Wilted Lettuce...

I'm not going to ramble whine on and on about the heat and humidity (much)... This time of year it's all about getting in and out of the kitchen as fast as possible... I come home from the market... process my fruits and veggies... freeze a few handfuls of grapes and make a salad... and since my favorite salads have very little to do with lettuce, I usually stick to chopped and scoopable varieties... My current craving is a riff on the iconic Caprese...

You'll need:  3 English cucumbers, 2 pints of grape tomatoes, 12 pieces of string cheese, 2 teaspoons dried basil and a few grinds of black pepper.

Peel and dice cucumbers, slice tomatoes, slice cheese.  Toss the cucumbers with basil, add in tomatoes and cheese.  Toss gently and top with a generous grind of black pepper.  May be served plain or with a spritz of balsamic vinegar.  (It stores well and is a perfect portable for picnics, potlucks or brown bag lunches.)