Summer = Salad in the South

By Leigha Burnham
@LeighaBurnham

Tart Cucumber Salad

Ahhh....summer. I love it for many reasons. I love that I am no longer a slave to the alarm clock per my 10-month employment in the field of education. I love the long hot days....yes, I actually like it when it is 90-something degrees outside. I love that I have hours to spend talking with and listening to my children. I love our family road trips all over our beautiful Georgia and beyond. And, I love a cool Southern salad. Yup. We Southerners don't always boil our beans to mush or deep fry everything green. We also savor the crispness of  fresh delights from the garden when they are carefully combined and then topped with a light dressing of some kind. So thus begins the first installment in a summer-long series by yours truly, Mrs. ABG.

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There are many varieties of cucumber salad. This happens to be my favorite. Probably because it is like eating dill pickles, but better. And it is extremely healthy for you, although not all Southern salads usually are...
Tart Cucumber Salad
2 cucumbers, washed and sliced thin (skin is optional based on personal preference)
2 cups cherry tomato
1/2 red onion, sliced extremely thin
For the dressing:
2 Tbsp fresh dill or 1 Tbsp of dried dill
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard (or my new favorite, horseradish mustard)
black pepper and sea salt to taste
*if you can't stand the tartness of this dressing, add 1 tsp of local honey
Directions:
Simply whisk all the ingredients for the salad dressing in a large glass bowl and then dump in your fresh veggies. I put mine in a Pampered Chef bowl, pop on the lid, and give it a good shake! Chill for an hour or two and it is ready to serve. Mmm.....mouth-watering and perfect for a hot summer day.