I don’t know about you all, but my garden has EXPLODED over the past couple of weeks! We finally got some good rain, and that combined with the humid Indiana weather has resulted in my little garden beds not quite being able to contain all the vegetabley goodness that’s happening. And, well, truth be told…I may have over planted for the size of my beds. Whoops.

LJ and “her” tomatoes, pre-freakish growth explosion.

Trust me, I’m not complaining…after a couple of years of not having a real garden, I’m loving going out there every day and checking to see what goodies are ready. I also love being able to decide what to do with all of that fresh goodness! Eat now, freeze, can? So many possibilities!

For me, the biggest trick has been figuring out what in the world to do with the bajillions of cucumbers I’ve been getting. It’s like one day I checked and there were a couple that were close, but then the next day out of no where I had a bunch ready to go. Everyone in my house loves cucumbers, but you can only get through so many by just slicing them and eating them raw with a little salt on them.

Holy cucumbers, Batman!

That’s where this delicious Creamy Cucumber Salad comes in! It’s a great way to use up a lot of cucumbers, and is so delicious I could (and have) eat a whole bowl in one sitting! Plus, it’s just so dang simple!! And if you make a little too much dressing, the extra makes a super yummy chip dip, just saying!

Peel and slice your cucumbers to your desired thickness…I like mine pretty thin, but if you prefer thicker slices, have at it! Depending on the size of seeds in the cucumbers, you might want to slice them in half and scoop out the seeds, too. I usually don’t worry about this unless the seeds are really big. Put the sliced cucumbers in a bowl along with some sliced red onion. Now, here’s another place where you can go rogue: if you don’t have any red onion on hand, or don’t care for it and want something a little more mild, feel free to substitute your favorite type of onion. Really, anything other than green onion (scallions) will work. I use what I’ve got on hand, but red onions sure do look pretty!

In a separate bowl, combing the sour cream, sugar, salt, pepper, and dill. Give it a taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking. Right before you’re ready to serve, add the dressing to the cucumber and onions. This is definitely one of those salads you want to wait until the last minute to dress because the salt in the dressing will pull the moisture out of the cucumbers, making everything sort of watery and mushy. No body wants mushy cucumbers, trust me! I would also suggest adding the dressing a little bit at a time until everything is well coated, but not swimming. If you end up with some leftover dressing, grab a bag of chips and go to town!

Looking for another great summer salad idea? Try either my Salmon Salad or this Chicken Fajita Salad with Homemade Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing!

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I’m pretty sure that if given the chance, both my husband and my daughter would eat their weight in yogurt. Or in pudding…or custard. Really, anything that fits in the creamy, thick, slightly sweet category is pretty much a guaranteed winner in my house. I’m not sure if this is a Dutch thing (most of the Dutch folks I know love them some pudding and yogurt), or if it’s just a VandeLaar thing.

Either way, I’m not mad at it…as long as I have some yogurt in the house, I know my toddler is going to eat something healthy, being that she’s a toddler and I never know day to day what she’s going to decide she does or does not like. My fellow toddler parents out there know exactly what I’m talking about.

This Fruit and Yogurt Dream dessert is another Mama Maria (my mother-in-law) creation. It’s also another one of those lovely “throw everything in the bowl and mix it up” recipes that I really, really love. I mean, as much fun as it is to get all technical and create something that is as labor instensive as it is beautiful, ain’t nobody got time for that all of the time. There are some days when life is crazy, you’re tired, you’re two-year-old is having one of “those” days, and all you want to do is put something delicious on the table that everyone will love..and make it snappy. This is that recipe.

It’s also perfect for those times when unexpected or last-minute visitors come over, or even for any pot-luck/cookout/tailgate/what have you. It’s cold and refreshing, making it perfect for a hot summer day. And, you know, it’s got fruit and yogurt in it…so…healthy, right?

So, here’s how you make it: open a large tub of vanilla yogurt and put it in a bowl. To that add a little sour cream and whipped cream (you can use homemade or store bought, whatever floats your boat), and whisk all of that together. Pop open a can of fruit cocktail (pick your poison here), drain it, and mix it in. Boom. Done. Happy desserting!

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Fruit and Yogurt Dream

Calling all dairy lovers! This Fruit and Yogurt Dream is the perfect dessert in a pinch...creamy, dreamy, and just sweet enough, it's so fast and easy you won't believe it!

Course Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Easy Dessert, Fruit, Fruit Cocktail, Sour Cream, Whipped Cream, Yogurt

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Author Meagan - The Crossroads Cook

Ingredients

• 1 32 oz Vanilla Yogurt
• 1/2 Cup Sour Cream
• 1/2 Cup Whipped Cream
• 1 15.25 oz Can Fruit Cocktail or Mixed Fruit drained
• 1-2 Tbsp Powdered Sugar optional

Instructions

• In a large bowl, gently whisk together the yogurt, whipped cream, and sour cream until it is smooth with no lumps.
• Fold in the drained can of fruit.
• If needed for sweetness, mix in a little powdered sugar to taste. This may be needed if you've used home made whipped cream.

The post Fruit and Yogurt Dream appeared first on The Crossroads Cook.

Ok, so there are about a bajillion versions of hash brown casserole out there, and I love them all. I mean come on! You’re combining potatoes and cheese, so of course it’s going to be good!

They all have the same basic formula: frozen hash brown potatoes, a creamy sauce made from some sort of “cream of” soup, topped with cheese, and baked until bubbly and delicious. Some have ham or bacon in them. Some have something crunchy on the top. All are delicious. 

I have to say, though, as much as I love just about every hash brown casserole out there, this particular recipe is my all-time favorite. It’s so good that I once cried because I had made it for a party and it was gone before I got any. Yes, I was pregnant at the time. And yes, I had been craving it for days. But still! I was SO sad. Bless my sweet little brother, who saw how upset I was (despite trying me trying to hide it) and decided to split the little he had left on his plate with me. He was my hero that day.

This recipe was originally my Aunt Jane’s but I’ve put few of my personal spins on it. A lot of hash brown casseroles used shredded hash browns as the base, but I really like using the square cut “Southern Style” hash browns in this one. They just seem to give it a little more of a substantial texture. Full disclosure, though? In the pictures you see shredded hash browns because I totally forgot to pick up the other version at the store and shredded were all I had on hand. Use what you have or what you prefer!

My aunt’s original recipe also called for cream of celery soup, but I prefer to use cream of mushroom. Cream of celery gives it a bit of a tangy flavor, while I feel like the cream of mushroom gives it a deeper, richer flavor. It would also be good with cream of chicken. Use store bought or make your own. Whatever floats your boat.

One of the beauties of this particular recipe is that you don’t have to thaw your potatoes first! Just make sure that there aren’t any big clumps after you’ve poured them in the baking dish, and you’re good to go!

More Tips for Making Hash Brown Casserole:

-Make sure you taste the “sauce” before putting it on the potatoes. It needs to taste slightly salty. Trust me on this one…you’re seasoning a lot of potatoes here and they LOVE salt.

-You’ll want to mix a little of the sauce in the with potatoes instead of just layering it, otherwise they’ll be kind of dry and bleh. Nobody wants dry, bleh potatoes.

Ingredients Needed for Hash Brown Casserole:

• Frozen Hash Browns. “Southern Style” (cubed) or Shredded. Pick your poison. No need to defrost!
• Cream of Mushroom soup. Or cream of chicken. Or Cream of celery. Again, pick your poison.
• Butter
• Shredded Cheese
• Sour Cream
• Green Onions. Otherwise known as scallions.
• Rice Krispies.

How to Make Hash Brown Casserole:

Preheat your oven to 360 degrees and butter your baking dish (I use a 9×13 glass baking dish like this one from Pyrex) on both the bottom and the side. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, cream of mushroom soup, green onions, melted butter, salt, pepper, and about a cup of the shredded cheese. Give it a taste (trying not to just eat it by the spoonful) and make sure it is seasoned well.

Add the frozen hash browns to the baking dish, making sure to break up any clumps. Mix about ½ of the sauce in with the potatoes, then layer the other half on top. Cover with the remaining cheese. In another mixing bowl, combine the rest of the melted butter with the 2 cups of Rice Krispies. Smell the buttery goodness, then spread the mixture evenly over the top of the bowl. Bake for 1 hour. You’ll want to keep an eye on it; if it looks like it’s getting to brown too fast, cover with aluminum foil for the rest of the baking time.

Looking for more delicious side dishes? Try one of these!

–Mama Maria’s Dutch Style Green Beans
–Rode Kool met Appeltjes (Dutch Braised Red Cabbage with Apples)

**As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

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Hashbrown Casserole

A lot of hash brown casseroles used shredded hash browns as the base, but I really like using the square cut “Southern Style” hash browns in this one.

Course Brunch, Side

Cuisine American

Keyword hashbrowns

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Servings 8 people

Author Meagan - The Crossroads Cook

Ingredients

• 2 lb Frozen Hash Browns 1 - 2lb bag
• 1/2 cup Melted Butter
• 16 oz Sour Cream
• 10.5 oz Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 2 Chopped Green Onions
• 2 cups Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese, separated
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Pepper
• 3/4 cup Melted Butter For topping
• 2 cup Rice Krispies For topping

Instructions

• Preheat Oven to 360 degrees and butter a glass baking dish.
• In a mixing bowl, combine sour cream, cream of mushroom, green onions, melted butter, 1 cup of cheese, and salt/pepper. Mix to combine and check seasoning.
• Pour the frozen hash browns into the baking dish, making sure to break up any clumps. Mix half of the sauce in with the potatoes. Layer the other half of the sauce on top. Cover with the remaining cheese.
• In another mixing bowl, combine the ¼ cup melted butter and Rice Krispies. 
• Bake for 1 hour, until Rice Krispies are golden brown and cheese is melted. Cover with foil part way through cooking if the Rice Krispies are getting too brown.

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