Tasty Cucumber Spread

Creamy Cucumber Spread - great with crackers
or as a sandwich spread!

We enjoyed the blessings of our garden again today. We've recently been harvesting cucumbers and we tried a new recipe called 'The Best Cucumber Spread." As a snack, we spread this true southern classic on Ritz Crackers and Captain's Wafers and dipped bread sticks in it. It really makes a refreshing appetizer.  It was tasty no matter how we it was served! It makes a great sandwich spread and it's a mouthwatering delicious treat on a toasty baguette too.

This spread makes a refreshing snack or appetizer and can be whipped up quickly using a food processor or an electric mixer.

Cucumber Spread

2 cucumbers (seeded and peeled)

11 oz cream cheese

3 green onions (cleaned and chopped)

2 tsp dried parsley

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 t. garlic salt

1 t. dried chives

1/2 t pepper

1/4 t hot pepper sauce (optional)

Directions

Grate the peeled and seeded cucumbers in food processor or on a hand grater. Squeeze the liquid out of the grated cucumber and place the cucumber by the handful between layers of paper towels while you finish the next step. Be sure to remove as much liquid as you can...and be patient. There is a huge amount of water in cucumbers.

In the food processor or a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, green onions, parsley, mayonnaise, garlic salt, chives, pepper and hot pepper sauce (if using); process or mix until well blended.

Carefully stir in cucumbers. Add more mayonnaise, if needed, to get to spreading consistency. The recipe says to refrigerate for several hours...we put ours in the freezer for 15-20  minutes and it was great! Refrigerate in a covered container for a maximum of 7-10 days.

Other Garden Harvest recipes you might enjoy!

Roasted Tomato-Jalapeño Salsa

Delicious Freezer Slaw

Fresh Broccoli Salad

How-To Make Feather Hair Clips

Feather hair clip

"What has been will be again; what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecc.1:9 NIV) This verse has come up multiple times lately, and I was reminded of it again tonight. If you have noticed the hair salons lately, they all have signs saying they have feathers! Feathers in the hair started last year (...THIS time around!) and the trend is still hot. I've read that the fly fishing suppliers are having trouble keeping feathers for the fishermen because teenage girls and salons are buying in bulk.

I remember Stevie Nicks' bohemian, gypsy-look from the 70's and the girls wearing feathers in their hair, clipped to their hats, purses, jeans and boots. I wonder how long it will be before the fringe fad kicks in, too?  Anyway, I thought I would show you how to make your own feather hair clips. Any local superstore with a craft section should have the feathers, cording, and beads, but you will most likely have to purchase the micro beads at a craft store like Hobby Lobby or Michael's.
NOTE- the feathers at the local superstore are more likely to be pastels rather than the rooster saddle hackles I've used here. I purchased mine online from a fishing supplier.


Feather Hair Clip Supplies
Suede cord
various beads (make sure they fit your cord)
2 - microbeads (used to lock on feathers)
pliers
6 - feathers 
alligator clip (you can substitute the alligator clip with a metal snap clip if you always wear it in your hair)

Step 1 - cut the cord the length that you want it. Keep in mind the feathers will add to the length.

Step 2 - Attach the cording to the alligator clip; lock it in by folding down the flaps with the pliers.

Step 3- Thread first set of beads onto the cord. Decorative beads first, then the micro bead.


Step 4- Thread the first 3 feathers into the micro bead and clamp it shut with pliers, locking the feathers in place.

Step 5- Pull the decorative beads down to rest on top of the micro bead.

Step 6 - Repeat the process of threading the last beads on near the bottom of the cord.
Step 7 - Thread the final 3 feathers into the micro bead and clamp them in with the pliers.

Step 8 - Pull the decorative beads down to rest on the micro bead. Now you are ready to Rock A Little...(for you who are too young, that is a Stevie Nicks song) with your new feather clip.

Refreshing Summertime Strawberry Smoothies

We love smoothies! A fruit smoothie is a quick snack that can both refresh in a snap
or bring on brain freeze (pace is the key!) 
Our house smoothie is a no-measure, eyeball-it version that depends entirely on the stock on hand.
We usually have some fresh fruit in the fridge (strawberries, blueberries, peaches) and that pretty much dictates the other ingredients. 
NOTE - In the event you've never made (or GASP! ever had) a smoothie before, you will need a blender or a large food processor before proceeding.  My hubby suggested that a brave soul might try it with a mixer. (I wouldn't, but, if you do, let me know how that goes!)

We had fresh strawberries tonight so we made Strawberry Smoothies.

The ingredients we used:

• Fresh strawberries - about 24, capped and washed
• Plain yogurt -about 1 1/2 cups
• Strawberry yogurt - 1 single-serving container
• Greek Yogurt - 1 single-serving container
• Honey - about 3 tablespoons (optional, but good!)
• 2- Crystal Light Energy Wild Strawberry Drink Mix packets (the kind you add to bottled water- 0.11oz)
• 4 cups ice (if the blender is very full at first, go ahead and blend what fits. The rest of the ice can be dropped in as things break down.)

We add the ingredients to the blender in the order given so the ice is on top and doesn't freeze into a solid block while we add the other ingredients. Blend until the ice is crushed and the ingredients are incorporated. It should be processed until it is pourable and you can drink it...no need to use a spoon.

Mmmmm, good!

If it had been blueberries we'd had on hand, we would have used blueberry yogurt and a fruit punch Crystal Light, but the other ingredients pretty much stay the same.

Did you know strawberries have more vitamin C than citrus fruits? They're also loaded with antioxidants and health science research has shown that strawberries help regulate blood sugar.  So take your vitamin/medicine...have a smoothie!

I'm sharing at these parties...Join me!
Savvy Southern Style,  Lil Luna,  Kitchen Meets Girl,  Southern Lovely, JAQs Studio,  Creations by Kara,  A Stroll Thru Life,  Domestic Superhero, Chef Not Included, Natural Mothers Network, Southern Lovely, Tatertots & Jello

Jalapeno Corn Bread...Gran told me it was good!

Jalapeno Corn Bread

"Mexican cornbread", as it was called in my childhood, is a family favorite that I'm just getting around to trying. I think my Gran liked the Jalapeno cornbread (actual recipe name) better than traditional cornbread...at least it sure seemed she fixed it more often. This was my first time making it - and eating it, mainly because I habitually shy away from anything that sounds like it might be hot or spicy.

As it turned out, I found no heat in it (maybe because I cleaned the seeds out of the pepper with a high degree of diligence). The Jalapeno pepper, the onions and cheese brought great flavors to the corn bread and, to be completely truthful, I think I would have liked some heat in it.

It was nice to make a family favorite and think of Nan making it all those times over the years. Not surprisingly - heat or no heat - we loved it, and look forward to making it again.

Jalapeno Corn Bread
I always use a cast iron skillet for corn breads, biscuits, and pineapple upside-down cake. I like the crisp crust it adds and they always come out looking perfect. 

Heat greased skillet in a 450°F oven, while you mix the corn bread.

Combine: 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1 small chopped onion, 1-3 seeded and finely chopped jalapeno peppers( as desired), 1 cup of cream-style corn, 1 1/2 cups self-rising white cornmeal, 1 egg, 1 1/2 cups milk, 1/4 cup vegetable oil. 
*update* I've also used the canned green chilies when I didn't have the 
fresh Jalapenos.
Pour into greased, heated skillet. Bake until browned, about 20-25 minutes.  

We served the corn bread with garden fresh green beans, boneless pork loin chop and potato au gratin. It was de-lish!

Fresh Broccoli Salad

Broccoli Salad - broccoli, cherry tomatoes, bacon bits, onion
& corn with a mayo dressing.

I know I've said it before, but there is nothing better than eating dishes that are prepared with fresh vegetables from your own garden. I get such a sense of accomplishment; I feel globally responsible, more frugal, and healthier, too! And last (but certainly not least) it tastes better than store-bought!


Today, the garden gave us fresh broccoli, so tonight we ate a great broccoli salad. It took just a few minutes to prepare, was pretty to look at and would be a great side dish, especially at a summer BBQ. It was delicious too!


This recipe is very flexible. I was  inspired by Paula Deen, but I had to change it up to suit our tastes, and I forgot to add the cheddar cheese her recipe calls for. The recipe below is as I prepared it tonight.

I think next time, I'm going to experiment and use a Buttermilk-Garlic dressing! Double Yum!!


Broccoli Salad
head of broccoli
real bacon bits (prepackaged this time, for convenience)
medium white onion (I used about 3/4 of it)
tomatoes (1 chopped Roma and about 8 cherry)
can of whole kernel corn, drained
Salt & Pepper, as desired.
1 cup mayonnaise
2 T. white vinegar
1 T. Splenda (sugar may be substituted)

We had this with grilled burgers and tater tots. YUM!

Directions
Cut broccoli into florets, rinse and shake dry. Place in large bowl. Add bacon crumbles, onion, tomatoes, and corn. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar and Splenda, stir well. Pour over broccoli mixture and toss gently.  (If you are a big fan of Ranch Dressing, you could add a tablespoon of it to the mayo mix to kick it up a notch). 

 

 

 

Other Shady Porch recipes you might enjoy!

Delightful Watermelon-Cucumber Salad

Grape Salad...creamy and crunchy too!

Cornbread Salad

Cooked Cabbage & Vegetables

This recipe made an excellent side dish to grilled smoked sausage and it is not only nutritious,

Cooked Cabbage & Vegetables, Zucchini Latkes with
grilled Smoked Sausage

but it tastes great, too.
When Mom taught me to cook, she was often ill, and was not supposed to have salt in her diet, so I rarely use salt even today (it is up to everyone to salt their own, as needed.)
The vegetable combination, on its own lacked seasoning, but we found that the saltiness of the smoked sausage was a perfect pairing with the cabbage-vegetable dish. It's what we called "good, down-home eatin'" when I was growing up. 
We had lots of leftovers that were easily re-heated and enjoyed at other meals over a weekend. This recipe easily makes 6-8 generous servings.

This is the recipe as I made it:

Ingredients
6 med. yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered (other kinds of potatoes are acceptable)
8-10 baby carrots
3 med. onions, quartered
1 1/2 cups 2% milk
8 cups cabbage, finely shredded
2 t. flour
salt, to taste

Directions

Mixing the cabbage into the cooked potatoes,
carrots & onion.

Boil potatoes, carrots and onions until tender, about 1 hour.
While vegetables are cooking, heat 1 1/4 cups milk in large skillet. Add cabbage to warmed milk. Cover and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
Whisk 2 tsp. flour into remaining 1/4 cup milk until smooth. Season, as desired (next time I am going to use garlic salt). Add to cooked cabbage. Boil and stir until mixture is thickened. Cover and simmer 2-3 more minutes.
Drain potatoes, carrots, and onions. Combine with cooked cabbage. Mix well.

Recipe adapted from - http://www.ifood.tv/recipe/cooked-cabbage-and-vegetables  

Other garden harvest recipes you might enjoy! 

Broccoli Salad

Homemade Egg Rolls

Watermelon-Cucumber Salad

Tomato Harvest Coming - Sun Dried or Smoke Dried?

Had to share my zinnia's...love 'em!

This week has been blisteringly hot for everyone and we've all fought to stay cool.  However, in spite of the heat, it's a wonderful time of year with all of the flowers, fruits and vegetables blooming and ripening.

Tomato-Ville
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Better Boy tomatoes

I believe it's due to the heat that our tomatoes have yet to turn red...but boy when they do, we will be in "Tomato-ville!" We planted Better Boys, Honey Bunch (cherry) and Romas this year and our plants are heavy laden!


Smoke Dried Tomatoes
I hope to fix the usual favorites; salsa, and marinara sauce, but my new plan for this season is smoked-dried tomatoes. According to everything I've read, you can use smoke-dried tomatoes the same way you use the sun-dried; in sauces, soups, pizza, salads and pasta. Simply reconstitute them in olive oil and then you can use the flavor-infused oil in salad dressings, pesto, etc. Looking forward to Tomato-ville time!


I got my idea from Boggy Creek Farm.

Put To The Test - Black Magic Cake

When I am looking for a new recipe online, I usually search using words like - delicious, awesome, yummy, and favorite. Yesterday, I was searching for a recipe and ran across one titled Best Ever Chocolate Cake. I read the ingredients and thought, "really? Best Ever?" So I made it, and I told my taste-testers the claim this recipe made and asked  if they agreed.


It was still warm out of the oven and they each had a cold glass of milk, so maybe the test was flawed. Nevertheless, it got rave reviews! I think they held off on best ever awards in hope of more taste testing in the future but this one is worthy of  your recipe box!


I'm not sure why it's called Black Magic Cake; it actually has a milk chocolate color rather than a dark chocolate. Maybe it's supposed to enchant you? If you make it, please tell me what you think...is it the best you've ever had?


Black Magic Cake (Best Chocolate Cake Ever) 
This is my version. If you want the original, I have given you a link below.
1 3/4 cup self-rising flour
1 1/2 cups Splenda Blend
3/4 cups Hershey cocoa
2 eggs
1 cup strong black coffee (I could not taste the coffee in the cake)
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 t. vanilla


Chocolate Frosting
1 stick margarine, softened (1 stick equals 1/2 cup)
2 oz. melted chocolate cooled
3 cups powdered sugar
3 T. milk (I had left over Half & Half and used it)
2 t. vanilla


Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13 pan.
Combine flour, Splenda Blend, cocoa. Add eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Beat until mixed.  Batter will be thin. Pour batter into prepared 9x13 pan.  Bake for 20-30 minutes.
Combine frosting ingredients and mix. Spread on cooled cake.


I found the original Black Magic Cake (Best Chocolate Cake Ever) recipe over at Just A Pinch Recipe Club.

Friendship Door Decoration

Since the 4th of July decorations have long since been removed, I've been thinking my front door looked rather uninviting. I wanted something that would be appropriate for any season (and really inexpensive). So, after digging through the craft bins, I found rub-ons with friendship sayings and scrolling embellishments and plenty of paper and Mod Podge. Using these simple articles as inspiration, I felt I was already half way to my new door decoration! It kinda makes me feel like MacGyver making something inviting out of odds and ends. :)

Here's the rest of the story...

Some of my supplies...note the clearance stickers!



I used Mod Podge to decoupage an artist canvas panel (these are sold in pkgs of 6 and cost about $1 each) using a pretty Kermit frog green tissue paper. I think this color looks nice against my brown door.

Covering the canvas panel

After the canvas panel was covered. I painted a wood letter 'S' black. Once it dried, I attached it to the center of the canvas panel using E-6000 adhesive.

I cut out the rub-ons and played around with them until I decided what words I wanted to use and where I wanted to place them.

After attaching the rub-ons to the canvas panel, I thought it looked too tiny for my door so I took a Dollar Tree picture frame and removed the glass and filled in the frame with black scrapbook paper. I then glued the frame to the back of the canvas panel.   Finally, I glued and stapled a ribbon to the picture frame and canvas panel to hang it on my door. I had to staple the ribbon several places on the frame and canvas panel to make it hang flat against the door and not pitch forward.

Placing and applying the rub-ons

I didn't like the hanger showing, so I took a butterfly decoration I had been given in a package of 3 (thanks again, Barb, for the crafting goodies) and revamped it by painting it and adding gem beads using Mod Podge and Mod Podge Dimensional Magic. Dimensional Magic coated and encased the beads to help hold them to the butterfly wings. We also added felt tabs to the frame corners to prevent scratches to the door.

Revamped version on left - original on right

My new door decoration is very affordable and much nicer than a plain brown door! More importantly, I hope it conveys our joy of having family and friends over even before we can answer the door! WELCOME!

Welcome...the more the merrier!

Homemade Egg Rolls Sure Beat Takeout!

Crispy delicious egg roll dinner!

There is no reason to pay big $$ for take-out when you can make it better at home! Making your own egg rolls can be fun too! You can make an assembly party out of it with all the filling and rolling that must be done.

These egg rolls are crispy golden brown with a delicious filling of fresh cabbage and carrots and if you choose, you can also add, pork, chicken, or shrimp. Some folks won't even try Chinese food, however, if you can get them to eat an egg roll, they usually love 'em!

Homemade Pork Egg rolls
1 1/2 lbs ground pork (we also had some leftover pork tenderloin we shredded and added to the mix)
1 1/2 t. ground ginger
3 t. chopped garlic or 1 1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 head of cabbage - chopped
3 carrots - minced or shredded
3 T. flour
2-3 T. water (enough to make smooth flour paste)
24 egg roll wrappers (thawed to room temperature)*
approx. 5-6 cups of oil for frying (we used vegetable oil)
 *(I read somewhere that frozen wrappers make better egg rolls than the wrappers found in the deli section of the store).

In skillet or wok, fry the ground pork with the ginger and garlic, until brown.  Drain and set aside.

Seasoned pork, cabbage, carrot filling

In food processor or using a hand grater, chop 1/2 head of cabbage and 3 carrots (I used 9 baby carrots). Add the cabbage/carrot mix to the seasoned pork, mix well. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix 3 T. flour and enough water to make a paste. Add water gradually, while stirring to prevent lumps. Set aside.

In another large pot, heat oil to about 350°F. 
While oil is heating, assemble your egg rolls. I prefer to have all of the egg rolls wrapped before I begin frying them. Do not stack the egg rolls unless you put wax paper between the layers so they don't stick together. 

Wrapper & filling ready to roll!

Rolling the egg rolls: Be sure the filling is completely drained of excess liquids that might have developed. Lay out one wrapper with a corner pointed toward you. Place about 1/3 to 1/4 cup of filling on the wrapper, spread it out a little. Take a little of the flour glue and spread it around the edges and fold the corner over the filling. Seal the edges. Tuck left and right corners in toward the center and continue to roll.

Continue to roll, and tuck the sides. When you get to the end, add a little flour glue and seal. Repeat the process until all of your egg rolls are tightly wrapped and sealed. Makes about 24 egg rolls. We fried 12 and froze the rest for another dinner!

Takes about a minute and a half to fry.

When the oil is ready, add each egg roll one at a time, carefully. We fried about 6-8 at a time. Fry until golden brown on all sides. Remove and drain on paper towels.


Serve with favorite sauces for dipping. We like soy sauce but they're great plain too!

Serving Up! Would you like that with soy sauce?

...more great recipes you might enjoy!

Broccoli Salad

Yellow Squash-Carrot Bread

Watermelon-Cucumber Salad

Really Delicious Freezer Slaw

Taste tested...yummy...Freezer Slaw!

We had a big harvest of cabbage today...four heads! In our never ending quest to preserve, we found a wonderful recipe for freezer slaw. How great is that? You make the slaw and freeze it until you need it! The recipe says that the slaw stays crisp even after thawing too! This is a delicious slaw(...taste tested)!It was almost like I planned it, the new food processor was ready for pickup today and it made short work of all of the chopped ingredients that the recipe calls for. Otherwise get ready for an arm work out with the grater. When we finished up we had 21 cups of freezer slaw. Thanks to Paula at Don't Be A Picklebump for sharing this recipe!

Freezer Slaw
1 large head of cabbage
2 carrots
1 onion
1 red or green pepper
1 T. salt
2 cups of Sugar or (we used 1 cup Splenda Blend)
1 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup oil (vegetable or olive)
1 T. celery seed
1 T. mustard seed or substitute 1 T. ground mustard

Shred cabbage, carrots, onions and peppers.

Boil dressing ingredients one minute.

Add salt and mix it into the shredded vegetables. Set aside for 1 hour.

Mix sugar, vinegar, oil, celery seed, and mustard seed and bring to boil. Boil for one minute and chill until cold.

Drain liquid from chopped vegetables.

Mix well - slaw dressing with chopped vegetables. **NOTE- You might want to add the dressing in phases. We felt like there was too much dressing for the amount of slaw so we did not use it all.**

Divide the slaw serving into whatever containers are appropriate for your family. We are using freezer bags since we have limited freezer space this time of year.

Thaw and serve.

Other Shady Porch recipes you 
might enjoy!

Delightful Watermelon-Cucumber Salad

Grape Salad...creamy and crunchy too!

Cornbread Salad