Cucumber Lime Salad

Sherri Walton shared this recipe with me yesterday that came from Myra Blau.

Cucumber Lime Salad

2 lbs. cucumbers (2or 3 large cucumbers)

Sliced green onions or chives or red onion, as much as you want

1 c. water

1/2 c. apple cider vinegar

2 T. lime juice

2 t. salt

1/4 c. sugar

Peel and slice cucumbers into a bowl, stir in the onions or chives.  Mix remaining ingredients together and pour over the cucumber mixture. Stir. Chill for several hours or overnight.  

Cool Cucumber Pasta Salad

From my friend Sheila Rose Schroeder ......Karla, this is one of my favorite and most requested recipes. It is the perfect summer salad, but I love it any time of year.

Cool Cucumber Pasta Salad

8 ounces penne pasta
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 medium cucumbers, sliced very thin
1 medium onion, sliced very thin (I cut the onion in half first)
1 ½ cups sugar
1 cup water
¾ cup cider vinegar
1 Tbs. prepared mustard
1 Tbs. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
½ garlic salt

Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. Place in a large bowl; stir in oil, cucumbers and onion. *This is a very important step, to mix the oil with these ingredients until well coated.

Combine the remaining ingredients; pour over salad and toss. Cover and chill for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve with a slotted spoon.


Sheila also wrote,   Karla, here is a website & FB page you (and others) may enjoy. She is very well known and followed here in SE Idaho. She even published a book (available on Amazon) called 'The Zucchini Houdini.' When she was a newscaster in Pocatello for several years, they had her on a cooking segment. They also publish her recipes in the Pocatello paper. and I think of you when I see them. It is: Tales of the Dinner Belle. For the website, just add .com

Cucumbers.......

Sour Cream Cucumbers
1/2 c. sour cream
3 T. white vinegar
1 T. sugar
1/2 t. Pepper to taste
4 medium cucumbers, peeled if desired and thinly sliced
1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings

In a large bowl, whisk sour cream, vinegar, sugar and pepper until blended. Add cucumbers and onion; toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered, at least 4 hours. Serve with a slotted spoon.

Cucumbers with Dill
Mix together:
3/4 c. white or apple cider vinegar
1/3 c. snipped fresh dill
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 t. pepper
4 cucumbers, thinly sliced

Lemon Vinaigrette

This can also be made using limes or oranges....

Lemon Vinaigrette

1/3 c. veg. or olive oil

1 t. grated lemon peel

1/3 c. lemon juice

3-4 cloves garlic, crushed

¼ t. kosher salt

Whisk together. 

Creamy Cucumber Pasta Salad

Creamy Cucumber Pasta Salad
1/2 lb medium sized pasta (such as penne or rotini)
1 long cucumber or 2 regular, diced
1/2 sweet white onion, julienned *
Dressing
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 t. pepper
2 tablespoons fresh dill
2 tablespoons white vinegar

Cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Run under cold water to stop cooking.
Dice Cucumber & julienne onion* and put in a bowl of water to soak.
Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.
Toss all ingredients in a large bowl. Let sit at least 40 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
*Soaking the onions in cold water is optional but takes a bit of the "bite" out of the onion.

Hawaiian Pasta Salad

Hawaiian Pasta Salad
8 oz rotini or bow tie pasta
1 (14oz) can pineapple tidbits, juice reserved
1 red pepper , diced
2 cups diced ham
1 green onion , thinly sliced
Dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise or dressing
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1/3 cup pineapple juice
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
black pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and run under cold water.
Whisk together all dressing ingredients until smooth.

Cucumber Tomato Salad & Tomato Basil Bread

Tonight is Garden Club at my house and the focus is on Tomatoes!!  I am making this to share....

Cucumber Tomato Salad
For the salad:
Approximately 3 cups peeled & sliced cucumbers
3 cups of Juliet & Sun Sugar tomatoes or whatever you have
1/3 c. chopped red onion
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil (I used sweet basil and lime basil)
For the dressing:
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
3/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1/2 T. red wine vinegar
1/2 t. dill weed
1 t. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Place salad ingredients in large bowl and toss.
Mix dressing ingredients in small bowl; stir to combine well & drizzle over salad.
I kept the dressing separate.

TOMATO BASIL BREAD
1/2 c. warm milk - microwave 30 seconds
1/2 c. pureed ripe tomatoes (blend in blender with the garlic & herbs)
2 T. fresh basil, minced
1 T. fresh chives, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. fresh oregano, minced
1 egg
2 T. oil
1/2 t. salt

1 T. sugar
3 c. slightly rounded, bread flour
1  T. yeast

GARLIC CHIVE SPREAD
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 T. fresh chives, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
Place bread ingredients in bread machine pan in order listed.   Check dough after 5 minutes of mixing, add 1 to 2 T. water or flour if needed.  Bake in bread machine or remove dough, form into 2 artisan loaves and bake in oven at 375 for 20 minutes.  

In bowl, combine spread ingredients. Serve with bread. 

I also used this dough to make pizza crust.  It made enough for a cookie sheet and a half sized cookie sheet.  I sprayed the pans.  Patted out the dough and baked it at 375 for 10 minutes.  Then I used 16 oz. tomato sauce, Italian Seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, basil, oregano, salt & pepper for my sauce.  Sprinkled with cheese and canadian bacon and basil or pizza seasoning.  Baked 15 more minutes.  It turned out great!!  And the tomato lovers garnished it with fresh sliced tomatoes. 

** So I can make this all year round I puree my tomatoes and herbs together and freeze them in little jars.  

    

Chocolate Chip Dip

Chocolate Chip Dip

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. confectioners' sugar
2 T. brown sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
1 c. (6 oz.) miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Graham cracker sticks
In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugars and vanilla; beat until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Serve with graham cracker sticks or vanilla wafers.

Coconut Limeade

Icy Coconut Limeade

Place in Blender & blend until smooth:
¾ c.  cream of coconut (found on the drink isle)
4 T. frozen limeade concentrate
½ c. water
4 c. ice

Layered Summer Fruits...with lime dressing

Creamy Lime Dressing
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
Fruit
3 cups cut-up cantaloupe
1 quart strawberries, quartered
2 ripe medium mangoes, seed removed, peeled and cut up
2 cups blueberries
2 cups cut-up honeydew melon
Mint leaves, if desired
In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, limeade concentrate and powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium-high speed about 3 minutes or until smooth. Fold in whipped cream. Set aside.
2. In 3-quart trifle bowl, layer cantaloupe and strawberries. Spread half the cream cheese mixture over the strawberries. Layer mangoes, blueberries and honeydew over cream cheese mixture. Spread remaining cream cheese mixture on top. Garnish with mint leaves.
3. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 2 hours before serving.

Soda Pop Ice Cream

A great summer treat....hopefully it will soon be warm enough to give this a try.

Soda Pop Ice Cream
4 c. cold soda pop, any flavor (Orange, Root Beer, Black Cherry
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
1 c. whole milk
Mix all ingredients together and pour into 2 qt. ice cream maker.
Freeze as directed. Place in freezer after finished to harden up

Crisp Cucumber Salsa

I think this just might be a summertime favorite....as long as my cucumbers did not freeze last night like the weather man predicted!!  

Crisp Cucumber Salsa......... 1/4 cup is only 16 calories!
2 cups finely chopped seeded peeled cucumber
1/2 cup finely chopped seeded tomato
... 1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
1 jalepeno pepper, seeded and chopped
4-1/2 tsp minced fresh cilantro
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
1/4 c reduced-fat sour cream
1-1/2 tsp lemon juice
1-1/2 tsp lime juice
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
Tortilla chips
In a small bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. In another bowl, combine the sour cream, lemon juice, lime juice, cumin and seasoned salt. Pour over cucumber mixture and toss gently to coat. Serve immediately. 

Creamy Cucumber Salad

I have a similar cucumber salad recipe that I love...however, the cucumbers go mushy after an hour or so.  I think this recipe just may have a cure to me..... YAY!!!

Creamy Cucumber Salad 
1 medium red onion (roughly diced)
2 medium cucumbers (peeled, sliced 1/2 in thick & halved)
1/2 green pepper (thinly sliced & cut in 1 in strips)
2 large tomatoes (seeds removed & diced)
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon seasoning salt (more to taste as desired)
1 teaspoon dried dill

Peel & slice cucumbers in 1/2 in thick slices. Then half ea slice & transfer all slices to a lrg mixing bowl (See note). Roughly dice red onion & add to the bowl. Quarter tomatoes, remove seeds, rough dice the tomato “meat” & add to the bowl. Thinly slice 1/2 green pepper, cut slices in 1 in strips & add to the bowl. Toss prepared “veggies” to achieve a good distributional mix. Add last 6 ingredients to bowl, mix well & refrigerate at least 2 hrs (stirring at least once to redistribute ingredients).
Notes: The cucumber cut is esp important. If thinly sliced, most cucumbers wilt & do not retain their crunch. — When all ingredients have been combined, the mixture will appear dry & lack a creamy texture or appearance. DO NOT PANIC – that will begin to change almost immediately.

http://easysaladrecipes.net/vegetarian-salad-recipes/creamy-cucumber-salad-recipe/

Old Fashioned Lemonade

There is nothing better on a summer day than an ice cold glass of lemonade.  This is a recipe from "The Anne of Green Gables Cookbook".  If you don't want to go to all the trouble of squeezing the lemons you can substitute bottled lemon juice but the flavor will not be quite as intense.  I had a bag of lemons that needed to be used so I squeezed mine today....

Old Fashioned Lemonade
Bring to a boil in saucepan and boil for 5 minutes while stirring with a wooden spoon:
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. water
While that is cooking - zest one lemon & squeezed 6 to 8 lemons so you have 1 1/2 c. lemon juice
Let syrup mixture cool slightly and then stir in the lemon zest and juice.  Pour into a qt. jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
To serve place in glass:  3 or 4 ice cubes, 1/4 c. syrup, 3/4 c. water or sparkling water and stir.  Float a lemon slice and a fresh mint leaf on top.
This makes 14 glasses of lemonade or if you want to make it all at once add water to just under one gallon  and add ice to make one gallon.
Variations:
Strawberry or Raspberry Lemonade: 2 T. of fresh berry puree added to each glass
If you prefer Limeade us limes instead of lemons.
For Pink lemonade at 1/2 c. grenadine syrup to the syrup mixture.

Last week I was hosting a Tea Party for the Primary Girls and I made Raspberry Lemonade.  I used 2 cans of frozen lemonade using a little less water than it called for.  Then I blended up about 3 cups of fresh picked raspberries and stirred them into the lemonade and added a little sugar to taste.  Once it was all made I did dump it through a strainer to remove some of the raspberry seeds.  Everyone loved it!!

Sweet & Sour Cucumbers

I clipped this recipe out of a farming newspaper years ago.  I have never tried it because I never seem to find it when all the cucumbers are growing in my garden.  This year it is going to be here waiting when my cucumbers are ready.

Sweet & Sour Cucumbers/Salad
2 large cucumbers, peeled and thinly slices
3 green onions, thinly sliced with 3 inches of green tops
2/3 c. rice vinegar
1/2 c. sugar
Combine all ingredients; marinate for at least 1/2 hour.  With a slotted spoon, serve as a salad or garnish.

Serves 4 - one serving = 47 calories