What's cooking?

I’m fixing two salads tomorrow (Saturday) in honor of Mother’s Day Sunday.

"Huh?" you’re wondering I’m sure. "You’re not supposed to have to do anything, especially cook!"

Well, I kinda gotta because Herself’s family is having a few people over for a small, intimate lunch to celebrate. In the past it's been a hundred people or so.

(Have I ever mentioned that the family Da Kid is marrying into is . . . uh, rather large?)

Anyway, one salad will be an experiment because I’ve never fixed it before. I saw the recipe somewhere and it sounded interesting so I’m going to give it a try. Not that I remember all of the ingredients, just the main ones but I also recall thinking, "What? No black olives!"

So it’s going to be an experiment and if it works it does. If it doesn’t, with the amount of food I know will already be there, no loss.

The other one is my tried and true Cucumber Salad. When it comes to the ingredients, I wish I had specific amounts but I don’t. I just know when it’s right.

(1) Large, disposable, covered cake pan. Like the ones you see on the grocery aisle with the food wrap? Yep, those. The size works and afterwards you don’t have to worry about chasing down the pan.

The day before the salad is needed, add:

(4) Cucumbers, peeled and sliced. (To give the cukes a prettier appearance, I drag the tines of a fork along the length of each one before slicing. Slice them a little on the thicker side so they’ll remain fairly firm.)

(3) Ripe firm tomatoes, cut into chunks.

(1) Red onion, cut into chunks.

(2) Bell peppers, cut into chunks.

(6) Radishes, sliced.

(4 - 6) Green onions, cut into fairly large chunks.

(3) Ounces of white vinegar

(4) Ounces of olive oil.

And the juice from one lemon.

(If you like celery, add that too slicing it thinly. Carrots? No problem.)

Here’s where the guesswork really comes in. I’m trying to translate from the measuring system I frequently use: the palm of my hand.

Next add:

(2) Tablespoons dill seed.

(1) Teaspoon garlic powder.

(1) Packet of whatever sugar substitute you prefer so long as it’s not that "pink" garbage.

Salt and Pepper, I dunno. I’d suggest one teaspoon of salt, maybe a half teaspoon of pepper.

Mix it all up, cover and refrigerate.

Re-mix and check it a couple of times to see how it’s going. (No, it’s not going to explode.) Taste a cucumber slice.

Too bitter? Add more sugar substitute. Not enough "zing," add a few ounces of pickle juice. Garlic dill, of course.

(You mean you actually have another kind of pickles in your house? Shameful.)

The next day? Wow!

And it even looks pretty. Like I know what I’m doing.