panzanella {italian bread salad}

I love this so much! Especially in the summer using goodies from the farmer's market.

2-3 small tomatoes , chopped into large pieces

1/2 cucumber, sliced horizontally, then sliced into half-moons

1/2 yellow, red, or orange pepper, diced

handful of kalamata (greek) olives, sliced in half

fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced (optional)

olive oil

red wine vinegar

fresh or dried basil

sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

2-4 slices of rustic Italian bread, torn into 1 or 2-inch pieces

(La Brea bread from Costco is really good—slice it up and keep in the freezer for when you want this salad. Just toast before using.)

This recipe serves two, but you can make it as big as you like for more people. Toss all the veggies together, and the mozzarella if you are using it. Drizzle the salad with a little oil and vinegar, and sprinkle to taste with basil, salt and pepper. Last, stir in the bread pieces and eat right away.