As I type this, it is a balmy 28 degrees in Dallas. The high today 43 and the low is 26—no thank you. I have been thinking a lot about foods for the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, and as I was researching some different ideas I had for a pie crust, I suddenly felt the need for a palate cleanser. Perhaps it is the cold temps or the fact that I start to miss my grandmother especially around the holidays, but either way I was craving some South Texas warmth today. So what did I do? Turned up the mariachi music (my grandmother loved it and so do I—Son de la Negra is my favorite) and let the South of the Border flavors fly. These cucumbers were a favorite after school snack of mine while growing up on the Border. Yes, the cucumber part is delicious and perfect as a side dish, but wanna know a secret? It’s the juice that collects at the bottom of the bowl that will leave you wanting more. Very similar to Aguas Frescas and super refreshing, especially on a hot summer day. You could even add the left over juice to your next tequila cocktail for an extra refreshing kick! The super simple recipe is below, and for a fun twist, I sat a glass bowl into my tortilla basket and served them out of it!

Ingredients:

-2 peeled and chopped cucumbers (yielding about 2 cups)

-2 tbsp of lime juice

-1/2 tsp kosher salt

-1/2 tsp chili powder

-1/4 tsp cayenne

-chopped cilantro (for garnishing as you please)

Method:

1. Peel and chop two cucumbers to about 1/4 of an inch thick. Place in a glass bowl.

2. Juice one lime until you get 2 tablespoons of juice. Add to cucumbers.

3. Add salt, chili powder, and cayenne together in a bowl and stir to combine. Dust over cucumbers, and use a spatula to make sure they are coated evenly.

4. Garnish with cilantro and extra sprinkling of kosher salt and chili powder for color (if you please!).

5. Enjoy/disfrutar!