Refrigerator Pickles

Fresh, crunchy pickles are my absolute favorite treat.  Make sure to use Persian, French or Kerby cukes -- their skin is soft and they are seedless -- as regular garden cukes have a tough skin and do not make a nice pickle.

15 Persian cucumbers, sliced in rounds (I get mine at Trader Joes)
2 quarts water
1 cup white vinegar
1/3-1/2 C sea salt

1 onion, sliced
1 bunch of fresh dill or 1 Tbsp dried dill
4-5 cloves garlic - peeled and crushed, but not chopped
sliced jalapenos - optional

In a saucepan over high heat, combine water, vinegar and salt.  Bring to boil and turn off heat.
While waiting for liquids to boil, take out quart sized canning jars OR heat safe containers.

Place garlic, dill and sliced onions in the bottom of each jar.  Place cucumber rounds on top of the onions.  Fill each container to the top with the pickling liquid.  Top the containers and place in refrigerator for at least 24 hours before eating.  Pickles will last for 2 weeks.

Greek Summer Salad

1 large container grape tomatoes, halved
1 container or 1/2 C Feta cheese
2 large or 6 mini cucumbers, sliced and halved
1/2 small purple onion, minced
2T lemon juice
1 C Greek dressing (bottled)
salt and pepper to taste

Combine everything and refrigerate for 1/2-1 hour. Serve cold. Excellent side to grilled chicken (marinated in 1/3C olive oil, 1T oregano, 3T lemon juice and salt and pepper).

Fruit and Romaine Salad

SALAD

2 hearts of romaine, chopped
1/4C Crasins
1 apple, chopped
1/2 C salted cashews
1/2 C Parmesan cheese, grated or paper thin sliced

DRESSING

1/3C blood orange olive oil
2T Dijon mustard
2T lemon juice
2tsp poppy seeds
3T sugar
2T minced scallions

Mix and refrigerate dressing. If you're unable to find the blood orange olive oil, use 1/3C olive oil and 1/4 c orange juice.
Combine everything right before mixing. Add grilled chicken and make it a meal.