![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Fresh-veggies-Web-view-300x188.jpg\")
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Cooking? Yes, but not in this jungle heat, right? Not unless you can get out under a shade tree with the grill or BBQ the stuff in the garage with a cooler full of ice and adult beverages, and get some music going to annoy your neighbors, too.<\/p>\n
This is where the simple things come in handy. The photo is of part of the ingredients for a chopped salad, which, on a hot, humid day is much more satisfying than burning meat on the grill.\u00a0 You have zucchini, yellow summer squash, green onion, radishes, cherry tomatoes, and that’s almost enough for a bowlful of cool, tasty summer veggies with a good homemade dressing.<\/p>\n
Cut the squash in half lengthwise, then in half again, then just chop it lengthwise. Ditto the radishes: cut into quarters and toss into the bowl. The green onions? Just chop them up and add them. Get a good red onion, chop that up, too, and celery and if you can find them, color bell peppers and\u00a0 shredded carrots add some sparkle and extra color to this. Since cucumber tends to wilt after a while, zukes and yellow squash hold up better in this kind of dish.<\/p>\n
Yes, you are allowed \ud83d\ude09 to add chopped ham or leftover chicken, and crumbled bacon as well, to this mixture. There is no set volume or list of ingredients.<\/p>\n The dressing: it’s something my paternal grandma used to do: season the cut-up veggies with salt, cracked pepper, garlic salt, celery salt, lemon juice (freshly squeezed lemon is best) or your favorite vinegar, and olive oil. You can also throw in dried herbs like parsley and chives. My Gramma had to use corn oil back then as olive oil wasn’t as prominent on the store shelves as it is now, but olive oil has a better flavor and it’s been around since someone climbed the olive trees and figured out how to make that delightful ingredient.<\/p>\n Add some good hard cheeses to this (e.g., white cheddar, apple smoked cheddar, Asiago, Romanian, etc.) and some rustic bread or crackers like Rye-Crisp, and a cold adult beverage (or soda pop, if you prefer) and enjoy the day. Since I love this kind of salad, it is frequently on my plate in the summer, until chilly weather sets in. And yes, I do read books when having a meal, and the cat hangs out in the window over the sink.<\/p>\n To keep it reasonably fresh if it is not entirely used up, just cover it with plastic wrap or a bowl cap and keep it cold.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Peppers-2018-300x216.jpg\")