International Celery Salad

Celery salad is always a great addition to a meal. There are a number of celery salad recipes, but this spicy southwestern celery salad, with its zesty combination of flavors, is a great snack, or with a formal dinner.

Ingredients

4 stalks celery, washed and chopped

½ cup chopped almonds or cashew nuts

1 cup raisins

2 medium sized jalapeno peppers, washed and chopped

Combine all ingredients in a salad bowl and toss them until they are completely mixed. Put it in the refrigerator to chill. A vinegar or ranch dressing makes a fine topping, or you can make a special zesty dressing (see below).

Dressing

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon chopped basil leaves

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Chill the dressing along with the salad until its time to serve.

For a sweet taste that adds a touch of the Orient to your salad, peel and chop two apples in small chunks and add it to your salad. The combination of hot, sweet, and sour makes a fusion of southwestern and Asian that adds the perfect touch to a small dinner party.

This celery salad goes great with breaded pork chops, corn bread, tangy fried onions, and lemonade or ice tea. For the true southerners at your table, the ice tea has to be sweetened, so it's a good idea to make two pitchers - one unsweetened for the rest of us. This recipe for celery is also great as a stand-alone snack; minimum calories, maximum taste, and with the peppers and apples, rich in Vitamin C, an antioxidant that is good for you and tastes good.

Serves 4