Cucumbers

[NaomiSarah]

Do you have kids? My kids just DIE for cubed Greek salad - cubes of cukes and tomatoes and feta cheeze drizzled with a light vinagrette dressing which I make myself - 1tbsp vinegar, 1tbsp oil, sprinkle each of salt, pepper, garlic powder and parsley. The kids go nuts for it.

I even had them at a relative's house this weekend with ordinary salad that had a sweet dressing on it - the kids wouldn't eat it, not a speck, because it didn't have a good "Binegar" dressing on it (They're 2, 3 and 4!)

 

[redhen]

Quote:
OOOhh... i could go for that right now...
*must buy some feta chese..*

 

[noodleroo]

I got this email a couple of weeks ago; I haven't tried any of it but it looks promising!

WOW WHAT A LITTLE GEM THE CUCUMBER IS,I WILL LOOK AT IT DIFFERENTLY NOW.



1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.

5 Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!

6.. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.


9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won't leave streaks and won't harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.


13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!

Pass this along to everybody you know who is looking for better and safer ways to solve life's everyday problems..

 

[NaomiSarah]

I'm totally snacking on a cucumber now.

 

[vfem]

I'm making the claussen recipe now... waiting for the liquid to cool to add to the cukes!!! Mmmmmmmmm

 

[Tam'ra of Rainbow Vortex]

I found this thread just in time! Found 2 cukes bigger than my ferret saterday, and many closer to the right size. Soon I will be drowning in them!

 

[Catstar68]

Tzatziki Sauce (Yogurt and Cucumber Dip, tons of recipes for it online)! yummy with toasted pita bread. I up the garlic. Makes a great cold soup too.
Crush garlic, add to plain yogurt and mix in diced, seeded cucumber. salt to taste.

 

[MysticScorpio82]

Creamy Dill Cucumber Toasties:

Ingredients
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 French baguette,
cut into 1/2 inch thick circles
1 cucumber, sliced
2 teaspoons dried dill weed

Directions
In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, dressing mix and mayonnaise.
Spread a thin layer of the cream cheese mixture on a slice of bread, and top with a slice of cucumber. Sprinkle with dill. Repeat with remaining ingredients

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Creamy-Dill-Cucumber-Toasties/Detail.aspx

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

These are SO yummy! They are perfect for an appetizer at a party or a snack

 

[redhen]

Never knew there was so many goood recipes for cucs! I always just peeled them and threw on some salt and pepper...

Cant wait to try some of these recipes!

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Easy Peasy Sweet Pickles (also affectionately referred to as Funeral Pickles as that is where I got the recipe)

about 15 pounds of cucumbers (long and skinny work better than short and fat)
pickling salt
a bottle of powdered alum
a gallon of vinegar (I use two gallons and use apple cider vinegar, but you do what you like)
1 box of pickling spice
10 lbs of sugar

5 gallon bucket
new, clean pantyhose or cheesecloth


Rise the dirt off the cucumbers and toss them in the bucket. Mix a cup of pickling salt per gallon of water and cover the cucumbers. Cucumbers float, so you'll need to weight them down to keep them under the salt water. I use a plate with a bowl of water to hold it down. Let the cucumbers soak for 7 days. At the end of 7 days take them out, rinse them off and slice them up to between 1/2"and 3/4" thick. Rinse out the bucket and add the cucumber slices. Mix the alum with a gallon of water and pour over the slices. Add enough water to cover the cucumbers. Soak overnight. Pour off the water and rinse everything. Put slices back in the bucket and pour in the vinegar. Soak overnight. If you like pickles with a kick you can leave them two nights. Pour off the excess vinegar and layer the slices with sugar. Tie the pickling spices up in the pantyhose or cheesecloth and add the bundle in about halfway up. Keep layering sugar and slices. Put the lid back on and wait for the sugar to melt. No need to can or refridgerate. Scary, yes, but the old lady that gave me the recipe swore they wouldn't kill me and that so far seems true. I've been making them for years now and no deaths yet. What I have learned is that they are better once they have aged for a month or so in the sugar mixture. Once the sugar melts I dump everything into wide mouth canning jars and pour the sugar sauce over everything. If you will store them upside down the ones on top don't get so dry. You can eat them right out of the 5 gallon bucket, but they have a kick at first. They improve with age.

My friends will fight each other to get a jar of these pickles. They are good enough to slap your grandma. The recipe originally came from a 9000 year old woman who had brought a platter full to my parents' old preacher's funeral. (Those from the south will totally understand that last sentence. Everyone else, maybe not so much.) I begged and pleaded until she agreed to mail me the recipe. It likely was passed down in her family for generations.


Enjoy!