Dinner Tonight: Asian Chicken Salad

I managed to make a salad and not drop the plate this time - that's progress! This is another one of our favorites, though it doesn't photograph all that well. One of the best parts is that the leftover crunchy bits make a good snack. My mom thinks this tastes better the next day after the noodles get soggy but I disagree. The dressing does seem to last forever though, one batch makes at least 3 salads in our household.

Dressing (trying to type this from memory - hope it's close)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients together - it may take some elbow grease to get the sugar to dissolve and incorporate fully.

Salad
1 head Napa cabbage, chopped into bite-size pieces
2-3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 packages Ramen noodles, crushed
1 small package slivered almonds (2 oz)
1 Tbsp Butter
1-2 Tbsp Olive oil
3/4 lb Grilled chicken, sliced thinly or chopped into bite-size pieces

Saute Ramen noodles (uncooked) in butter/olive oil over medium heat until golden brown. Be careful as they will burn if left unattended! Add almonds and cook until lightly toasted. Combine all ingredients with dressing (I reserve about 1/4 of the noodle mixture for leftovers/snacking). Serve with garlic bread.

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Estimated cost of meal

Chicken: $1.50
Cabbage: $1.50
Ramen: $.50
Almonds: $1
Scallions: $.20
Dressing: $.75
Bread: $1

Total: $6.45

Former life total: Dinner @ Sweet Tomatoes: $15

Leaner Life Savings: $8.55 or 53%!!!