A German recipe for cool and creamy cucumber salad made with sour cream, a little vinegar and a pinch of sugar.
There were a few years during the recession when things were tight for us. I’m talking like, broke tight. Like, living off of fat back and dried beans tight.
I can remember buying all of the kids’ Christmas from Big Lots and being so thankful they were young enough to still be dazzled with a giant bag of plastic balls and knock-off barbies.
Meh, we got through it. And came out on the other side with a greater appreciation for things and some pretty sound spending habits. Not to mention that I got goooooood at cooking beans!
Ever since those lean years I’ve tried to be mindful of those in my life who might need a little help. Especially around the holidays.
Sometimes it’s hard for people to accept kindness in the form of money or gifts but nobody says no to food so that’s what we do!
I cook a big Christmas dinner for a family to deliver on Christmas Eve (no muss, no fuss, I just pull up, drop it off and bolt). When you go a few years praying someone else in your family will buy the
Christmas ham it helps you realize there are people all around you who might be praying the same thing.
I'm telling you all this because it does actually lead up to how I found this recipe 😉 I promise I'm not trying to be all wooooo look at meeeeee and how awesome I ammmmm.
Plus it would be such a blessing to me if even just one person who reads this decides to do the same thing for someone.
A few years back I was planning my menu for a family and needed another green vegetable (which is what I call anything that isn’t a casserole and isn’t a starch) and decided to make a cucumber salad.
Well, I had eaten plenty of creamy cucumber salads in my day but I’d never actually made one so I started looking at my blogger buddies’ sites for a good recipe and found this one from my friend, Holly from Spend with Pennies. And it was fantastic!
I’ve made it many, many more times since then and have tweaked it a tad to suit my tastes but check out Holly’s recipe too. There are a few bloggers who I know I can count on for dependable, delicious recipes when I'm looking for something new and Holly is one of them.
If you enjoy salads like this, you might enjoy these recipes too!
- Mediterranean Lentil Salad - Lentil salad with an easy homemade Mediterranean inspired vinaigrette (or use prepared) and fresh, crisp vegetables.
- Cucumber & Tomato Salad with a Simple Summer Vinaigrette - A salad made with cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and an easy oil and vinegar dressing.
- Crunchy Oriental Ramen Salad - A crunchy Oriental salad recipe using coleslaw mix and ramen noodles! This retro Asian-inspired salad is always a hit!
- Creamy Macaroni Salad - A cool and creamy macaroni salad recipe with red onions, celery, mayo and a ton of flavor.
- Picnic Pasta Salad - Classic pasta salad recipe made with Italian dressing, cucumbers and tomatoes.
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Yield: 6-8 Servings
Creamy Cucumber Salad
prep time: 30 minscook time: total time: 30 mins
ingredients
- 2 English cucumbers, chilled
- 1/2 red onion, sliced
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
instructions
Peel cucumbers then cut into bite-sized pieces. Arrange cucumber slices on paper towels then allow them to rest for 20 minutes (to soak up moisture). Blot the tops of the slices with paper towels then add cucumbers to a mixing bowl. Add onion slices to the bowl as well.
In a separate bowl add remaining ingredients then mix well. When ready to serve salad (or up to two hours before), fold dressing into cucumber and onion slices. Refrigerate in an air-tight container to store.
Notes:
- You don’t have to let the cucumbers “dry” out on the paper towels but I find that the dressing is much creamier without the extra moisture from the cucumbers).
- If you’re using large “slicing cucumbers” (the big ol’ waxy numbers most common in the produce section), you may want to cut the cucumbers lengthwise then use a spoon to scrape out the seeds.
- Feel free to leave out the onion or use a different variety.
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I love your dropping off a meal on Christmas Eve idea! I help out at a food bank but so many folks don't have a way to cook a turkey or don't even know how.
ReplyDeleteI never even thought about not having a way to cook the meal (or like you said, knowing how). Even more reasons to share the love!
DeleteI'm in my 11th year volunteering at our local soup kitchen. I fix the deserts on Tuesdays. Live it.
DeleteI always enjoy your recipes, thank you. We went through hard times during the recession too, and cooked plenty of beans. Such a good idea to give food as a gift, I am going to do more of that.
ReplyDelete:o)
DeleteWhere can I find a printable version of this delicious looking recipe (Creamy Cucumber Salad)? On most recipe websites I can do copy-and-paste to put it in a format I can print, but that doesn't work here. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThere is a teal PRINT RECIPE button at the top of the recipe card :)
DeleteOh my, you're absolutely right! From now on I will look for that. Thanks so much, Mandy!
DeleteCan you use dried dill? If so, how much would you use?
ReplyDeleteSure! I'd start with 1/2 teaspoon then add more to taste.
DeleteMy Gramma made this all the time. She would slice the cucumbers in a bowl and sprinkle them with salt, cover with a plate, and let it sit for about an hour. The salt makes the cucs juice up. You just drain off the cucumber juice/water and then add the rest of the ingredients.
ReplyDeleteAfter a summer of multiple surgeries and constantly having to rely on the generosity of others to have a home cooked meal, I LOVE the idea of providing for another family during the holidays. I will finally be able to function in the kitchen again in a couple of months and I am already planning to repay so many of my friends and family with this idea. I’d love a post with meal ideas to drop off that are easily transportable and reheatable :)
ReplyDeleteCucumbers are one of my favorite vegetables. This salad will be perfect for summer parties.
ReplyDelete