It’s been a steamy start to July. I was working in the yard when darkening skies and a clap of thunder sent me and the dogs hurrying back inside. I was hoping for rain so I wouldn’t have to rain the garden tomorrow and we received a good soaking rain. When I stepped outside on the deck to get back to work, it was like entering a sauna! My glasses fogged up and it looked like steam coming up off the grass. When it’s hot like this I don’t want hot food or cooking in a hot kitchen. It’s time to raid the garden and create a cool, refreshing summer salad.
How do you make a tomato, cucumber, and onion summer salad.
Gather you produce fresh from the garden. If you purchase from the supermarket, or local farmer’s market, choose vegetables that are fresh, without soft spots. Cucumbers should be smooth and firm, without any wrinkled ends. Tomatoes should be firm and ripe. All I have to purchase are the red onions, since I don’t grow those in my garden.
Directions for Making a Tomato, Cucumber, and Onion Salad
Peel and slice the cucumbers, and cut the tomatoes into wedges. My cherry tomatoes often ripen before my slicing tomatoes, and those can also be used. (Cut in half). A mixture of red and yellow cherry tomatoes creates a colorful salad. Red, white or yellow onions can be used, or a mixture of what you have handy. I love red onions, so I have a tendency to be a little heavy when adding them. Toss the ingredients with Zesty Italian Dressing and you have an easy salad that goes well with a summer barbeque. Allow the salad to marinate in the refrigerator a few hours to enhance the flavor.
Some tomato, cucumber, and onion salad recipes use a combination of red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and a little sugar as a dressing. You could also substitute the olive oil with vegetable oil, or use other vinegars such as apple cider or white wine vinegar. The Zesty Italian Dressing is easy to do and taste great! Add salt and pepper to taste.
I make this salad in small quantities. It will store in the refrigerator a couple of days, but I find it looses it’s crispness, and the cucumbers become soft if stored too long.
This fresh from the garden salad will be a big hit at your next backyard barbeque!
Karen
I would love to help you grow your own fresh vegetables. I have been teaching local gardening classes for years, created an online gardening course, and most recently a downloadable “bundle” of e-books to help you get started growing your own healthy vegetables. As soon as you purchase, you will have access the bundle of 3 books. You can print them out or download to have easy access any time you need them. I have including a 55 page workbook which will guide you through the steps of a successful vegetable garden, a 15 page guide to Attracting Beneficial Insects to Your Garden, and a handout with Easy Steps to Composting.
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