Tomato Harvest Salad

We are down to the last few days of summer. It's officially over after Labor Day, and we are also nearing the end of our growing season here in Wisconsin. Although the days are still warm, the nights have been steadily growing cooler, and we can expect our first frost anytime after Sept.1st.

For now, the tomato plants are still producing. A friend brought me a big bag of them the other day, and they are fantastic. There is only one thing to make, Tomato Harvest Salad. You'll love it.

All you need is fresh mozzarella cheese, Paul Newman's Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing, red onion, tomatoes, and fresh basil.

Rinse the basil and tomatoes. Chop the tomatoes into cubes if they are large, or just leave them whole if they are already bite sized. Chop a handful of the fresh basil leaves. Inhale deeply. I love the smell of fresh basil, don't you? Add the tomatoes and the basil to a large salad bowl.

Cube the fresh mozzarella. The brand we bought actually came pre-sliced, so it was really easy to cube them. If you have never had fresh mozzarella, you haven't lived. You simply must try it, it's delicious. Of course the Wisconsin brand cheese will taste better...................add the cheese to the bowl of tomatoes.

Chop the red onion. I use a whole one, we like lots of onion at our house.

Pour 1/2 the bottle of salad dressing over all the ingredients and combine. Let marinade an hour before serving. I must say I think they have altered the Paul Newman's recipe. It doesn't taste as spicy as it used to. I added an extra splash of Balsamic Vinegar and some fresh ground black pepper to give it some zip.

It's great for a Labor Day picnic. Enjoy!

Designer Mom