Tomato Basil Salad and Jacob's Favorite Salad

We had a great time with my brother and his family. I cooked so much over the last few days, and I enjoyed it very much. We grilled most of our evening meals, and we topped off every main meal with a new dessert. My kids were in hog heaven, and truth be told so was I!! I had an abundance of tomatoes and basil from the garden. My mom had reminded me of a "salad" that my brother really liked using both of those ingredients. I will include the recipe in this post. That particular evening I made Fettuccine Alfredo, Tomato Basil Salad, Jacob's Favorite Salad, Grilled Chicken, Garlic Bread, and Banana Pudding for dessert. You may be wondering why I would have 2 different salads in the same meal. With 10 different people eating, I never know for sure what everybody likes. I often times offer 2 salads when we have company. That way they hopefully can choose something they like. I usually do not serve meat whenever I make Fettuccine Alfredo, but again I wasn't for sure how a meatless meal would be received with my brother's family so I opted for Grilled Chicken. Hope you enjoy the following recipes.

Tomato Basil Salad
Layer a shallow serving dish with romaine lettuce to make a bed for the tomatoes. Slice garden fresh tomatoes fairly thickly. Make a layer of tomatoes on the lettuce bed. Sprinkle fresh thyme and fresh basil over the tomatoes. Sprinkle some dried Italian seasoning and Kosher salt over the tomatoes. Sprinkle slivers of red onion and Regiano Parmesan cheese. Drizzle good olive oil over the tomatoes sparingly. Repeat layers of tomatoes and spices olive oil, onions, and cheese. Make as many layers as needed. I usually just have 2 layers for our family. Regiano Parmesan cheese is the cheese that has to be graded by hand. This is not the type of cheese that comes in a can!


Jacob's Favorite Salad
2 Bunches Romaine Lettuce torn
1 cup Shredded Swiss Cheese
2/3 cups slivered almonds toasted
8 Bacon strips cooked and crumbled
1 cup Croutons

Dressing
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Mix dressing in a mason jar. Cover and Shake well. Chill. Right before serving add all salad ingredients in a bowl and toss. Shake dressing and pour over salad. Serve immediately.

I always make my croutons from sourdough bread. I cut day old bread into cubes. Place on cookie sheet drizzle with olive oil. I sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt, and herbs. Place them under the broiler until brown. Flip them over and toast the other side. This takes only a few minutes.

grace and peace,
julie