Frozen on a Stick

If you like frozen treats, you’ll love how tasty honeydew is when put on a stick and frozen in the freezer. The result is a sort of “natural” popsicle, whose soft and creamy texture is the perfect complement to the natural sweetness offered up.

With a Bit of Serrano Ham or Prosciutto

A common snack in both Italy and Spain during summer is a simple mix of cured ham (in Spain, serrano ham and in Italy, prosciutto) and pieces of honeydew. While it might sound strange at first glance, this treat is the perfect combination of sweet and savory.

In a Salsa

Believe it or not, honeydew can actually be used as part of a salsa recipe that will blow your mind on tortilla chips or in tacos. Combining small pieces of honeydew with ingredients like tomatoes and jalapeno peppers is the key to this sweet heat salsa.

The post Creative Ways to Enjoy Honeydew This Summer appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Simple Recipe, Simple Life

Choose recipes that kids can make quickly and easily, without a lot of ingredients or long instructions.

No Stove or Oven

Choose recipes that do not require cooking with heat. Good examples for kid-friendly recipes are cocoa energy balls, fruit smoothies, toasts and sandwiches, fruit salads, or vegetable sticks with dip.

Safety First

This is an opportunity to teach children good safety habits, along with positive eating habits. Teach them how to use the knife carefully, and how to clean after they finish cooking.

Make Room for Creativity

This is the opportunity to let your little ones shine! Nutella toast with cucumber? Popcorn with ketchup? Why not! Go wild and get cooking! 

The post Cooking with Children is Fun! appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Cake Vodka

Strawberry milkshakes can be hard to match with booze, but that’s not the case anymore. Someone thought of the genius idea to add some cake vodka to the sweet drink and make it a truly refreshing summer treat. The flavors blend seamlessly, so I’m guessing you don’t need any more convincing.

Bourbon

You’d better have a bottle of bourbon somewhere in the house, because you have to try this idea right away. It tastes heavenly with vanilla, so that should be your first pick. If you are more of a chocolate fan, that will work too.

Bailey’s Irish Cream

It already sounds delicious just with the mention of Bailey’s. This sweet liquor can be used to spike your summer milkshake in the best possible way. It tastes amazing with different flavors including caramel, vanilla and chocolate.

The post Fresh Ways To Spike Your Summer Milkshake appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Gin and Tonic

Spain is actually the biggest consumer of gin in the world, and it shows in their gin and tonics! What makes them so different is the array of different types of tonic and general flavor combinations.

Vermouth

When people think of vermouth, they usually imagine it combined with gin in a martini. However, in Spain, people drink different typea of red vermouth. Vermouth is a fortified wine that is wildly popular in Spain and has been for centuries. Most people just order it plain over ice, with a soda, or find it in many different cocktails.

Sangria

Sangria is probably the most well known of Spain’s cocktails. Although in some places of the country it can be a little bit of a tourist trap, if you are in the south where it gets hottest, it is absolutely necessary.

The post The Best Drinks to Have When in Spain appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Ingredients:

This sangria recipe is made with red wine, but if you have some white left at home, you can also give it a try. The first thing you need is a 750ml. bottle of red wine. The fruit list includes 1 lemon, 1 orange, 1 apple. If you love berries feel free to add some blueberries and strawberries. You will also need 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 1/2 oz brandy and 2 cups club soda. Some people prefer to do it with ginger ale.

Instructions:

The sangria recipe will take you around 5-10 minutes to prep. All you have to do is cut all the fruits on tiny pieces, except for the lemons and oranges. You will need a large pitcher to put the wine in. Squeeze the lemons and the oranges together with the wine. Put the chopped fruit in, together with the sugar and brandy. Cover the pitcher and leave it in the fridge overnight. Add the soda right before you pour it.

The post The Perfect Summer Sangria Recipe appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

These tiny summer starters will be the cutest, tastiest thing you’ve ever served. You can stuff them with any type of cheese that you like and add some extra virgin olive oil. Healthy and delicious at the same time.

Prawn Bisque

If you are big on seafood and also love cooking, this is the perfect summer starter for you. You can even serve it during your next home party and surprise your guests with this fancy meal.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCNxjSZivVz/

Guacamole Dip

The whole world is obsessed with guacamole, so why not make it your favorite starter as well. You can do this delicious dip at home and try some of the many recipes online.

Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Just turn the grill on and start preparing those shrimps. This is one of the best starter ideas you’ll ever read. You can literally serve them however you want, including dipping sauces on the side.

The post Healthy, Delicious Summer Starters appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Ingredients

The two stars of this drink are dried hibiscus flowers and water. Alternatively, you can use hibiscus tea if you can’t find dried flowers. Some recommended additions to the tea are fresh ginger, a cinnamon stick, lemon or lime juice, cloves, or mint. These aren’t necessary, but they bring great flavor to the drink and help take away some of the bitterness from the tea.

Method

This recipe is simple: pour all the ingredients into a container or jar and stir. Let it sit in the fridge for at least 3 hours but no more than 24. Once it’s done, strain out the bits, mix it up and enjoy! You can keep it for at least a week in the fridge sometimes longer!

The post This Bright Red Drink Will Change Your Summer Forever appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Ingredients:

For this tasty summer treat you will need 3 avocados, that are medium ripe. 1 cup of sour cream. 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon squeezed lime juice, 1/2 cup heavy cream and just a tiny bit of salt. The best thing is that you probably already have all these things in your freezer.

Method:

This is really simple: just let the appliances do all the work. The first thing you have to do is scoop out the flesh of the three avocados. Put the content in your blender. Now you have to add the lime juice, sour cream, heavy cream, sugar and the salt. Blend the mixture until you get a perfect paste. Your ice cream is almost ready. Put the mixture in an ice cream maker and the time depends on how you prefer to have it. If you prefer to have it firmer, keep it in the freezer for several hours. I promise you, this avocado ice cream recipe will change your life.

The post Fabulous Avocado Ice Cream Recipe You’ll Crave For Every Day appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

When preparing shrimp cocktail purchase fresh, larger sized, shelled shrimp. You first will devein the shrimp by cutting out the veins along the back center line, but without fully removing the shell. Then rinse and cook.

For shrimp cocktail, you can boil or fry the shrimp but we recommend steaming because there is less of a chance of overcooking the shrimp. As soon as you start to see the shrimp float in the boiling water (after just a couple minutes) remove and put on ice. This is a very fast process.

Allow for at least a half hour on ice and in a freezer for the shrimp to cool.

While you are waiting, make the dipping sauce. The most simple sauce is just ketchup and horseradish to taste. Then make sure to cut some lemon lightly squeeze over the shrimp.

Lastly, pair with a nice cocktail such as a dirty martini or Bloody Mary, and enjoy!

The post Shrimp cocktail: Best Poolside Meal appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

First off, you will want to eat or scoop out all of the watermelon meat from the melon. Next, make sure to cut your rinds into thin small strips. The smaller the rind pieces are, the easier it is for the entire section to soak up the pickling spices and have an even flavor throughout.

The ingredients you will need besides the rind are white vinegar, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon. The process is a fairly lengthy one so make sure that you aren’t in a time crunch to have your pickles ready.

Let your cut rind pieces soak in water that ⅓ cup of salt has been dissolved in. You will want to let the rind soak in the brine for at least 12 hours. After the rind has soaked drain the pieces and rinse them off with plain water.

Then, on a stove top, combine two cups of white vinegar, two cups of water, four cups of sugar, one teaspoon of whole cloves, one sliced lemon and 4 cinnamon sticks.

After bringing this mixture to a boil add the rind pieces and bring the pot down to a simmer. Cook all these components for about a half hour or until the rind is clear.

Then, add the concoction to sealable containers and wait to eat until at room temperature. You can repeat this process with any melon rind!

The post You should Start Pickling Watermelon Rinds appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Frozen on a Stick

If you like frozen treats, you’ll love how tasty honeydew is when put on a stick and frozen in the freezer. The result is a sort of “natural” popsicle, whose soft and creamy texture is the perfect complement to the natural sweetness offered up.

With a Bit of Serrano Ham or Prosciutto

A common snack in both Italy and Spain during summer is a simple mix of cured ham (in Spain, serrano ham and in Italy, prosciutto) and pieces of honeydew. While it might sound strange at first glance, this treat is the perfect combination of sweet and savory.

In a Salsa

Believe it or not, honeydew can actually be used as part of a salsa recipe that will blow your mind on tortilla chips or in tacos. Combining small pieces of honeydew with ingredients like tomatoes and jalapeno peppers is the key to this sweet heat salsa.

The post Creative Ways to Enjoy Honeydew This Summer appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Simple Recipe, Simple Life

Choose recipes that kids can make quickly and easily, without a lot of ingredients or long instructions.

No Stove or Oven

Choose recipes that do not require cooking with heat. Good examples for kid-friendly recipes are cocoa energy balls, fruit smoothies, toasts and sandwiches, fruit salads, or vegetable sticks with dip.

Safety First

This is an opportunity to teach children good safety habits, along with positive eating habits. Teach them how to use the knife carefully, and how to clean after they finish cooking.

Make Room for Creativity

This is the opportunity to let your little ones shine! Nutella toast with cucumber? Popcorn with ketchup? Why not! Go wild and get cooking! 

The post Cooking with Children is Fun! appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Cake Vodka

Strawberry milkshakes can be hard to match with booze, but that’s not the case anymore. Someone thought of the genius idea to add some cake vodka to the sweet drink and make it a truly refreshing summer treat. The flavors blend seamlessly, so I’m guessing you don’t need any more convincing.

Bourbon

You’d better have a bottle of bourbon somewhere in the house, because you have to try this idea right away. It tastes heavenly with vanilla, so that should be your first pick. If you are more of a chocolate fan, that will work too.

Bailey’s Irish Cream

It already sounds delicious just with the mention of Bailey’s. This sweet liquor can be used to spike your summer milkshake in the best possible way. It tastes amazing with different flavors including caramel, vanilla and chocolate.

The post Fresh Ways To Spike Your Summer Milkshake appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Gin and Tonic

Spain is actually the biggest consumer of gin in the world, and it shows in their gin and tonics! What makes them so different is the array of different types of tonic and general flavor combinations.

Vermouth

When people think of vermouth, they usually imagine it combined with gin in a martini. However, in Spain, people drink different typea of red vermouth. Vermouth is a fortified wine that is wildly popular in Spain and has been for centuries. Most people just order it plain over ice, with a soda, or find it in many different cocktails.

Sangria

Sangria is probably the most well known of Spain’s cocktails. Although in some places of the country it can be a little bit of a tourist trap, if you are in the south where it gets hottest, it is absolutely necessary.

The post The Best Drinks to Have When in Spain appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Ingredients:

This sangria recipe is made with red wine, but if you have some white left at home, you can also give it a try. The first thing you need is a 750ml. bottle of red wine. The fruit list includes 1 lemon, 1 orange, 1 apple. If you love berries feel free to add some blueberries and strawberries. You will also need 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 1/2 oz brandy and 2 cups club soda. Some people prefer to do it with ginger ale.

Instructions:

The sangria recipe will take you around 5-10 minutes to prep. All you have to do is cut all the fruits on tiny pieces, except for the lemons and oranges. You will need a large pitcher to put the wine in. Squeeze the lemons and the oranges together with the wine. Put the chopped fruit in, together with the sugar and brandy. Cover the pitcher and leave it in the fridge overnight. Add the soda right before you pour it.

The post The Perfect Summer Sangria Recipe appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

These tiny summer starters will be the cutest, tastiest thing you’ve ever served. You can stuff them with any type of cheese that you like and add some extra virgin olive oil. Healthy and delicious at the same time.

Prawn Bisque

If you are big on seafood and also love cooking, this is the perfect summer starter for you. You can even serve it during your next home party and surprise your guests with this fancy meal.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCNxjSZivVz/

Guacamole Dip

The whole world is obsessed with guacamole, so why not make it your favorite starter as well. You can do this delicious dip at home and try some of the many recipes online.

Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Just turn the grill on and start preparing those shrimps. This is one of the best starter ideas you’ll ever read. You can literally serve them however you want, including dipping sauces on the side.

The post Healthy, Delicious Summer Starters appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Ingredients

The two stars of this drink are dried hibiscus flowers and water. Alternatively, you can use hibiscus tea if you can’t find dried flowers. Some recommended additions to the tea are fresh ginger, a cinnamon stick, lemon or lime juice, cloves, or mint. These aren’t necessary, but they bring great flavor to the drink and help take away some of the bitterness from the tea.

Method

This recipe is simple: pour all the ingredients into a container or jar and stir. Let it sit in the fridge for at least 3 hours but no more than 24. Once it’s done, strain out the bits, mix it up and enjoy! You can keep it for at least a week in the fridge sometimes longer!

The post This Bright Red Drink Will Change Your Summer Forever appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Ingredients:

For this tasty summer treat you will need 3 avocados, that are medium ripe. 1 cup of sour cream. 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon squeezed lime juice, 1/2 cup heavy cream and just a tiny bit of salt. The best thing is that you probably already have all these things in your freezer.

Method:

This is really simple: just let the appliances do all the work. The first thing you have to do is scoop out the flesh of the three avocados. Put the content in your blender. Now you have to add the lime juice, sour cream, heavy cream, sugar and the salt. Blend the mixture until you get a perfect paste. Your ice cream is almost ready. Put the mixture in an ice cream maker and the time depends on how you prefer to have it. If you prefer to have it firmer, keep it in the freezer for several hours. I promise you, this avocado ice cream recipe will change your life.

The post Fabulous Avocado Ice Cream Recipe You’ll Crave For Every Day appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

When preparing shrimp cocktail purchase fresh, larger sized, shelled shrimp. You first will devein the shrimp by cutting out the veins along the back center line, but without fully removing the shell. Then rinse and cook.

For shrimp cocktail, you can boil or fry the shrimp but we recommend steaming because there is less of a chance of overcooking the shrimp. As soon as you start to see the shrimp float in the boiling water (after just a couple minutes) remove and put on ice. This is a very fast process.

Allow for at least a half hour on ice and in a freezer for the shrimp to cool.

While you are waiting, make the dipping sauce. The most simple sauce is just ketchup and horseradish to taste. Then make sure to cut some lemon lightly squeeze over the shrimp.

Lastly, pair with a nice cocktail such as a dirty martini or Bloody Mary, and enjoy!

The post Shrimp cocktail: Best Poolside Meal appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

First off, you will want to eat or scoop out all of the watermelon meat from the melon. Next, make sure to cut your rinds into thin small strips. The smaller the rind pieces are, the easier it is for the entire section to soak up the pickling spices and have an even flavor throughout.

The ingredients you will need besides the rind are white vinegar, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon. The process is a fairly lengthy one so make sure that you aren’t in a time crunch to have your pickles ready.

Let your cut rind pieces soak in water that ⅓ cup of salt has been dissolved in. You will want to let the rind soak in the brine for at least 12 hours. After the rind has soaked drain the pieces and rinse them off with plain water.

Then, on a stove top, combine two cups of white vinegar, two cups of water, four cups of sugar, one teaspoon of whole cloves, one sliced lemon and 4 cinnamon sticks.

After bringing this mixture to a boil add the rind pieces and bring the pot down to a simmer. Cook all these components for about a half hour or until the rind is clear.

Then, add the concoction to sealable containers and wait to eat until at room temperature. You can repeat this process with any melon rind!

The post You should Start Pickling Watermelon Rinds appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.