It’s been pretty hot here in New Mexico so we’re trying to come up with cold meals that are easy to make and serve. We turned to our two favorite home cooks, Sharon (Rusty’s mom) and Dee (Ren’s stepmom). Sharon has a lovely and cool cucumber salad that originated with her mother who prepared meals with whatever was fresh from their garden in rural South Dakota. Dee has a scrumptious curried mango chicken salad that she has made time and again to much praise by all who have tried it. Both recipes fit the bill for a sweltering evening while summer camping along the Rio Grande. We made both in the morning one day while it was still cool, and let it all hang out in the fridge until dinner time. Thanks, Sharon and Dee!

Grandma’s Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

• ½ European cucumber, thinly sliced
• ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1 ½ Tbs apple cider vinegar, more or less
• 1 Tbs chopped fresh dill
• Lots of freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Place cucumbers and onion in Ziploc bag, and sprinkle salt over all. Close the bag and shake until veggies are coated with salt. Place in the fridge for about 2 hours. This helps them give up excess water. Drain, then rinse again with fresh water. Drain and then place the cucumber and onion mixture on a dishtowel (or paper towels) and roll up to remove any remaining moisture. In a small bowl, mix sour cream with vinegar and taste. If you want a thinner dressing add a bit more vinegar. Place cucumbers and onions in a bowl and spoon dressing over the top, a spoonful at a time, tossing gently until everything is lightly coated. (You may have dressing left over.) Then add dill and lots of ground pepper, and toss again. This is best served immediately, but it will hold up for about a day in the fridge.

Dee’s Curried Mango Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tbs cilantro
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 1 tsp curry powder
• ½ mango, diced
• 8 oz shredded or cubed chicken

Preparation:

Mix first 4 ingredients in a bowl and stir until combined and smooth. Then add mango and chicken, tossing gently until everything is well coated. Serve with tortilla or pita chips. (note: you can make this spicy by adding a few drops of Sriracha or a dash of ground cayenne pepper) Let this chill in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.