Summer Recipes Keeping it Simple

Unlikely Merger is now available and for a limited time, 

it's FREE on Kindle!

Today's recipe comes from Suzy Moore, one of the authors of Unlikely Merger. Suzy has been a blessing to all of us at the WIP/PNP family since we were first introduced in 2013. She's helped us with administrative tasks on several big projects, and we're grateful for her time and efficiency! We were thrilled to have her join us on our latest book.

Marinated Summer Veggies

by Suzy Moore

My grandparents loved summer produce. Grandpa was an avid gardener and Grandma always knew

exactly what to do with the bounty. All summer long there would be a row of tomatoes ripening on the kitchen window sill, and the aroma of green peppers, green onions, and cucumbers hung in the kitchen like a welcome from the garden.

Many of my aunts, uncles, and cousins lived nearby. For the ones that didn't, summer was usually the time they came to visit, so there were lots of get-togethers and potlucks and barbecues at Grandma and Grandpa's house during those months of long days in the sunshine.

My favorite summer recipe is heavy on the "summer" and probably a little too simple to be considered a "recipe", but it's my go-to favorite any time we are attending a summer potluck, or just celebrating the season at home. The smell of the vinegar and cucumbers takes me right back, every time, to my grandparents' kitchen and all of those wonderful childhood summer memories.

There are plenty of variations on this basic rendition, and the amount of each ingredient can be tweaked to suit your individual taste.

You'll need:

2-3 cucumbers, peeled and very thinly sliced

1 large white onion, sliced into thin rings

Equal parts vinegar (I like to use apple cider vinegar) and sugar-approx. 2/3 cup

Dill and black pepper to taste

Layer the vegetables in a bowl and pour the vinegar, sugar and spices on top. Stir well to mix. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for as long as you can wait before digging in!

You can also add a teaspoon or so of your favorite oil, fresh tomatoes, chopped green peppers, and any other spices you may like.

Summer fare that is full of flavor and aroma, and simple enough to throw together quickly without missing out on any of the fun in the sun.  Happy summer eating!

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Suzy Moore loves to get lost in a good story. She has a passion for the written word and for the many ways it can touch and uplift through the sharing of lives, stories, and most importantly the Gospel. She lives in rural Missouri with her husband and five children where she is a homeschooling mom, free-lance editor, and wanna-be farmer of all things natural and delicious. Connect with her on Facebook at her website. 

More from the Authors of Unlikely Merger:

FREE on Kindle
July 1-5

Friday, July 3:

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Raelee May Carpenter

Thursday, July 2

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Phee Paradise

Wednesday, July 1

Jennifer Hallmark: 3 Questions Wednesday with Jennifer Hallmark

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Suzy Moore

Betty Thomason Owens: Unlikely Merger’s SAM List

Monday, June 29:

            

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Jennifer Hallmark

Sunday, June 28:

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Patricia M. Dyer

Saturday, June 27

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Carole Towriss

Friday, June 26

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Julie Arduini

Thursday, June 25

Jennifer Hallmark: Traveling with Others by Phee Paradise

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Marji Laine

Summer Recipes Potato Salad and Cucumbers

Unlikely Merger is now available and for a limited time, 

it's FREE on Kindle!

We invited our authors to share some of their favorite summer recipes. Today's recipe comes from Jennifer Hallmark, one of the authors of Unlikely Merger.

My Favorite Summer Recipes

Jennifer Hallmark

When I think of recipes in the summer, I picture fresh vegetables straight from my garden. We usually plant broccoli, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, cabbage, potatoes, beets, corn, green beans, and pink-eyed purple hull peas. Yes, the peas are a southern must-have.

I love to share recipes, so today I’ll post two summer staples: potato salad and cucumber salad. It seems no family reunion or church social is complete without potato salad and some fixin’s of cucumbers.

The cucumber recipe is simple. You simple take 6-8 cucumbers, then peel and slice into a large bowl. Mix one cup of mayonnaise with either 2 tablespoons of vinegar or milk, depending on whether you like the vinegar taste. We prefer milk. Then add about a teaspoon of Morton Nature’s Seasons seasoning blend and whisk until smooth. Pour over cucumbers and chill. Enjoy!

My potato salad recipe is not too hard either. I place around four pounds of potatoes in a large Dutch oven, unpeeled, and boil until tender. I find they have a better consistency if I leave the peel on when boiling. Then I peel, and cut into cubes. I add four boiled eggs, chopped, and ¼ cup chopped onion (if you like onion). From here, I estimate. I’ll start by adding 1 ½ cups of mayonnaise, two tablespoons of prepared mustard, and ¼ cup of relish, either dill or sweet. I go back and forth, depending on whether I want the tang or the sweet. A couple of teaspoons of Nature’s Seasons seasoning blend and maybe a touch of pepper complete the salad. I stir it all up and then taste and add mayo or relish until it’s just right.

Yum! Delicious summer recipes, sure to please.

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Jennifer Hallmark: writer by nature, artist at heart, and daughter of God by His grace. With over 200 articles and interviews on the internet, her attention has moved to southern fiction and YA fantasy.

Her first book published in early 2014, a multi-authored romantic comedy novella, called A Dozen Apologies. She is currently shopping her YA series, Journey of Grace: Realm of Ecclesia, and a contemporary southern fiction novel, When Wedding and Weather Collide.

She is also part of two compilation projects to be released later this year. Unlikely Merger is a romantic novella, a sequel to A Dozen Apologies. She’s also contributed to the anthology: Not Alone: A Literary and Spiritual Companion for those Confronted with Infertility and Miscarriage.

Jennifer shares a writer’s reference blog, Writing Prompts & Thoughts & Ideas…Oh My! with friends, Betty, Tammy, Allison, Karen, Cari, Holly, Anne, Robin, and Betty B.

Jennifer and her husband, Danny, have spent their married life in Alabama and have a basset hound, Max. Their daughter Mandy is married to Tim, and has given them two beautiful granddaughters, Ava and Sadie. Their son, Jonathan, is currently working in the food industry and trying to complete his degree in business.

She loves to read detective fiction from the Golden Age, watch movies like LOTR, and play with her two precious granddaughters. At times, she writes.

You can find Jennifer on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

More from the Authors of Unlikely Merger:

FREE on Kindle
July 1-5

Friday, July 3:

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Raelee May Carpenter

Thursday, July 2

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Phee Paradise

Wednesday, July 1

Jennifer Hallmark: 3 Questions Wednesday with Jennifer Hallmark

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Suzy Moore

Betty Thomason Owens: Unlikely Merger’s SAM List

Monday, June 29:

            

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Jennifer Hallmark

Sunday, June 28:

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Patricia M. Dyer

Saturday, June 27

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Carole Towriss

Friday, June 26

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Julie Arduini

Thursday, June 25

Jennifer Hallmark: Traveling with Others by Phee Paradise

Fay Lamb: Who Wrote Whom: Meet the Authors of Unlikely Merger: Marji Laine