Summer time in Coastal Georgia is hot. Thankfully, we have a nice breezes to keep air moving. I’m also thankful for central air conditioning. This week we have been without AC downstairs. We came home from a weekend at my parents’ to find that lightening struck a tree close to our house. The lightening strike took out the downstairs AC unit, our DSL modem and a small television.
Once we got over the panic of not having internet access, we moved on to getting someone over here to look at the AC. Priorities, y’all. It’s been a week-long process that comes down to the fact that we are now waiting for a part.
I’m really thankful that we have a separate unit for upstairs. It has actually kept the house comfortable. It’s not cool by any means, but it’s been liveable. So, since our AC isn’t working, I have stayed away from doing a lot of cooking. I have turned to cold suppers or things that can be whipped up quickly on the stove.
Summer means heat, but it also mean an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables. I have been relying on these all week to help keep the cooking to a minimum. Tuesday, I threw together a Cucumber and Tomato Salad and we ate it with dinner that night and I have been eating it for lunch every day since.
It’s the perfect mix of cool, crisp and tart.
I started by slicing two medium cucumbers lengthwise. I scooped out most of the seeds and then sliced the cucumbers into about 1/8″ slices. Then I thinly sliced half of a large Vidalia onion. I tossed the onions and cucumbers together in a strainer with a couple of shakes of salt and let them sit for about 20 minutes.
Next, I chopped up a couple of medium sized tomatoes, a yellow and a red. I tossed the tomatoes, the cucumbers and the onions into a glass bowl and mixed in some White Balsamic Vinegar, probably 2-3 tablespoons. I added salt and black pepper to taste, then put it in the fridge to chill for an hour. When it was time to serve it, I added some chopped fresh basil. Tomatoes and fresh basil are one of my favorite Summer time flavor combinations.
This salad was so fresh and tangy. The perfect foil for a hot, humid day.
