# Need cucumber ideas!



## sriston (Mar 30, 2013)

We have an abundance of cucumbers, and the number is growing faster than rabbits. I am looking for some canning ideas for them. We love fresh cucumbers, and even though we are a family of ten, we simply cannot keep up with the supply! I am feeding them to the livestock and us, and we still have cucumbers coming out of our ears.

I am looking for recipes that I can use my cucumbers in. I think I have seen a cucumber relish (I have plenty of onions, peppers, green tomatoes, etc., whatever else it may need). Most of the recipes I have seen are for pickles. Believe it or not, although we all love cucumbers, we hate pickles. :yuck: It would do me no good at all to make pickles because we won't eat them and it would just be wasted food. We actually don't like anything pickled, so I am looking for a recipe that either has very little vinegar in it or none at all.

I appreciate any ideas.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

I was scratching my head trying to figure out canned cukes that aren't pickles.. 

Then I found this recipe.. Sounds interesting.. Antipasta Sauce.. 

http://www.food.com/recipe/antipasta-sauce-canning-39398


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## sriston (Mar 30, 2013)

That doesn't sound like something we would eat. Ugh. I may have to just keep feeding all of these cucumbers to the livestock. Thanks anyway. I appreciate the idea.


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

Load up your vehicle. Drive to town. Look for unlocked cars. Do not cross state lines.


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## sdnapier (Aug 13, 2010)

Bret said:


> Load up your vehicle. Drive to town. Look for unlocked cars. Do not cross state lines.


I thought you only did that with summer squash!!!


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## sriston (Mar 30, 2013)

I love Bret's idea! :bouncy: As for the summer squash, I know what you mean about them, sdnapier! Although at least I can all of our summer squash, unlike these darn cucumbers. Why my husband thought we needed 50 cucumber plants is beyond me. :hammer: I can't even find anyone to give them to because like tomatoes, it seems like everyone and their brother raises cucumbers in their summer garden. Gads. I'm going to take Bret's advice.


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

Bummer that nobody in your family likes pickles. Can't spell it, sounds like vee shee swaz, classic French recipe, cold cucumber soup. Maybe your family would like that, and maybe cucumbers could even be frozen for such an application??

Can you trade cukes for something else you don't have? Find a farmer's market and sell them? Donate to the nearest food pantry? Make sure your husband never again puts out 50 plants?

Sounds like you guys are in a real pickle. Pun intended.


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## GrannyG (Mar 26, 2005)

I am making pickles....takes three days to do them...that gives time to figure out more ideas....LOL
From my blog....
Let's Get Pickled 
CINNAMON RED HOT CUCUMBER PICKLES 
7 lbs. large cucumbers 
1 cup lime 
1 cup vinegar 
Red food coloring 
1 TBSP Alum 
2 cups vinegar 
10 cups sugar 
... 8 cinnamon sticks 
1 small package of Red Hots (Brach's Imperials are best) 
Peel, seed, and slice cucumbers. Soak in 1 cup lime and 1 gallon water for 24 hours.Drain well and wash several times with clear water. Wash, soak, covered with ice water for 3 hours.Drain. 
Mix 1 cup vinegar, 
1 bottle red food coloring, 
alum, and water to cover. 
Pour over the cucumbers and simmer for 2 hours.Pour off. 
Bring to a boil, 2 cups vinegar, 2 cups water, 10 cups sugar, cinnamon sticks, and red hots. Pour over cucumbers and let stand 24 hours. Pour off syrup and bring to a boil, pour over cucumbers in jars and seal. 
I waterbath mine.This recipe is great for those big cucumbers that you can't do anything else with. They are pretty in rings, or they can be made into spears. I do mine in big crocks. I have been lucky to find old crocks around here at auctions. At Christmas, cut material into circles, pink the edges, put on jar with ring, tie ribbons on bottle.Makes nice gifts.


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## GrannyG (Mar 26, 2005)

http://www.instructables.com/id/Use-Your-Overgrown-Cucumbers-Candied-Cinnamon-Pi/


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## Kathy in MD (May 30, 2002)

SWEET PICKLE RELISH

5 qts. chopped cucumbers
6 cups chopped onion
2 green peppers, chopped
2 sweet red peppers, chopped
Â½ cup pickling salt(regular salt is do)
6 cups sugar
4 cups cider vinegar
2 TBS celery seed
2 TBS mustard seed


Combine cucumbers, onions, and peppers in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and cover with cold water. Let stand for 2 hours. Drain thoroughly. Press out excess liquid. 

Combine sugar, vinegar and spices. Heat to boiling. Add vegetables. Simmer for 10 minutes. Pack hot into clean, hot pint jars., leaving Â¼ inch headspace. Seal. Process in a boiling-water bath or steam canner for 10 minutes. Yield 7-8 pints.


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## CesumPec (May 20, 2011)

Tzat Ziki (pronounced zaht ziki) is a great sauce on veggies, salad, with olives, on pitas as a dip, over grilled chicken or pork.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/tzatziki-sauce/


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## sriston (Mar 30, 2013)

Thanks everyone! That Tzat Ziki sounds good, I am going to try it. I am also going to try the cold cucumber soup. I'm going to give the relish a try; we aren't crazy about relish but it will use up some of these cucumbers. Personally, I think the Tzat Ziki is going to be a hit because we love all of the ingredients in it.


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## CesumPec (May 20, 2011)

what makes Tzat ziki better is for it to be as dry as possible. Drain your yogurt thru a paper towel or coffee filter. Seed the cukes and chop into small pieces with a knife, not a food processor. The processor cuts them too small and liquifies them. After chopping the cukes, drain them as well. We LOVE garlic so we add more. I also modified the recipe by taking all the olive oil, put the garlic thru a press, and sauteing the garlic in it till it is soft. Then wait for the oil to cool and poor all the oil and garlic into the yogurt/cuke mixture. You don't have to do it this way, it just gives it a richer garlic flavor. 

My fave use for Tzat Ziki is Souvlaki.

Cubed lamb, pork, or chicken. Marinate fully covered in red wine/lemon juice (about 4 parts wine to 1 part lemon juice), bunches of garlic, tons of oregano, salt, pepper, and some mint. Don't worry about measures because you can't over do any of them. Let this marinate 24 hours. 

If you have the patience, make skewers with the meat, bell peppers, onion, and tomatoes. I don't have the patience and just grill the meet and lightly saute the veggies in a little olive oil and some of the marinade. Make sure the marinade has a chance to get really hot since it will have been in the raw meat. Tomatoes don't take long to cook so add them last and just get them warmed. 

Serve with a greek salad, warmed pitas, and lots and lots of tzat ziki. We usually add a side of rice as well.


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## Delrio (Mar 11, 2007)

Give them to neighbors, friends, family, senior centers, etc.


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## sriston (Mar 30, 2013)

Souvlaki sounds good! We are harvesting some chickens today, so I think I will give it a try using chicken.


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## Feisty Farm (Apr 10, 2012)

Craigslist- advertise in bulk for those who want to make pickles but didn't grow their own cukes.


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## stamphappy (Jul 29, 2010)

There is a mock apple pie made with zucchini; I wonder if it taste just as good using cucumbers?


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## CesumPec (May 20, 2011)

stamphappy said:


> There is a mock apple pie made with zucchini; I wonder if it taste just as good using cucumbers?


from an episode of Frasier.

_Martin_: I brought you some of Sherry's mock apple pie. It's called 'mock' because they use crackers instead of apples!
_Frasier_: (derisively) Good - nothing spoils an apple pie like apples


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## cjean (May 1, 2007)

We make a great fresh cucumber salsa - planted more cukes this year just so we could have plenty. It's delicious on hot summer days.

9 medium cukes, peeled
1 large onion
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell
1 hot or 3 tame jalapenos
1 bunch cilantro
5 roma type tomatoes
1/4 cup dill weed or dill blossoms
3 cloves garlic

1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 limes, chopped

5 cups water
1/2 cup salt

In a large bowl, mix water and salt. Chop all vegetables and soak in salt water for 1 hour (exclude the limes - they come later). Drain, rinse well, and drain thoroughly again, removing as much water as possible. Add vinegar and chopped limes. Stir well, and put into quart jars (about 3). 

Not sure how long it will last in the fridge, because we eat it all in just a few days!


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## unregistered5595 (Mar 3, 2003)

I don't know where I originally saw this---but it was a cucumber sandwich, breadless, with chicken and other ingredients as the filling.

This I just found here:http://www.buzzfeed.com/ailbhemalone/15-mouthwatering-no-bread-sandwiches
Breadless sandwiches


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