Our first little cucumber is close to being ready to be picked from the garden – (I have no bitterness or jealousy over the fact that I’ve already been given three huge cukes from David and Amanda’s garden. Nope…no jealousy at all…) – and in the meantime I was thrilled to see them for fourteen cents each at the grocery store yesterday. Fourteen Cents! Wheeee!

All these facts tell me it must be time to make my soon-to-be-world-famous Summertime Cucumber Salad. (Especially since my friend Kathy gave me a glorious big red onion from her garden the other day.)

This is a salad that always gets applause, and which always brings me recipe requests. It’s kind of embarrassing since there is not much of a recipe. We have an ongoing bowl of this in the fridge all summer long and I’m happy to share the recipe. It’s cool and crispy and delicious, and you can make it in way less than 10 minutes..

Summertime Cucumber Salad

Four or five cucumbers, peeled and sliced
One large red onion, thinly sliced
One packet of Good Seasons Salad Dressing mix, prepared according to directions.
(or a bottle of your favourite Italian Salad Dressing would probably work as well)

Alternate layers of red onion and cucumber slices in a leak-proof Tupperware-type container.

Pour salad dressing on top. Refrigerate at least a couple of hours. You will want to flip the container every few hours or every few days to make sure all the onion and cucumber slices are evenly coated and well marinaded.

What could be easier? Try it! I guarantee you’ll get rave reviews.

And here is a somewhat similar recipe that’s just as popular, although it’s probably not as Summerish as the cucumber-onion salad.

Easy Three Bean Salad

1 can of kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 can of green beans, drained.

Toss the beans together and cover with prepared Good Seasons Salad Dressing Mix. You can keep it it a big jar for weeks and weeks.

Amazing!

*One more little hint from the Paladini kitchen – if you buy those marinated artichoke hearts that come in oil, you can save the oil and use it to make the Salad Dressing. (And if you are a fan of the artichokes themselves, feel free to cut some up and add them to either of these salads.)