Cucumber and Sweet Onion Salad

I have been begging, on my knees, for a long time for summer to finally arrive. And, it might only last a couple days, but it is freaking here in full force. In Southern California that is. I can’t really speak for the rest of you.

And when I think of hot summer days, I think of light, and flavorful and juicy. I think of a big juicy burger, vibrant and flavorful fruit and cool watermelons and cucumbers.

And rainbows and daisies and unicorns.

But only after some great summer brownies.

This dish is the perfect summer side dish. It’s light, but packs a great flavor and is a great alternative to a summer potato salad.

Oh yeah, and it takes about 10 minutes total to make.

You will need…

3 English cucumbers, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced on the diagonal

1 medium sweet onion, such as Vidalia, halved and thinly sliced

¼ cup dried dill

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar

Coarse salt and ground pepper

In a bowl, add the cucumber and onion together.

Here comes the hard part guys.

Whisk together the dill, olive oil, lemon juice, white-wine vinegar and salt and pepper.

Pour the dressing over the cucumber and onion mixture. Toss and serve.

Now bring me a brownie.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Potato Salad

Parties. I love them. I can’t get enough of them. Especially ones with themes.

But even more than going to parties, I love throwing parties. Which is funny because I hate cleaning and cleaning is inevitable when you throw a party.

That’s how much I like parties; I will clean up after them. Until I have money, then I will hire someone to clean up after them. Any takers?

Last year for my twenty-fourth birthday I threw this awesome 1920’s themed murder mystery party. The bash was full of bootleg liquor bottles, insane costumes and lots of intoxicated people trying to pretend they were singers, mobsters and politicians during the prohibition.

IT.WAS.PERFECT.

With one single problem. How in the name of all that is HOLY was I going to top that for my twenty-fifth birthday?

I decided that I couldn’t. There was no way to top it. So, I had to take a different approach.

Low key barbeque and pool party at my parent’s house.


Waterslide 25. A 5th grade pool party themed birthday. Complete with water balloon toss, volleyball and chicken fights. Oh, and an ice luge of course.

Not familiar with the ice luge? It is a large sculpted piece of ice that you can pour beverages through to cool them.

Or in the case of our party, take shots through it.

Some are absolutely insane…


But mine worked just fine.


The party was an amazing hit, regardless of the fact that it was 60 degrees and overcast. In the middle of May. In southern California.

REALLY?

I didn’t want to do too much cooking at my party, so I settled for this potato salad that I had been dying to make.

You will need…

3 pounds small white potatoes
Kosher salt
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill or 1/4 cup dried dill
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red onion

Start by placing the potatoes and 2 tablespoons of salt in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are barely tender when they are pierced with a knife.

Drain the potatoes in a colander, then place the colander with the potatoes over the empty pot and cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel. Allow the potatoes to steam for 15 to 20 minutes.


Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, dill, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper.


Set the mixture aside.


When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in quarters or in half, depending on their size.


Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl.

While the potatoes are still warm, pour enough dressing over them to moisten.


Add the celery and red onion, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper.




Toss the potatoes well, cover them, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend.


Serve cold or at room temperature.

And yes, it is as good as it looks. The salad and the luge.

Love and Beer Floats
Angela

P.S. My friends love me so much they throw cupcakes at me. Thanks guys.