Cucumber Sandwiches

1 medium cucumber
1 - 8 oz. softened cream cheese
½ teaspoon salt
2– 4 dashes Tabasco sauce
1 load very thinly sliced white bread
Mayonnaise

Peel cucumber and slice lengthwise. Remove seeds and discard. Slice then dice very finely. (You may want to use a food processor.)

Add cream cheese, salt and Tabasco to cucumbers.

Spread mayonnaise on each slice of bread. Spread cucumber mixture on half of bread slices up to, but not on, crusts. Top with other half of bread slices. With small round biscuit / cookie cutter cut into rounds, avoiding crusts. (I was able to cut 3-4 rounds out of each sandwich.) Place in single layer in container, place wax paper between layers, ending with a top layer of wax paper. Refrigerate. Garnish with parsley or watercress prior to serving.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/cucumber-sandwiches/

Asian Noodle Salad

SALAD INGREDIENTS:

1 packages linguine noodles, cooked, rinsed, and cooled

1/2 to 1 head sliced Napa cabbage
1/2 to 1 head sliced purple cabbage
1/2 to 1 bag baby spinach
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced thin
1 orange bell pepper, sliced thin (if available)
1 small bag bean sprouts (also called "mung bean sprouts")
3 sliced scallions
3 peeled, sliced cucumbers (I didn't have a cucumber for the photos above, but they're yummy in the salad)
LOTS of chopped cilantro—up to one bunch
1 can whole cashews, lightly toasted in skillet (again, I didn't have them for the photos, but have used them before and they're…sublime.)

DRESSING:

Juice of 1 lime
8 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil
6 tablespoons soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
2 cloves chopped garlic
2 hot peppers or jalapenos, chopped
More chopped cilantro—LOTS

Mix together salad ingredients. Whisk together dressing ingredients and pour over salad. Mix with tongs or hands and serve on platter.
*Dressing keeps up to three days before serving, WITHOUT cilantro.

Enjoy!

Love,
Pioneer Woman
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/03/my_most_favorite_salad_ever_ever_ever_ever/