for soy sauce)
1-2 cups cooked chicken, diced. (you don't need this, but it will make the salad a meal instead of a side)

Shred or chop the head of cabbage.  Combine the green onions and/or carrots and cabbage in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt butter in a pan.  Mix the ramen noodles, seeds, and almonds into the pot with the melted butter.  Spoon mixture onto a baking sheet and bake crunchies in a 350 degree oven, turning often to make sure they do not burn. When they are browned remove them from the oven.  In a small saucepan, heat vinegar, oil, sugar, and Bragg's (soy sauce). Bring mixture to a boil, let boil for 1 minute.  Remove the pan from heat and let cool.

Depending on the size of your family:  Remember to reserve half of each part of the salad for another night. Combine dressing, crunchies, chicken, and cabbage immediately before serving.  If we are making this a meal, we don't divide it anymore as we will pretty much finish off the whole thing.  It goes great with a loaf of sourdough. :)

This doesn't keep real well, so you'll want to plan to serve just enough to eat in one sitting. We like it so well at our house, that someone will easily eat it the next day. But it's definitely soggy by then.