Category Archives: Salt

Cucumber Salad


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Ingredients:

1 large cucumber
1 tsp coarse sea salt
1 Tbsp light sour cream
1 tsp finely chopped onion
1 tsp fresh dill, chopped
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp sugar

Directions:

Peel your cucumber – or you can leave the peel on if you want – slice cucumber into fairly thin slices. Place into a colander and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Set on something to catch the water that drains off, and set aside.

Mix together sour cream, onion, dill, vinegar, and sugar. Cover and place in fridge.Let cucumbers drain and dressing chill for at least an hour, up to 2 hours.

Before serving, rinse cucumbers under running water briefly. Pat dry with paper towel.Toss dressing with cucumbers and serve.

Easy to Make Crusty Home Baked Bread


I don’t make homemade, from scratch, with the hands, bread very often because I am a bit intimidated by it.  This recipe is SO forgiving that EVEN I can have success with it!
Crusty Bread
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon yeast
1 1/2 cups water
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and yeast.  Add water and mix until a shaggy mixture forms.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 12 – 18 hours.  Overnight works great.
Heat oven to 450 degrees.  When the oven has reached 450 degrees place a cast iron pot with a lid in the oven and heat the pot for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, pour dough onto a heavily floured surface and shape into a ball.  Cover with plastic wrap and let set while the pot is heating.  Remove hot pot from the oven and drop in the dough.
Cover and return to oven for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes remove the lid and bake an additional 15 minutes.  Remove bread from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.
Pictures of MY bread:
[after 30 minutes baking]
[after final baking time]
[cooling on wire rack]

Cheddar Cheese Puffs ….. with a surprise!


Makes 48 puffs

2 cups grated sharp cheddar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 cup sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
48 small green stuffed olives, well drained

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
1. Blend the grated cheese and butter. Stir in the flour, salt and paprika. (This can all be done in a food processor equipped with the metal blade.)
2. Mold 1 teaspoon of the mixture around each olive. Chill the puffs until firm, about 30 minutes. Arrange the puffs on ungreased baking sheets.
3. Bake for 15 minutes or until browned. (You can also freeze the puffs, well wrapped, for about 10 days. Bake them, still frozen, until browned.)