3000 miles 'til dinner.

Prep time:  30 minutes (includes 15 minutes to toast bread cubes)

Wait time for salad to “marinate”:  20-45 minutes

Baking temp for toasting bread cubes:  400 degrees 
Servings:   6 generous servings

♥PANTRY, FRIDGE, MARKET♥♥

2/3  loaf of a rustic baguette, at least 1 day old

2 C.  diced juicy summer tomatoes

3 medium cloves garlic

1 bunch fresh basil (2 oz)

1/2 C. olive oil, fruitier the better

3 T. white Balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar

1 t. sea salt

cracked black pepper — 4-5 grinds

♥PREP - toast bread cubes

*set oven temp - 400 degrees

    *cut baguette into bite size cubes and put on baking sheet

    *drizzle with 1/4 C. olive oil

    *bake in oven until toasted and light golden in color, 15 minutes or so

    *toss into a large bowl

♥PREP - prep and add to bowl of bread

  *tomatoes - dice into medium size pieces (no need to seed),adding any accumulated juices to the bowl

  * basil - remove stems; bunch / roll leaves together and chiffanade (chiffanade: cut into thin ribbons)

  * garlic cloves - mince

  * olive oil with vinegar, salt and pepper

TOSS together and set aside for 20 minutes or longer so bread can absorb flavors and juices. Toss again and adjust seasoning, garlic and olive oil to your taste. Serve within 45 minutes if you want a crunchy texture or wait longer for softer bread salad

♥♥ WAYS TO “just wing it” ♥♥               consider or substitute

*substitue: use “un-toasted” day old bread for a much softer texture OR pieces of pita bread

*consider: adding other fresh herbs, such as oregano, thyme, marjoram and/or chives

*consider: flavored olive oil, such as truffle or rosemary 

*consider leftover salad for breakfast or another lunch/supper:

     ~ although salad changes consistency and is much juicer a day later, it is still delicious. Consider scooping a serving or two into a skillet (add a little olive oil first) and fry until crisp. Crack several eggs on top and cook through. 

♥ Helpful Hints♥

*olive oil - definitely need to use a full-flavored, fruity olive oil

*tomatoes - the more flavorful the better the salad; truly a ‘tomato season’ dish

MIL Mission