Cool Cucumbers

After being away from the garden for almost two weeks, we came home to "Cucumbers Gone Crazy."
I kid you not, they are climbing up into my neighbor's pine tree.
Plus, they are gigantic. These two are seventeen inches! Mr. Cabin says they are a little bitter when they are this big but we grew them so we're gonna eat 'em!

So here is just a fun little trick I use to fancy my cucumbers up a bit before tossing them with our favorite dressing.

First, peel them.

Then take a fork and run it down the length of the cucumbers to create little grooves.

It will look like this.

Then when you cut them into slices, they will look all fancy-schmancy like this...

 

Enjoy,

Pesto

Basil is a staple in my garden.  Even if I never used it for food, I think I would still plant it because of it's rich aromatic smell. One of my summer traditions has become harvesting some of the basil to make pesto. It is a fairly simple recipe. I usually double or triple it so I will have plenty to save and freeze. 

2 cups (2 oz) firmly packed fresh basil leaves

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2-3 tablespoons pine nuts or walnuts

1/2- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly grpund pepper

1 cup (8 fl oz) mild olive oil

1/2 cup (2 oz) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a food processor fitted with the metal blade or in a blender, combine the basil, garlic, nuts, salt and pepper. (Be careful when adding the salt, as the cheese that is added later can be salty.) Process until well combined. Add 1/2 cup of the olive oil and puree using short on-off pulses. Stir between pulses to blend well. Add the remaining 1/2 cup oil and the cheese and process to form a thick puree. Do not overprocess; the mixture should have a little texture. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Transfer to a covered container and store in the refrigerator.

Use pesto in pasta, pizza, crostini and grilled vegetables. It can also be thinned with olive oil or vinegar for a salad dressing or a sauce for grilled fish.

Pesto keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Be sure to pour a thin layer of olive oil on top; this keeps it from discoloring. It can also be frozen for up to 6 months, but do not add the cheese until after it is defrosted.

Linking to these parties...