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Archive for the ‘Salads’ Category

Cucumber Dill Salad with Sour Cream

Posted in Easy Recipes, Salads, tagged , , on June 18, 2010| Leave a Comment »

When Hubby and I venture to Leavenworth, WA., there is a restaurant we really enjoy called King Ludwig’s.  They serve great German food and, if you are so inclined, you can sit and listen to a German band. I’m usually not so inclined because I am much more interested in the fantastic food.  Like their Spätzle and Schweine Schnitzel (breaded, pan fried pork cutlet). No calories in either of those at all, by the way. Not only are they fun to pronounce, they are so, so delicious.

But my most favorite thing to eat at King Ludwig’s isn’t even always on the menu. It is a light and tangy cucumber salad. Sliced paper thin, the cucumbers float in a sea of sour cream and dill. I can’t describe it, but it is absolutely wonderful. Especially in the summer – cool, creamy perfection.

One time we went and the salad was not on the menu. I asked the waitress if they still had it and she hemmed and hawed if they did or did not. I begged and pleaded, cried and sobbed and told her how we had driven hundreds of miles just so I could eat their perfect cucumber salad. She finally gave in and brought me a plate of the salad.  It was divine. The last time we were there, it was back on the menu. I’m thinking the wait staff just couldn’t deal with too many customers like me.

I’ve tried to find the recipe so I could make the salad myself and have finally found one that tastes similar. Enjoy every refreshing bite!

Simple Ingredients

Slice the cucumber into very thin pieces.

Cover the cucumbers with plastic wrap then set a heavy bowl on top to help squish out the water.

Drain off the water and pat dry.

Mix with the sour cream and dill dressing.

Savor the cool, creamy salad with just a kick of vinegar and dill.

Cucumber Dill Salad

5 mini cucumbers (or a couple regular sized ones)

1 cup sour cream

1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

fresh dill, chopped

salt

Wash your cucumbers and thinly slice. I found the most wonderful mini cucumbers at Costco and left the peels on, but you can peel if you so desire.

In a shallow bowl, layer slices, sprinkling a little salt between each layer. Cover with plastic wrap and set a heavy bowl on top. You want to press the water out of the cucumbers, so let it set this way for an hour or two (or overnight – please put in the fridge if going the overnight route).

When you are ready to make the salad, drain the cucumbers and then pat dry. In a separate bowl, mix together the sour cream and vinegar and the chopped dill. Mix well with cucumbers. To make it look pretty, add a few fresh sprigs of dill to the bowl and serve.

Enjoy and Happy Entertaining!

Shanna

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Simple Summer Fruit Salad

Posted in Easy Recipes, Salads, tagged , , , on June 4, 2010| 1 Comment »

When I was at the grocery store the other day, they had a lovely display of cantaloupes. My mouth started to water at the thought of fresh slices of the orange-fleshed melon so I started sniffing through the pile to find just the right one. I am one of those people who has to sniff my cantaloupe. It smells of sunshine and summer and wonderful sweetness. When it smells “just right” I know it is the one to take home.

Unfortunately, the woman standing next to me squeezing the melons like they were rolls of Charmin, kept looking at me like I was a crazy nut-job. But that is okay because when I got home and cut open my melon, it was perfection.

Expecting company for lunch the next day, I decided not to eat all the cantaloupe myself and instead whipped up this refreshing and simple fruit salad.

Ingredients - very simple

After you cut the cantaloupe open, scoop out the seeds. A tablespoon will dig them out in a jiffy.

Now peel and slice the melon. Cut it into bite-sized pieces.

Cut your grapes in half. That's right - cut them in half. You'll have the undying love of your guests if you do.

Slice up the pineapple. Fresh is best!

Reserve the pineapple juice to pour over the salad.

Simple Summer Fruit Salad

1 cantaloupe

1 cup of grapes

2 cups of pineapple

Pineapple juice

Cut open the cantaloupe, peel and then slice. I diced mine up into bite-sized pieces.

After washing the grapes, I cut them in half. Yes – take the time to cut them in half. It will add less than two minutes prep time to your day and your guests will be forever thankful to you. Have you ever been sitting somewhere nice trying to show people that you weren’t born in a barn and do have a few manners trying to stab a whole grape with your fork. You stab, it moves, you stab harder, it threatens to shoot off your plate and take out someone’s eye. Never a good thing, not that it has ever happened to me. So take the time to cut those little orbs in half!

Last but not least, cut your pineapple into bite-sized pieces. In a hurry (could also be interpreted as lazy) I bought pineapple spears. I do recommend going with fresh pineapple over canned because of the flavor and texture intensity. If you like whacking up a whole pineapple, go for it. If not, just buy the fresh that is pre-cut. Save the juice that will be in the bottom of the pineapple container and pour it over the fruit. Give it a good stir, cover with plastic wrap and let the flavors blend in the fridge for an hour or so. You can make this a day ahead.

As a final step toss on a few sprigs of mint and berries. Ta-da. Wasn’t that simple and easy?

Enjoy and Happy Entertaining!

Shanna

(aka the Cantaloupe Sniffer)

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