My Go-To Summer Recipe

Warm days, soaking up the sunshine.

Brilliant clear blue skies with wispy white clouds.

Late afternoon thunderstorms that leave rainbows as the storms roll away.

Cool nights around the bonfire, making smores.

Fireflies blinking and darting to and fro.

A refreshing swim in my favorite spot.

An iced cold beer after a day of yard work and gardening.

Sleeping with the windows open on a breezy night.

Summer cookouts.

With the official start of summer just around the corner, I look forward to all of the above—especially cookouts. My husband and I usually host a big Father’s Day cookout. We have a lot of land and a large grassy yard perfect for an outdoor get-together. It is one of the few times my extended family all gathers together. Kickball and/or softball, water balloons, ladder ball, and horseshoes occupy the day, and music is in the air. Everyone brings a dish to pass, and we cook burgers, hotdogs, and chicken on the grill. It is a great time full of love, laughs, and good food.

My Go-To Dish

Italian Tomato and Cucumber Salad is one of my go-to recipes and my husband’s favorites. The cool, tangy flavors pair well with just about anything. Without the cheese, it is a vegetarian and vegan dish. Until summer veggies come in, all ingredients can be bought at your local market. But there is something so special about making this salad with veggies from your garden. A sense of pride comes with sharing your bounty with others.

“The first gatherings of the garden in May of salads, radishes, and herbs made me feel like a mother about her baby- how could anything so beautiful be mine. And this emotion of wonder filled me for each vegetable as it was gathered every year. There is nothing that is comparable to it, as satisfactory or as thrilling as gathering the vegetable one has grown.” - Alice B. Toklas

Ingredients

Fresh Tomatoes (I prefer plum or beefsteak, but this recipe can be made with cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes as well)

Cucumbers (Slicing cucumbers are best as opposed to bush cucumbers)

Red onion

Italian dressing or vinaigrette. (There is a recipe below to make your own, but store-bought works as well)

Fresh basil

That’s it!

Recipe for the Dressing

First, here is the dressing recipe I use if you want to make your own.

Red wine vinegar (white can be used if you prefer a brighter flavor)

Olive oil

Crushed red pepper

Garlic Powder (you can substitute fresh, finely chopped garlic)

Dried oregano

Dried basil

Dried Thyme

Pepper

Salt

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together vigorously. You can also use a large mason jar to combine ingredients and shake well.

(If you do not have all the ingredients, bottled Italian dressing or vinaigrette works well also.)

Directions

Cut tomatoes into bite-size chunks. If using grape or cherry tomatoes, cut them in half.

Peel and slice cucumbers. Slice them about 1/4”, and then cut the slices in half.

Slice and chop the red onion into bite-size pieces.

Mix all the vegetables in a large bowl, and pour the dressing into the bowl. Toss all the ingredients to coat all of the vegetables with the dressing

Corsley chop some fresh basil and sprinkle over the top.

There it is! The basic recipe.

Add-ins

You can add some things to the salad for additional flavor and texture. Fresh mozzarella cheese or crumbled feta cheese adds a whole new dimension. Real crumbled bacon adds a nice little bit of crunch. I have also made it with diced green peppers.

I hope this recipe gives you something new to try. It will be a hit.

Enjoy!

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