Quick Cucumber Salad

Once again we have a bumper crop of cucumbers. They seem to be the only thing we can grow in our tower garden. Time to make cucumber salad, a nice, light side dish to a dinner in which the husband grilled burgers, sausages and chicken (for the week, not just one dinner!)

Even the kids LOVE this cucumber salad. I prefer it to the creamy Hungarian version, but that's good too. Put this on your culinary radar for when you have an abundance of cucumbers.

XOXO,
Amy

Quick Cucumber Salad
2 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced (I used the 1/16" setting on my mandoline.)
1/3 cup vinegar — apple cider or white
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh or jarred dill weed or parsley, if desired (I much prefer dill.)

Place sliced cucumbers in small glass or plastic bowl, preferably one that has a lid that fits.

Combine remaining ingredients and pour over the cukes. Cover and refrigerate at least three hours to blend the flavors. Drain cucumbers. Sprinkle with dill weed (or parsley). Serve.

Confession: I have made this when I've only had time to let the cukes sit and marinate for one hour, and nobody could tell as they were too busy stuffing their faces.

Simple Cucumber Dill Salad

We've been eating lots of salads lately for a few reasons:

• My kitchen is a work in progress. 
• We have baseball practice or games almost every night. 
• Our days are jam packed, too.

I know you fellow moms can relate. Here's my morning yesterday:

8 a.m. – Take dog for grooming appointment.
8:30 a.m. – Take Sam to baseball clinic, go to bank.
10 a.m. – Pick up Sam and drop off Max at baseball clinic. Go to post office and dry cleaners.
11 a.m. – Take Sam to saxophone lesson.
12 p.m. – Pick up Max from baseball clinic.
12:15 p.m. – Pick up dog from groomer.

Summer salads are easy, refreshing and can often be made ahead. One of my faves is Chick Pea Salad. If you make that and have some leftover dill, you can use it in this cucumber recipe.

Do you have a favorite summer salad? Let us know what it is!

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Simple Cucumber Dill Salad

2 English cucumbers, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 bunch green onions, (about 5 or 6) sliced
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
2 to 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and gently stir to combine. Let refrigerate for at least 1 hour to help the flavors blend.

Salt individual servings to taste.

Refrigerate any leftovers.

Cucumber Vodka Gimlet

The vodka gimlet is my drink. Has been for years. And it doesn't even have to be fancy. Vodka and Rose's Lime Juice on the rocks is perfect, especially when made for me by my husband Jeff. But so much sugar. As for fancy ones, my favorite is the Market Gimlet, made with cucumber vodka, at The Palace Hotel in San Francisco. Cucumber in cocktails = so refreshing.

Anyhow, I recently decided it was time to make a less sugary vodka gimlet inspired by the cocktail I used to have while on biz trips to the West Coast. I opted to do this on a Tuesday afternoon. And why not? That's the beauty of working from home and being the boss.

XOXO,
Amy

Cucumber Vodka Gimlet
(Makes two gimlets)
6 ounces vodka
8 slices seedless cucumber (or regular cucumber with seed section removed)
1 ounce fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons sugar (granulated or powdered)

Muddle the cucumber with the sugar in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. (I used the handle of a wooden spoon.) Add the rest of the ingredients and half a cup of ice. Shake vigorously and strain into two glasses. Garnish with slices of cucumber or a lime wedges.

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Katrina's Gazpacho

A few weeks ago my boys and I took a trip to New York to visit family and friends. It's been a few years since I was last in my old stomping grounds and it was nice to see how some things have changed – or not.

We took a trip into Queens to see two of my friends from high school and their families. Anne and Katrina are the kinds of friends I know I'll have for life. We spent our formative teen years together. Even if many months go by between visits, we easily pick up where we left off whenever we do see each other.

My boys were super excited to see how people live in the city. They couldn't imagine living in an apartment. They were pleasantly surprised by Katrina's Jackson Heights home, complete with a large outdoor courtyard that provided plenty of room to play — you guessed it — baseball.

Katrina went all out and made a delicious lunch, including this amazing gazpacho. People, this is one of the best things I've eaten. The cold soup is more like summer in a drink and it is just perfect for a hot day.

Lucky for me, one of my boys didn't want his serving so of course I couldn't let it go to waste! Katrina kindly shared her recipe. She started with this New York Times version and tweaked it to her liking. I made it as soon as we were back in Peoria. I was going to bring it to a gathering of girlfriends, but the husband and I slurped it down ourselves instead.

I think the key to making this recipe work is good tomatoes, preferably homegrown or locally farm grown. It's perfect for a midday meal, dinner or a snack.

Katrina's version was less pulpy than mine. I think this is because she used a small mesh strainer to painstakingly remove all of the solids from the soup. I used a larger non-mesh strainer. It definitely removed a lot of the solids, but some still made it into the final product.  If you have a mesh strainer or cheese cloth, I recommend one of those methods.

Mangia! Mangia!

Andrea

Katrina's Gazpacho

2 pounds of  ripe red tomatoes, cored and cut into chunks

1 cucumber (about 8 inches long) peeled and cut into chunks 

1 small yellow or white onion, peeled and cut into chunks

1 or 2 garlic cloves

1 long, light green pepper, cored, seeded and cut into large pieces (Adjust your choice based on your preferred spice level: Try an Anaheim or cubanelle. I used a Hungarian wax pepper.)

2 teaspoons sherry vinegar, plus more to taste

2 teaspoons salt

1/8 to 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

Add tomatoes, cucumber, onion, garlic and pepper to a blender or food processor (you may need to work in batches.) Blend at high speed until very smooth, between 2 and 5 minutes. Stop blending and scrape down the sides as needed.

Add vinegar and salt and continue to blend. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil. The mixture should become an orange or pink color. It should transform into a smooth texture like a salad dressing. If the mixture is watery, add more oil until it achieves a creamy consistency.

Strain mixture into a large bowl to remove solids. Use a rubber spatula to push the liquid through. Discard solids. 

Pour gazpacho into a large pitcher (glass is preferred) and cover top with plastic wrap. Chill overnight (or for at least 6 hours.) Pour into cups or bowls and drizzle with olive oil before serving.

Gazpacho is great for sharing with friends.

Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

A few weeks back the husband took the kids to his folks' house for the weekend (thanks, honey!), and I hosted a little reunion for my college girlfriends here in Seattle.

We talked until too late at night and then slept in. We were tourists at Pike Place Market and took in the sights of Seattle on a sunny summer day. We went to the beach and did some shopping. We missed our kids and our husbands, but at the same time we reveled in our girls-only time. And we ate. Oh, man, did we eat.

One of the meals we cooked included Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad. Maybe it was the company or the fact that I didn't spend the entire dinner chopping food into small pieces for the baby, but I couldn't stop thinking about this salad.

With a hearty helping of parsley and lemon, this salad reminded me of tabbouleh. But instead of bulgur wheat, I used quinoa for a gluten-free, protein-packed dish. The colorful veggies make it refreshing and healthy.

Whether it's for a girls' weekend, a barbecue, or just dinner with the family, Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad is perfect for your summer menu!

Let's get cooking!
Erin

P.S. If you have dietary restrictions, this recipe is low FODMAP in addition to being gluten free!

Gluten-Free Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

2 cups water or broth
1 cup quinoa
Salt and pepper
Juice of 1 1/2 - 2 lemons*, divided
1 bunch parsley, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 English cucumber, quartered and sliced 1/4" thick
1 bell pepper, chopped into 1/2" pieces
11 ounces grape tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Combine water or broth and quinoa in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. (If you're using water, I recommend adding a hearty pinch of salt to help season the quinoa while it cooks.) Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through. Allow the quinoa to sit, covered, for 5 minutes then fluff with a fork. Pour juice of half a lemon over warm quinoa and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set cooked quinoa aside to cool while you prep the veggies.

Combine parsley, cucumber, bell pepper, and tomatoes in a large bowl. Stir in juice of 1 lemon and olive oil. Stir in cooked quinoa. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If you want a little more zip, add a bit more lemon juice. Serve at room temperature or store in the fridge until you're ready to serve.

*Sometimes after the salad sits in the fridge for a while, it dries out a little bit. If this happens, stir in juice from another 1/2 a lemon and a drizzle of olive oil.

Hungarian Sour Cream Cucumber Salad

We grew cucumbers! It only took two and a half months from seeds to cukes, but we did it!

Just before we harvested our first cukes from our Tower Garden, I asked friends on Facebook for their favorite recipes. My friend Brian suggested a sour cream cucumber salad and several friends backed that up. Apparently, this is a quintessential Southern summertime dish. While I have lived in Charlotte for the past 12 years and have also lived in Birmingham, Alabama, and Lexington, Kentucky, I had no idea! Definitely making this again!

XOXO,
Amy

PS: I added Hungarian to the name, because I saw other versions of this salad use that in the recipe phrase AND the hubby and I just visited -- and loved -- Budapest!

Hungarian Sour Cream Cucumber Salad
Inspired by Tasteofhome.com

1/2 cup sour cream (I use light)
3 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon white sugar
Ground pepper to taste
3-4 cucumbers, peeled (if desired) and thinly sliced
1 small sweet onion or 1/2 Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
Dill to taste

In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, vinegar, sugar and pepper. Add the cucumbers and onion, tossing to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least four hours. Top with dill and serve.

Note: When preparing this for a dinner party Chez George, I forgot to read the recipe sufficiently in advance, so I didn't know about the fridge time. The salad was able to sit in the fridge for only about an hour. It still tasted good, but it was definitely better the next day. Sometimes things just have to marinate.

Here is my younger daughter Penny, who harvested our first cucumbers from our Tower Garden.

Cucumber Couscous

Today I've got another summer side dish for you: Cucumber Couscous. And in case "because I said so" isn't a good enough excuse to make it, here are three reasons why you should add this one to your menu post haste.

Number one. It's easy. When your sidewalk chalk project takes longer than expected, you need to get dinner on the table fast. Couscous cooks in 5 minutes, so there you go. More summer fun? Don't mind if I do.

Number two. Cucumber Couscous is light and refreshing. I don't know if it's the water content in cucumbers or what, but they taste so stinking good when it's hot out. The crisp crunch of the cucumbers plus the fresh flavor of parsley knocks my socks off. It's the perfect pairing for grilled lamb kabobs or steak.

Number three. This dish can be served at room temperature. So it's perfect for when company is coming over or you're heading to the park for a barbecue. You don't want to be slaving over the stove at the last minute. It's summer. We should all be sipping pina coladas around the pool with our pals as much as humanly possible.

Now let's get cooking!
Erin

Cucumber Couscous
Inspired by Budget Bytes
Serves: 6

2 1/4 cups chicken or vegetable broth or water
1 1/2 cups couscous
3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large English (seedless) cucumber, quartered and sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper

In a large saucepan bring broth to a boil. Stir in couscous. Cover and turn off the heat. Allow couscous to sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork.

Stir in lemon juice, olive oil, cucumber, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

Cucumber Sesame Salad

While visiting my sister and her family in balmy North Carolina two weeks ago, I was reminded of a cucumber salad I used to make, thanks to my nephew Connor. This 2-year-old will eat cukes at any meal, as long as they are sliced and served with a healthy sprinkle of pepper–onchi (that's ground pepper in toddler speak.)

When we got home I tried to find the recipe but struck out. So I did my best to recreate it.

This salad is so refreshing on a hot day. And I think the sesame seeds make it look pretty.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Cucumber Sesame Salad

3 cucumbers, English or traditional
1 bunch green onions, sliced or 1 medium white onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon white sugar
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, more to taste
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds

Peel cucumbers, leaving a few stripes of green. Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise. Using a teaspoon, scrape out seeds.

Thinly slice each cucumber half. Mix cucumbers and green onions in medium bowl.

In a small bowl or cup, add sugar and rice vinegar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Pour over cucumbers and onions. Add sesame oil, black pepper and sesame seeds. Gently stir everything to combine flavors.

Serve immediately or chill for 30 minutes or more.

That's Connor enjoying a slice of cucumber.

Light and Creamy Cucumber Salad with Dill

Have I told you that I'm a terrible gardener? Well I'm terrible. Just awful. I'm too lazy to pull weeds. I lose interest in my plants by the time August arrives and stop watering. I don't read the little care tags so I plant "sun" flowers in full shade. It's bad.

One of the only things I can keep alive in my yard are herbs. I think there are two reasons my herbs survive, and neither gives any credit to me: 1.) My herbs live in two plastic, yellow planters on my back steps. I use plastic containers because the terra cotta ones suck up more water and require more diligent watering. I learned this the hard way. 2.) My herbs are in the shade. I'm not sure if herbs are supposed to be in the shade, but mine are. And they grow like gang busters! Again...I think the shade gives me a little wiggle room in the watering department. Notice a common theme here? I can't be trusted with a watering can.

This week I planted my little buckets of dill, thyme, basil, rosemary, sage, and one other one I can't remember (See? No green thumb.), and I'm pumped to start using them in recipes. Let's hope I didn't jinx myself by bragging about my verdant herb garden.

--Erin

Light and Creamy Cucumber Salad with Dill
Adapted from Jo & Sue

1 large English cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon light sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon vinegar

Place cucumber in a colander. Sprinkle with salt and toss to make sure it's evenly coated. Set colander in the sink or over a bowl to catch any liquid. Allow cucumber to drain for an hour or two.

Meanwhile, make the dressing. Stir together sour cream, dill, sugar, and vinegar. Refrigerate dressing until you're ready to mix it with the cucumbers.

Once the cucumbers have drained, rinse them off to get rid of the salt and pat dry with paper towels. Gently toss the cucumber with the dressing and serve.

Cucumber Crush

Have you ever had a girl crush?  Ok ok … I know this sounds SUPER sketchy, but I promise it is MUCH more normal than it seems!  So please, allow me to explain by personal example. 

I first saw Brittney at Wheaton College outside of our dining hall on a summer day while walking to class.  I immediately noticed her cool California style and more importantly the fact that she has three star tattoos on the top of her foot clad in well-worn RAINBOW flip flops.  I secretly always admire people with cool, simple tattoos; mostly because I KIND of wish I was the type of person who could pull them off.  On that day, my girl crush on Brittney was born.  She only got cooler when I found out she was legitimately from California, rather than someone who simply tried to appear as though they were a West Coast native, played water polo, does things like triathlons (once again … things I envy but know I will NEVER … I mean NEVER do), wore white RAINBOWS for her wedding and even had an ice cream station as part of her dessert.  I mean COME ON … can I be any more envious … AN ICE CREAM BAR!  She even served some of the guests clad in a Vera Wang gown!  Oh and if any guys read this blog, she also has decorating themes involving the Nebraska Corn Huskers (ie multiple pictures of the stadium in her family room) and travels to her husband’s native state for every home game during the College Football Season.  Well, Brittney was several grades ahead of me, but by some twist of fate she married someone in my class who MZ interned with and they now live only a few streets from MZ and I!!!  YES … now we are actually friends!  Over the years we have dressed up as different renditions of Lady Gaga for Halloween (costumes that still live in infamy with MZ’s Fox Hunting Association … oh yeah … did I mention my roommate LEGIT fox hunts … more on this in future posts), celebrated birthdays by eating fabulous food … whether homemade or out and about, going on ski weekends in which we literally blew a speaker out of the wall during a sing along, celebrated weddings with the most perfectly hosted showers she catered through whole foods and Molly’s Cupcakes and rung in the New Year with her homemade champagne jello shots topped with pop rocks!  She is one of those people I admire, because she is SO comfortable in her own skin and always up for a good time … oh and has the most amazing clothes compliments of Lululemon!  I just can’t be in a bad mood when I’m with her.  Plus, she embraces my mantra of more food and more drink as the recipe for a perfect gathering and always knows the perfect bottle of wine to order no matter where you are out to eat.  So what does this have to do with cooking???  Well, on a recent trip home Brittney MAY have swung by some of her favorite wineries and MAY have ordered a few too many cases of wine.  And OF COURSE she had the perfect remedy to this situation when her husband said, “REALLY???”  She is hosting a girls’ night wine tasting event where all guests bring an appetizer and she pairs them with a wine.  (Now can you see why I have a girl crush on her?!?!) 

Now if I were to take my crush to the food world, I have a certain obsession with none other than CUCUMBERS!!!  You may think this odd, but it is the perfect vehicle to numerous tasty bites.  I use it in place of chips for things like salsa and guacamole, it adds the perfect crunch to many a sandwich and MZ taught me to use it in Hendricks and tonics instead of a lime!  So what other appetizers could I bring to Brittney’s FABULOUS event than ones incorporating my crushable vegetable?  (Plus I am sick of winter and snow and desiring tastes that remind me of summer.)  So when Maria and I put our heads together we came up with not one but two scrumptious options featuring our beloved cucumber … and let me tell you … neither disappointed!  The party is TONIGHT!!!!  So wish me luck as I debut these to a series of women with discerning palettes!

Shrimp Salad on Cucumber Slices

Ingredients:

• 3/4 lb cooked shrimp, peeled (weight after peeled)
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 tbsp red onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp light or fat free mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp fat free Greek yogurt
• Goya Adobo seasoning
• salt and fresh ground pepper
• 30 thin slices cucumber (about 1 large)
• chopped chives for garnish

Directions:

Combine shrimp, celery, onion, mayonnaise, yogurt, and season to taste with adobo and pepper.

Arrange cucumbers on a platter, season with salt and top each slice with a heaping tablespoon of shrimp salad. Top with chopped chives for garnish.

 

Dill and Sundried Tomato Cucumber Rolls

Ingredients:

• 3 oz reduced fat or fat free cream cheese
• 2 spoons crumble tomato basil feta cheese
• 2 spoons plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
• 2 Tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, julienne cut
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
• 1 large cucumber
• coarse salt
• cracked black pepper

Directions:

 

Slice the cucumbers very thinly. (I don't have a mandolin so I just used a standard peeler that you use to peel carrots, etc.  And I only cut myself once ... not too bad if I do say so myself!) Lay them out on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt to dry them out.

Combine softened cream cheese, crumbled tomato basil feta cheese, non-fat Greek yogurt, sun dried tomatoes (I MAY have added extra since I love the taste), some chopped fresh dill in a small bowl. Season with coarse salt and cracked black pepper. Stir well.

Blot the cucumbers one last time with a dry paper towel add about a teaspoon of filling. Add a sprig of fresh dill and an extra slice of sundried tomato. Then starting on the thinner side, roll the cucumber around the filling. Secure the seam with a toothpick that has been broken in half. (If you are feeling lazy just jam the whole darn toothpick in ... let's be honest, sometimes we just don't feel like breaking those things in half at the end of the day.)

 

 

 

Savor and ENJOY!