Freezer Cucumber Pickles

I don’t know about you but one of things I love most about summer is all the fresh produce, and cucumbers are one of my favorites.  This is a recipe that a lady sweet Mrs. Z gave to me and I love it.  My former mother in law use to make this too, so I have been a fan for years.  It’s a great compliment to your meal in the summer, or unless your like me, I like it as a refreshing snack.

However this recipes calls for you to freeze it, you can simply make it and eat it, and if you don’t eat it all then you can freeze the left overs.  Which I never seem to have any left over.

Freezer Cucumber Pickles

7 cups thinly slicked unpeeled cucumbers
3 med. sized onions (separate into rings)
1 cup of vinegar
2 cups of sugar
1TB salt
1tsp. celery salt (sometimes I leave this out)

Thoroughly heat vinegar, sugar, and salt and celery seed.  Let cool.

Then pour over your cucumbers and onions

Put in containers to freeze.  (this will not freeze solid, and that is how it is suppose to be)

Optional:  If you are going to eat this within a couple of days say for a potluck or picnic, you can add freshly diced tomatoes too.  YUMMY!

Do you have a favorite summer salad you like to make and share with others?

Psalm 119:60“I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

Blessings,

Cindy

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Memorial Day Yummies

The one thing about Memorial Day that I remember as a child is the picnics and all the food.  How bout you? Take a look at some of these goodies.

RECIPES

Flag Pop-tarts (to cute)

I think your kids would think your the best, with these little treats.

Ingredients

Pop-Tarts® | Tasty Creations | Celebration Flags
4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
4 Kellogg's® Pop-Tarts® Strawberry toaster pastries
16 fresh red raspberries or 12 medium fresh strawberries
36 fresh blueberries

Directions
1.  In a small bowl stir together cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.  Spread on top of KELLOGG'S POP-TARTS STRAWBERRY toaster pastries, completely covering tops.
2.  Lengthwise quarter raspberries or halve strawberries and thinly slice.  Arrange 9 blueberries on top left corner of each toaster pastry to make "stars" on flags.  Arrange raspberries or strawberries on top of toaster pastries to make "red stripes" on flags.  Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 12 hours. 

Ice cream (fun for the kids)

In a pint sized zip lock bag combine:
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbs. sugar
Zip the bag closed getting out as much air as possible.
Put the pint size zip lock bag into a gallon zip lock with:
1/3 bag of ice
1/4 cup salt on the ice.
Zip it closed and shake it (the kids love this part) until the ice cream is firm. Cut a corner off the small bag and squeeze the ice cream into a cup or bowl. Top with toppings of your choice.

Dipped Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ingredients

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 tablespoon shortening

4 ice cream sandwiches

Red, white and blue sprinkles

Directions

• Line a baking sheet with waxed paper; set aside. In a microwave or heavy saucepan, melt chocolate and shortening; stir until smooth. Quickly dip ice cream sandwiches partway in melted chocolate; coat chocolate with sprinkles. Place on prepared baking sheet and freeze. Yield: 4 servings.

Peach Lemonade

Ingredients

• 8 cups lemonade
• 2 cans (5-1/2 ounces each) peach nectar or apricot nectar
• 1 cup frozen unsweetened sliced peaches
• Fresh mint sprigs, snapdragons and lemon balm

Directions

• In a 3-qt. glass pitcher, combine the lemonade and nectar; refrigerate until chilled. Just before serving, stir the lemonade mixture; add frozen peach slices. Place mint sprigs along the sides of the pitcher and float the flowers on top of the lemonade. Yield: About 2-1/2 quarts.

Summer Shortcake

Serves 12 to 15

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 8 ounces cold cream cheese, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup buttermilk, plus more for brushing
• Raw sugar or fine sanding sugar, for sprinkling
• 2 pints blueberries
• 2 pints strawberries, hulled (small berries left whole, large berries halved lengthwise)
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream

Directions

1. Make the biscuits: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a food processor, pulse flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. Add butter, and pulse until largest pieces are the size of peas. Add cream cheese, and pulse again until largest pieces are the size of peas. Add buttermilk, and pulse until dough comes together. Transfer to a bowl, and gently knead into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rest in the refrigerator at least 1 hour (or overnight).
2. Divide dough in half. Working with one portion at a time on a lightly floured work surface, pat into a disk, then roll into a 10-inch round. Transfer to baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
3. Brush biscuits with buttermilk. Generously sprinkle raw or sanding sugar over tops and sides. Brush off sugar from parchment. Bake until dough has risen slightly and is golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes (if bottoms brown too quickly, reduce temperature to 400 degrees). Leave biscuits on sheets. Using a 2 1/2-inch star cutter, cut out (but do not remove) 7 stars from one biscuit while it is still warm. Let cool.

   

4. Using a paring knife, carefully remove star shapes. Reserve for snacking or another use. (Biscuits can be made up to 8 hours ahead; store on wire racks, and cover loosely with plastic wrap.)
5. Make the filling: Combine blueberries, strawberries, and 2 tablespoons sugar, and let macerate until juicy, 10 minutes.
6. Just before serving, beat cream to medium peaks with remaining tablespoon sugar and the vanilla.
7. Assemble the cake: Place uncut biscuit on a large plate. Spoon half the berries and their juices on top of biscuit, then spread the whipped cream over berries. Top with all but about 1/2 cup berries. (Make sure surface is even; it will support the top biscuit and prevent it from breaking.) Carefully place cutout biscuit on top. Fill star cutouts with reserved berries. Serve immediately, or refrigerate, uncovered, up to 3 hours.

   

If time allows I will try to add some grilling ideas….they would be good for anytime this summer….and remember there is always July 4th right around the corner.

When dining indoors, decorate your table using all your red, white and blue goodies. 

  

You don’t have to spend alot of time decorating for this holiday, however if you are having friends or  family over during this weekend, it serves as a nice reminder of why we celebrate and puts people in a more festive mood. Just a few simple ideas I found while scouring the internet.

Well really should scoot for now.  Have some packing to do as well as a few errands.  Hubby and I along with some friends are heading out to Amish Country tomorrow for a few days, should be home late Sunday night .  If I don’t get back before Monday, hope all has a safe and family fun filled Memorial Day. 

Woo Hoo Summer is here!

Hugs,

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Patriotic Celebration

I know that Mothers Day is just around the corner, but saw a wonderful idea for decorating and celebrating Memorial Day/4th of July/Veteran's Day.

A Fabulous Picnic

A picnic decked out in America’s favorite colors makes the Fourth of July fun. Set a grand old table with red, white and blue paper plates, paired with rolled-up napkins in red and blue picnic plaids. Use plastic knives, forks and spoons, and you can ditch the dishwashing!

Summer’s all about simplicity, so keep the decorating low-key. Tape small paper flags around the edges of a white paper tablecloth with hook-and-loop tape. If someone spills, no worries – it’ll all be pitched after the party, anyway.  Make the punchbowl your centerpiece. Fill it with sea blue party punch, crowned with a silver-blue waterfall “sparkler,” a sure way to start the day off with a bang. Attach mini “sparklers” to drink straws to reinforce the theme. Ice soft drinks in red metal tubs, heat up the grill and let the fireworks begin.

Three cheers for the red, white and blue – and a quick cleanup, too! Making a tablescape pop is a snap with these timesaving tips:

• Keep it casual with paper plates in mix and match colors. To dress things up, serve drinks in plastic goblets. It feels festive, but they’re all throwaway.
• If the party's outside - or even inside - try plastic silverware. It comes in all colors and makes cleanup a breeze.
• Mix your punch to match your colors. (It's easy with food coloring.) Here, the blue hue is refreshingly patriotic.
• Place a glass punchbowl in the middle of your table for a showy centerpiece. If you don't have a punchbowl, borrow one, or buy an inexpensive acrylic one from a party warehouse.
• Show off your creativity. Add silver and blue "sparklers" to the punchbowl and glasses to give your table extra sizzle. Spray paint small terra cotta pots white and fill with red candies for an outdoorsy treat.

Contents of this post taken from Semi-Homemade

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