Hello Summer Tomatoes!

I’m 37 years old.  And I still get giddy and giggly and excited when I see a famous person, stumble upon a scene of stunning beauty, or hear a little kid laugh.  I cry at concerts, when people start clapping and I cry when I do things I’ve never done before.  Not like bawling or anything.  Don’t get the wrong idea.  It’s just a few poetic tears running down my face, the joy running out of my head for everyone to see.

And one of the things that brings me to tears in excitement is the summer tomato.  The juicy, brilliant, fire-engine red balls of sunshine are so beautiful.  And they remind me of when I went off the continent for the first time last year to Greece, where I ate tomatoes every day for a month, by the very large bowl-full.  I couldn’t help but cry over my tomatoes in the most extreme happiness I ever felt, as I sat in the sun, looking out at the water.

This summer salad can be made with anything.  The stars are the tomatoes and the crunchy bread – after that, it’s up to you.  Use your imagination.  Your favorite vegetables, your favorite cheese, your favorite bread.   That’s what makes this my very favorite celebration of tomatoes.  You can make it a different dish each time. Your imagination is what will make it perfect for you.

Tonight, I chose some of my favorite things, and things that were in my fridge.  Salty bacon, creamy mozzarella, hearty kale, kalamata olives, fresh basil.  So many different textures and flavors joining together to make me happy.  It’s enough to make me cry.  Just kidding.  Kind of.

Crunchy Bread and Tomato Salad

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup diced sweet onion

2 cups fresh kale, stems removed and chopped

3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

3 large tomatoes (your favorite kind), cut into bite-sized chunks

1/2 cup Kalamata olives

4 oz. fresh mozzarella diced into cubes

1/2 loaf crusty bread, cut into cubes and toasted

2 T. olive oil

1 T. balsamic vinegar

3 T. fresh basil, torn into pieces

Kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

In a large salad bowl add the garlic and the onion.  Set aside.  In a skillet, add 1 T. olive oil and heat to medium heat.  Add the kale and lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Saute for just two minutes, until tender, then add to the salad bowl immediately.  The kale will soften the onion slightly with its heat.

Sprinkle the bacon over the kale and add the tomatoes, olives, cheese, basil and bread.  Drizzle with vinegar and olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.  Let the salad sit for a few minutes to combine flavors.  Enjoy!

Should probably feed 2-3, but I ate it all.