Lemony Zucchini, Chickpea, and Lima Bean Salad

We made this delicious salad as a side on Father's Day. I recently discovered that I do like lima beans and so I have been anxious to try them in more recipes.

On a side note- I also discovered that I can grill a steak. We went shopping at Publix the day before Father's Day and the woman was grilling steak in the front of the store. She made it look so easy that I bought my husband a steak and grilled it to perfection. This goes to prove that there really is a first for everything!

Anyway, back to the recipe at hand. This salad is delicious. It combines some great ingredients, like raw zucchini and chickpeas and it very easy to mix together. It was a big hit and almost a show stopper.
If you have zucchini that you need to use, try this!

Here is the recipe for Lemony Zucchini, Chickpea, and Lima Bean Salad

* I used more romaine lettuce than the recipe called for because I had an entire head of it that needed to be used

Grilled Zucchini with Buttermilk-Basil Dressing

Here is another zucchini/summer squash recipe that caught my eye when I was flipping through a magazine. The preparation takes minutes and it is really fun when you can go and pick the ingredients that you need for dinner from your own garden and then turn them into something this delicious.

I was pleasantly surprised by my childrens reaction to this dish. They all loved it, which is really saying something since my son doesn't like zucchini or summer squash unless they are cooked just right. The grill really made these zucchini/squash slices taste yummy but still left enough of a bite that they were not soggy at all.

I will definitely be repeating this simple side dish!



Grilled Zucchini with Buttermilk-Basil Dressing adapted from Everyday Food Magazine

1. Heat a grill or grill pan over high. Clean and lightly oil hot grill. (I sprayed my indoor grill with cooking spray).

In a small measuring cup, combine 5 Tablespoons each buttermilk (I used low-fat) and extra-virgin olive oil with 2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar. (I used red wine vinegar).

In a food processor combine 1 garlic clove, 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, and 1/3 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese. Process until basil is finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper.
With machine running, add buttermilk mixture in a slow, steady stream and process until smooth.

2. Cut 4 medium zucchini or yellow squash into 1/4-inch slices.
Place on hot grill. Coat with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Grill zucchini, until lightly charred and tender, 4 to 6 minutes, flipping once. Transfer to a serving plate and drizzle with dressing.

"Cooking School"- Chopped Steak Salad

My daughter picked salad for our next "Cooking School" experience. We decided to make at least 2 kinds of salad. This was the first one we picked because it was a main dish salad that had lettuce as a main component. I also thought it would be fun to make a homemade Italian dressing since I prefer homemade dressings to bottled ones.

Also, please notice that I made a salad that contains beef. We cooked a flank steak. I am amazed. And it was easy. And it was tasty.

My daughter helped chop, rinse, cut and prepare the dressing. This was a great one to make together because there were lots of steps that she could help with.

This salad was fairly easy and perfect for a main dish salad. I don't think it would have been as good without the homemade dressing, but that is obviously just my opinion. Fresh herbs really made this dressing delicious.

Here is the recipe for Chopped Steak Salad from Real Simple Magazine
* I cooked the flank steak for a few more minutes than the recipe called for


Here is the recipe for Homemade Italian Dressing using Fresh Herbs
* I used fresh Italian Parsley, Basil, and Thyme
*I only used olive oil
*I didn't measure my vinegar or oil- just mixed it until it looked right

Breakfast Crostini

Here we are on our 3rd snow day. I think this will probably be the last one though, because the sun is actually shining and that might just be enough to melt some of the snow and ice that has been causing such trouble for everyone around here.

This also happens to be the 3rd recipe that I tried from Rachael Ray's Look and Cook, although I should add that this recipe for Breakfast Crostini, and the recipe I shared yesterday- Fennel and Pepper Salad, were both in the "extra" recipe section of the book that didn't have any pictures at all. So, no looking-and-cooking for me on this one. But that wasn't a problem, because this recipe was really easy. This recipe can also be found on multiple places on the web.

All you do for this one is combine fresh mozzarella, prosciutto (I used Canadian bacon), scallions, basil, Italian parsley, tomatoes, and a little bit of olive oil. Then you toast some bread- I used Italian 5-grain (my daughter calls it seed bread) and top the toasted bread with the delicious salad.

Super easy. Super delicious and really the type of breakfast I would love to have any day. It is basically like having a yummy salad on top of toast.


Recipe for Breakfast Crostini
* I used about 1/2 the olive oil called for
* I used Canadian bacon instead of prosciutto
* I used 5-grain Italian bread instead of peasant bread

Ratatouille with Baked Eggs

Sometimes the simpliest dishes are the most delicious and flavorful. That was certainly the case with this Ratatouille. We are still experiencing warm weather, so I had some zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant and bell peppers, that needed to be used.

I didn't really feel like making soup or simply roasting my veggies (which would usually be my first choice), but I found a recipe for Ratatouille and it looked delicious.
I saw the idea to bake it with eggs in a recent issue of Everyday Food magazine and used that part of their idea, but a simplier basic Rataouille recipe than the one they included in the magazine.

To make this, all you have to do is chop your veggies, saute an onion, and then gradually add the veggies and stir. So simple.

I decided to serve this over quinoa, but it would be great with pasta or as a stew. It really is so versatile.

My son was not excited when he saw this on the stove, simmering away. He actually wrote me a little note that said "Really Mom, Eggplant?", and left it by the stove, but he ate it and decided it wasn't that bad. He even said it was good. So, that was enough for me. Victory!


I also wanted to share a cake I made this past weekend for my daughter's birthday. Not a great picture, but you get the idea.
She was very specific in her request- 3 layers of alternating sizes, pink cake (inside), purple frosting and real Littliest Pet Shop toys for decoration. I used this recipe for Vanilla Buttercream and it turned out really well. She loved it.



to make Ratatouille with Baked Eggs (from Everyday Food magazine)
After you are done cooking the Ratatouille on the stove-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place 3/4 cup Ratatouille in each of four 2-cup ovenproof baking dishes set on a rimmed baking sheet. With the back of a large spoon, make 2 indentations in Ratatouille in each dish. (Alternately, place 3 cups Ratatouille in an 9 by 13 inch baking dish and make 8 indentations.)
Crack 1 large egg into each indentation. Season eggs with salt and pepper.
Bake until egg whites are set, 20 to 25 minutes.

Recipe for Ratatouille
* I used less oil than called for
*I added more dried thyme than called for and some Italian seasoning

Vietnamese Salad

The other night when I made this delicious Vietnamese Soup, I decided that I wanted to make it a soup and salad night. I googled vietnamese salad and chose from the different links that came up. I have never looked at Goop before, but this salad sounded perfect because it included lots of the same flavors as the soup.

I had purchased a bunch of baby bok choy at the farmers market the weekend before I made this salad. The combination of the bok choy and napa cabbage made for a really great texture in this salad.
The flavors were unbelieveably delicious. So tasty. My whole family loved this salad.

Vietnamese Salad from Goop

This healthy, quick salad has great crunch and lots of refreshing flavors. It’s wonderful on its own and also takes well to simply prepared proteins; grilled fish, shrimp, chicken or tofu are great.

SERVES: 4
TIME: 15 minutes

• 4 large bok choy leaves, rough bottoms discarded, stems cut into ¼" bias and leaves shredded (I just sliced these very thinly)
  
• 4 big leaves Napa cabbage, shredded (I just sliced these very thinly)
  
• 1 bunch watercress (discard thick stems), roughly chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
• the leaves from about 8 stems each basil, mint, cilantro, roughly chopped
• ½ small cucumber, thinly sliced on the bias
• 1 red Thai chili (or more…or less), thinly sliced (I used less - omitting it from the kids)
  
• ½ cup roasted, salted peanuts, roughly chopped
• Vietnamese Dressing (see recipe below)
• grilled fish, shrimp, tuna, chicken, or tofu for serving (optional)

Toss the bok choy, cabbage, watercress, carrot, herbs, cucumber, chili and ¼ cup of the peanuts together with enough dressing to coat. Serve sprinkled with the remaining peanuts and whatever protein you like.

Vietnamese Dressing

A perfect balance of hot, sour, salty and sweet, this dressing is like a flavor knockout—also a great dip for summer rolls.

SERVES: about 4
TIME: 5 minutes

• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• ¼ cup fish sauce
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon hot pepper sesame oil (I used plain sesame oil)
  
• 2 tablespoons agave nectar (I used honey)
  
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion or shallot

Mix everything together.

Corn and Zucchini Saute with Basil

Here is another quick side to help use up all the summer produce!
Fresh corn, zucchini and basil.
This can be ready in a matter of minutes and this might be my favorite way to cook zucchini.
It is barely tender- with a nice crisp bite and so delicious.
Fast, fresh and really tasty. I couldn't ask for anything more.


Recipe for Corn and Zucchini Saute with Basil

Corn and Basil Cakes

We don't eat much corn except for in the summer time. I prefer having it fresh, from a local source and so during the summer we get to enjoy it almost weekly.
My kids love it just straight off the cob or cooked for a few minutes and I have been cutting it off the cob, fresh, and adding it to all sorts of salads and other dishes.
My basil plant has also been producing tons of beautiful leaves, so when I saw this recipe in Eating Well magazine for Corn and Basil Cakes, I thought it looked like a fun way to use both corn and basil.

I wasn't expecting these corn cakes to be a hit here, simply because my family prefers pancakes to be covered in berries, not corn.
I really didn't have high hopes, but my family proved me wrong. My kids all loved them and wanted more. My husband even thought they were delicious.

So, I was happily surprised. Go ahead and see for yourself!


Recipe for Corn and Basil Cakes

Swordfish Kebabs with Orange Basil Sauce

When I saw this recipe in a recent issue of Cooking Light, it caught my eye for a couple of reasons. The first being that it was a 5 ingredient recipe. That meant it would be easy to prepare and I could probably throw it together with things I had on hand.

The second reason it appealed to me was because it called for 2 cups of basil leaves and I had at least that amount of basil growing like mad outside my front door. I wanted to get the most out of my herbs that I planted, so I decided to make this for dinner.

I found some swordfish for a great price and even checked Seafood Watch to make sure that is was an okay choice since I know there are concerns about certain fish, the way the are caught, the supply, etc.
For my area, swordfish is an "good alternative". If swordfish is not a good choice for your area or you can't find it- you can sub any other firm white fish.

I really liked this sauce. I liked the fact that it didn't contain much oil, so it was lighter than pesto and the orange gave it a nice kick of flavor.
I grilled these on my indoor grill and my kids really love eating them.

Recipe for Swordfish Kebabs with Orange Basil Sauce

Heirloom Tomato and Basil Tart

I planted basil a couple of months ago and it has really been producing and growing quite a bit.
I love growing my own herbs because it saves me so much money and because it is fun to just walk out the door and snip what I need for dinner.

My hubby doesn't really care for pesto and he can't stand tomatoes, so I waited until we had a family dinner at his mom's house to make this recipe. I knew there would be enough other people who like both of those things to help get this eaten.

Making pesto is so easy. I reduced the oil in the recipe by quite a bit (I only used 1/4 cup) because I like my pesto less oily and a little bit thicker.

This turned out to be a really simple, delicious tart. Great for a group/party. And perfect for summertime when basil and tomatoes are at their peak.

Recipe for Heirloom Tomato and Basil Tart
* I only used 1/4 cup oil in my pesto

Chicken Parm Burgers and Carrot Fries

I saw this recipe for Chicken Parmesan Burgers in Bon Appetit magazine and thought it was a really fun twist on chicken parm and a burger.
We don't eat burgers very often or meat for that matter, but these just looked too fun to pass up.
I used some local, lean ground turkey (93 % lean) instead of ground chicken since it was from a local farm and I have switched the two before with great results.

I had also seen a recipe for Carrot Fries that I wanted to try and this was the perfect opportunity to have a classic "burger and fries" dinner, but without the classic part.
The burgers were great. I made them smaller than the recipe said because I used a whole grain baguette for the "bun" and didn't want the burgers to be too big for the bread.
I used basil from my basil plant (Yay!- I love having my own herbs!) and used provolone cheese instead of the fresh mozzarella called for since that is what I had in my fridge.

I think I overcook my carrot fries a little bit, but they were still delicious.
This was a fun dinner.

Recipe for Chicken Parmesan Burgers
* I used local, lean ground turkey (93% lean)
* I used a whole grain baguette
* I used provolone cheese

Recipe for Carrot Fries

Pork (Turkey) Meatball Banh Mi

I have developed a "like" for spicy food. It has been fairly recently that I have enjoyed spicy food more than I used to.

This is one spicy sandwich.

I have never had a Banh Mi, so I am definitely not an expert on what they are supposed to look like or taste like. I saw this recipe for a Meatball Banh Mi in a recent issue of Bon Appetit and I thought it looked delicious, plus it was really interesting.

I finally got around to making this sandwich a couple of weeks ago. I halved the recipe for everything except the meatballs, because I knew just from looking at the ingredients that this was going to be a little too spicy for my kids. I thought they could probably handle the meatballs though, so I decided I would make them little noodle bowls with the meatballs included. (This is not something I usually do- making the kids a separate little dinner, but this time the heat was too much for them to handle.)

I used lean ground turkey for the meatballs and greek yogurt instead of mayo for the hot "mayo" spread. I also used a whole wheat baguette for my sandwich.

This sandwich definitely had a really spicy hot bite to it, but it was really tasty! I really liked it and I thought of my younger sister when I took that first spicy bite because she would love this sandwich.

For the noodle bowls, I just sauteed a big head of napa cabbage and some matchstick carrots, then added that to some noodles and topped it with the meatballs.

If you like spicy sandwiches or love Banh Mi, you will definitely want to try this recipe. Or if you just are intrigued and want something new for dinner- give it a shot!



*I used Greek Yogurt for the hot, spicy mayo sauce
* I used lean ground turkey instead of ground pork

Recipe for Pork Meatball Bahn Mi

Vegetarian Lasagna

Because we went to DisneyWorld for Christmas, we had a family dinner with my husband's family the week before we left, to celebrate the holiday.
We decided on an Italian theme and I brought this lasagna.

This recipe is the lasagna that we ate growing up at my house and it is requested by one of my brothers every year for his birthday dinner.
It is really simple and loaded with vegetables. Even my meat loving husband really loves this lasagna.
The recipe calls for mushrooms, but this last time I made it, I forgot to buy mushrooms, so I just shredded a zucchini that I had in my fridge and sauteed that along with the veggies.
You could probably substitute whatever vegetables you wanted to, just saute them along with the onion.
It is healthier than normal lasagna because it has lots of veggies, but also because the filling is made with cottage cheese instead of ricotta cheese and there are less layers of noodles.

It was a big hit at our family dinner and is definitely a family favorite of ours.

This recipe can also be prepped in the pan and frozen for a later date. Just add a few minutes on the cooking time to make sure that it cooks and warms through.

Vegetarian Lasagna adapted from Managing your Meals by Winnifred Jardine
6 oz lasagne noodles, (6 noodles)
1 pd fresh spinach
1 Tbls olive oil
1 cup grated carrot (about 1 carrot)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 pd sliced fresh mushrooms or 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
1- 15 oz can tomato sauce
1-6 oz can tomato paste
1-2 1/4 oz can sliced black olives, drained
1 tsp crushed dried oregano
1 tsp crushed dried basil
2 cups cottage cheese
1 egg, beaten
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook lasagne noodles according to pkg directions. Meanwhile, rinse spinach and place in saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat until steam forms, then reduce heat and cook for a few minutes. Drain and set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, heat oil and saute carrots, onion, and mushrooms, until tender but not brown. Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, olives, oregano and basil. set aside. Combine cottage cheese and egg.

In a 9 by 13 inch pan sprayed with cooking spray, layer half each of noodles, spinach, sauce, cottage cheese mixture, and shredded mozzerella. Repeat layers ending with shredded cheese. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Happy Birthday to Me! Tomato-Broccolini Soup

This year I decided to celebrate my birthday on my blog with a savory, healthy recipe. Plus, since my birthday is the day before Christmas, I thought this red and green soup was the perfect thing to post!
Right now, we are on day 4 of our DisneyWorld Christmas Trip and I am sure it has been very fun (I am posting this ahead of time- no computer for me on our trip!)
Yesterday was my hubby's b-day and today is mine, so we get 2 days of free admittance to DisneyWorld.

I made this soup when my sister was here for Thanksgiving Break because my hubby hates tomatoes and I knew if she was here with me, I would have at least one other person that would eat it and love it.
The soup is a basic tomato soup without any cream or anything, so it is really healthy.
I added more stock, to get it to the right consistency of soup-i-ness for us.
I actually had 2 kids who really liked this one and I loved it!
The broccolini in the soup added a really great flavor.
I made extra broccolini so that even those people who think tomatoes are poisonous, could enjoy the yummy green stalks.

So give it a try, if you aren't scared of tomatoes. It makes great leftovers too.
I am going to go get on a roller coaster to celebrate my birthday!

Recipe for Tomato-Broccolini Soup

Tuna Panzanella

I've mentioned before how much I really love Panzanella aka Bread Salad. Ina's recipe is the first one that I tried and I make it quite regularly.
Basically if I ever see a variation of Panzanella, I want to try it-like this Edamame Bread Salad that I posted about a couple of months ago.

I saw this really easy version of Tuna Panzanella in an issue of Good Housekeeping and found it intriguing.
I made it for dinner back in August and was really pleased with the results. My husband really liked it and asked for seconds (picking out the tomatoes, of course), but I still saw that as a success. I packed him the leftovers in his lunch the next day and he really enjoyed it.

I only made a couple of changes- I used cherry tomatoes and added a chopped yellow bell pepper to have more veggies mixed in there (and because I knew my hubby was going to pick out the tomatoes).
The recipe claims to be ready in 30 minutes and it was. Nothing tough here. The only thing you have to do is toast the bread cubes, open a few cans, and then throw everything else together.

If you have any tomatoes or basil that need to be used and want one last taste of summer, make this today!

Recipe for Tuna Panzanella

Ratatouille Tofu

I saw this really cute dinner idea in a recent issue of Parents Magazine.
It was called Dinner and a Movie and this was the tagline-"Rent Ratatouille, then have kids try the veggie side along with crispy tofu triangles".

Ratatouille is the title of a Disney/Pixar movie that was released in June 2007 that has a lot to do with food and cooking. It is pretty cute- I remember going to see it in the theater when it came out.

So, this idea sounded fun to me.
This take on Ratatouille is as easy as they come. The whole thing is ready in a matter of minutes.

I kind of spaced the fact that this magazine is geared towards small children and expected this meal to have more flavor. It was a little bit bland for me. If I made this version of Ratatouille again, I would definitely spice it up a little bit.

Some of my family members really like tofu and will eat it any way I make it. Others, like my husband, do better if it is in small cubes and mixed with other foods, so they can't really tell what it is. It usually takes awhile for him to say something like "This really isn't chicken, is it?"
He already knows the answer. The texture gives it away. The good thing is that the people in my family who don't love tofu will eat it and not complain too much. The crust on this tofu wasn't my favorite either, but I guess it would be good if you are trying to get a child to try tofu for the first time.

So, I guess what I am saying is that I liked the idea of this meal more than the actual flavors, but forgot that it was probably geared towards small kids who might not have too much experience with lots of herbs and spices or tofu, for that matter.

My advice would be to up the spices and herbs and if you have a favorite breadcrumb, cornflake, or panko coating- try that on the tofu instead. Also, if you are trying to get people excited about eating tofu for the first time, smaller pieces would probably be a great idea. The vegetables would also taste great if they were roasted in the oven with olive oil, salt, and pepper, but that would add a bit more time to the preparation of the meal.

Ratatouille Tofu from Parents Magazine
2 Tbls olive oil, divided
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 eggplant, cut into small cubes
1 zucchini, chopped
2 sweet peppers, chopped
1 Tbls fresh basil
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced
salt and pepper
1/2 18 oz. package firm tofu, drained
1 Tbls polenta ( I used yellow cornmeal)
1 Tbls grated Parmesan cheese

1- Chop basil. Heat 1 Tbls oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes, then add eggplant, zucchini, sweet peppers, and 3 Tbls water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper; remove from heat.

2- Meanwhile, cut tofu crosswise into 1/2-inch thick square pieces and slice into triangles. In a bowl, mix polenta and cheese and coat the tofu with it.

3- Heat 1 Tbls oil in another skillet on medium-high. Add tofu; cook for 2 minutes per side or until browned.
Serves 4


One Year Ago-Weekly Lunchbox

Party Chicken Salad

Ripe Georgia peaches, toasted pecans, fresh basil, and subbing fat-free mayo, made this take on Chicken Salad from Southern Living Magazine, a nice, summery lunch, which I served on rolls for my family, who all really liked the flavors and textures that complimented each other and it would also be a great recipe to serve at a baby shower or party of some kind because the versatility of the presentation, which is implied by the title, Party Chicken Salad.
(1-sentence blogging for a week- check out the participants- HERE!)

Recipe for Party Chicken Salad

3 Flavors of Lemonade- Watermelon-Berry, Basil, and Cool-as-a-Cuke

I saw these 3 lemonade recipes in a recent issue of Better Homes and Gardens Magazine.

At first I was only going to make the Watermelon-Berry version for our 4th of July celebration, but then I decided to try them all. We have quite a few cucumber lovers in our family and basil makes everything amazing, so I halved each of the recipes and we had all 3 flavors!

All 3 of these lemonades can be made ahead of time, so that made the preparation very easy.
The watermelon-berry was the most popular. It was definitely the favorite of all the kids, but the other flavors were just as delicious and everyone was glad that we had so many varieties to choose from.

I figure we still have some hot days ahead and I might just make a couple more batches of any of these lemonades and turn them into some kind of frozen ice pops.

We are driving to Nashville tonight to go see Andy Davis in concert. I am pretty excited. Have a great weekend!

Recipe for Watermelon-Berry Lemonade

Recipe for Basil Lemonade


Recipe for Cool-As-a-Cuke Lemonade

Summer Favorites- Panzanella

This is another recipe that I make all the time. Especially in the summer, when tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and basil are ripe and easy to find.

I first made this recipe last summer with the Barefoot Bloggers and I am so glad I did.
I always reduce the amount of oil and instead of sauteing the bread cubes in the oil, I drizzled the oil on the bread cubes and toast them in the oven- I do whatever I can to save a few calories here and there.

People are always a bit suspicious when I tell them I am making bread salad, which is a common name for this dish. They quickly get over it as soon as they try it.

Yum!

Panzanella adapted from Ina Garten
3 tablespoons good olive oil (I used 1 Tbls)
1 small French bread or boule, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large, ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced
1/2-inch thick 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 red onion, cut in 1/2 and thinly sliced
20 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons capers, drained
For the vinaigrette:
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar (I used white wine vinegar)
1/2 cup good olive oil (I used 1/3 cup)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large saute pan.
Add the bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed.
Instead of preparing the bread cubes this way, I preheated the oven to 400 degrees. Then,I put the bread cubes on a jelly roll pan that was coated with cooking spray and drizzled 1-2 Tbls olive oil over the cubes. I tossed the cubes with the oil and put the pan in the oven for about 12 minutes, stirring the bread cubes once.
For the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients together.
In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, and capers. Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.

Sarah's Vegetable Soup

I saw this recipe in a magazine a couple weeks ago and decided it would make a perfect summer meal. It is quick and easy to throw together and all the vegetables are at their prime during the summer months. You can make it ahead and serve it cold or serve it as soon as it is done cooking, warm.
To give it some thickness, you puree part of the soup and leave some of the vegetables whole.
I really like easy meals in the summer when it is hot and tend to make lots of soups and salads. I will definitely be making this again this summer and hope you will do the same!

Sarah's Vegetable Soup from Good Housekeeping Magazine

Ingredients
2 tablespoon(s) olive oil
3 clove(s) garlic, crushed with press
2 cup(s) water
3 large (12 ounces each) ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
3 medium (8 ounces each) zucchini and/or yellow summer squash, coarsely chopped
1 medium red or yellow pepper, coarsely chopped
1 pinch(s) crushed red pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
1 sprig(s) (large) fresh basil
Additional basil leaves, for garnish
Directions
In 5-quart saucepot, heat oil on medium. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring. Add water, tomatoes, zucchini, red or yellow pepper, crushed red pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and basil sprig; heat to boiling on high, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium; cook, uncovered, 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Discard basil sprig. Transfer 3 cups soup to blender. With center part of cover removed to allow steam to escape, blend the 3 cups soup until pureed. Return soup to saucepot; heat through if serving warm. Garnish with basil leaves to serve. Makes 8 cups.

Coming Next- Spiced Pumpkin Biscuits