My Culinary Blog

2−3 cucumbers, sliced
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 clove garlic, minced
4 fresh green onions, diced
1 cup thick sour cream
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Slice cucumbers thinly into bowl; sprinkle with salt, mix. Set aside for 1 hour. Mix vinegar, water, sugar, paprika, white pepper and garlic, and set aside. Squeeze liquid from cucumber slices a few at a time, and place into bowl. Discard liquid. Add vinegar mixture, green onions, and sour cream. Mix and sprinkle additional paprika over top. Chill for 1−2 hours.

8 ounces fusilli pasta, uncooked
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup yogurt
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
3 cups (1 pound) cubed, cooked turkey
1 cup chopped celery

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again. In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, yogurt, onions, salt, and white pepper. Gently stir in turkey, pasta, and celery. Cover, and chill until serving time.

1 cup dried lentils
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced red onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup diced celery
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

In a saucepan combine lentils, carrots, onion, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes or until lentils are tender but not mushy.
Drain lentils and vegetables and remove bay leaf. Add olive oil, lemon juice, celery, parsley, salt and pepper. Toss to mix and serve at room temperature.

2 boneless chicken breasts
3/4 cup steak sauce
1 (12 ounce) package fussili or bowtie pasta
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 medium Vidalia onion, diced
2 avocados, peeled and diced
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup blue cheese or ranch salad dressing

Marinate chicken breasts in steak sauce for 15 to 60 minutes. Grill until done and chop into bite−size pieces. In a large pot of boiling water, add the bouillon cubes and cook pasta until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water. In a large bowl, combine chicken, pasta, onion, avocados and tomatoes. Add salad dressing, mix and refrigerate until chilled.
Stir in additional salad dressing when ready to serve, if desired.