Greek Panzanella

Tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber, red onion, olives, lots of olives, feta cheese, and homemade croutons!  Delicious!

 Ingredients:

For the croutons:
2 tbsp. olive oil
5 cups French bread cubes
salt, black pepper, oregano, and garlic powder to season bread

For the salad:
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced ¼-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, large diced
1 yellow bell pepper, large diced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
½ red onion, sliced thin
6 oz. crumbled feta cheese
6 oz. can whole black olives, drained

For the vinaigrette:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1¼ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. Dijon mustard
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

Directions:

For the croutons, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the bread cubes and sprinkle with a little bit of salt, black pepper, oregano, and garlic powder; cook over medium heat, tossing frequently, for 5-10 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove from the heat.

To prepare the salad, combine the cucumber, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onion in a large bowl.

To make the vinaigrette, combine the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk in the olive oil to create an emulsion. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables.

Add the feta, olives, and bread cubes. Mix together lightly. Set aside for 30 minutes to let the flavors blend.

Source: adapted from Ina Garten