Cucumber Salad

Some of you may be wondering where I've been lately- the answer is that I didn't spend much time in the kitchen in March or April (and definitely didn't make anything worth blogging about) due to morning sickness! That's right, we are expecting our first baby some time around November 12th! Even though I love to cook and bake, I just didn't have the energy for it in March or April. We then purchased our first home in May, moved, and went on vacation in Hawaii for two weeks. Spring 2010 was BUSY! But after all of that, I have come back ready to embark on new adventures in the kitchen. It is perfect timing too, because summer is my favorite time of year to try new recipes on the grill and get inspired with fresh ingredients from the farmer's market. I also have many stand-by recipes that we frequently enjoy in the summertime, which I am most excited to share.

This recipe for cucumber salad is a tangy and refreshing side dish that we love having in the summertime. I learned how to make it from my mom, who made it frequently when I was growing up. I recently found out that this recipe has been passed down through the generations from my great-grandmother. This means that I am the 4th generation in my family to make this regularly! We don't use any measurements when preparing this, so I had to experiment a bit with the recipe in order to know what measurements to list here. Amounts of the ingredients can be adjusted to your taste, so please taste as you go. In fact, my mom does not add the vinegar. After you refrigerate the salad it is still not too late to add more sugar, vinegar, or salad dressing- depending on how you like it. If you enjoy this dish as much as we do, you will find yourself able to eyeball the amounts you need to make the perfect sauce in no time. I hope this side dish becomes as much of a summer staple in your home as it has in ours!

Ingredients:

1/2 heaping cup of salad dressing (such as Miracle Whip)
1-2 Tbsp white vinegar
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp milk
1 large or 2 small cucumbers
1/3 cup diced yellow or red onion

Directions:

• Use vegetable peeler to peel long strips of peeling off of cucumbers (no need to peel completely). Then slice cucumbers as thinly as possible. Set aside.
  
• In a medium sized bowl, whisk salad dressing and vinegar together until smooth and creamy.
• Add milk and sugar and stir.
• Add onions and cucumbers and mix until cucumbers are well coated.

*Optional: Sliced tomatoes (remove juices and seeds) may be added to this dish as well. I recommend waiting until locally-grown ones are ready for the best flavor.