Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Cooking Up Cucumbers


We've been experimenting with new cucumber recipes, and tried this cold pasta salad.  It's great with onion or with radishes.


Cucumber and Bow-Tie Pasta in Sour Cream-Chive Dressing
3/4 cup nonfat  organic sour cream
1/4 cup chopped organic chives
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
3 cups cooked bow-tie pasta
3 cups sliced organic cucumbers, quartered
1/4 cup sliced organic radishes 

Dressing:  In medium bowl, combine sour cream, chives, vinegar, sugar and pepper; stir to mix well.

In a large serving bowl, combine pasta with cucumbers.  Pour dressing over pasta mixture; gently toss until evenly coated.  Top with slices of radishes.  Refrigerate, covered, until well chilled.

Note:  We added chopped organic onion for more flavor.

I looked up the health benefits of cucumbers, and am amazed at how God created such wonderful foods for us.  And that we can grow them from a simple seed.


I made Cucumber - Mango Salsa. . .one reader suggested omitting the garlic and adding red bell pepper and red onion.  We did that and it was a big hit here with chips or on meats and fish.


I made Cucumber-Ginger Jelly. . .I couldn't wait for my library books to come in (for the recipe I forgot to write down), so I looked one up on the Internet.  They were more on the runny side in the first 24 hours, but after putting a jar in the refrigerator, it set up more.  I may seek ideas to use this as a syrup, and wait on those library books to come in.  It may very well be my new burner I used.  It has one less coil than the previous one, so I may have not boiled the sugar in it enough, prior to adding the pectin.  It's got good flavor anyway.

We made a cool cucumber face mask with yogurt and cucumber, and cooled our eyes with cold slices of cucumber.

The days have been very long this past week, and I finally spent time on the front porch.  The weather is cooler now.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Nice idea with the pasta salad! I may try that. I wish it would cool down here, conssisten high 90's. Except for waiting for the garden to produce I'm ready for fall weather. 75 would be so NICE!

EMMA said...

Yummy! I like the sound of all that.

Candy C. said...

Neat ways to use up and eat more cucumbers! The pasta looks yummy, as does that salsa! :)