Cosmic Rhino

Tomatoes and basil are still in season and this simple salad is irresistible. I’m particularly fond of this salad (and photo) because the ingredients were picked fresh from my mom and sister’s vegetable patch! And the variations are limitless! Add some mozarella and make it more like a caprese salad. Mix in a little best quality vinegar…champagne vinegar is a lovely choice.  Squeeze some lime…whatever your heart desires. Just have fun!

Ingredients:

• Best quality olive oil for drizzling
• A pile of cherry, grape or other tomatoes
• A handful of basil, coursely chopped.
• Salt and pepper to taste

Finally, after a warm fall and a tragic heatwave that prompted so many fires across Southern California, I think Autumn has settled in (at least as much Autumn as we get in So Cal). And Autumn means the beginning of soup season! Hooray! And, soup is an outstanding way to get all sorts of vegetables as well.

Anyway, I just picked up some winter squash at the farmer’s market: two variations of Delicata Zeppelin squash (shown here) and one acorn squash. I wanted to whip up a no-hassle soup and had not cooked with either of these squash before. But, I’m now the hugest acorn squash fan and can’t wait to play with new recipes. Anyway, here’s my super easy recipe (and of course I liked it because I don’t put up the flops on the Rhino):