Submitted By: Angela Buchanan

Ingredients:
2 pounds large, ripe tomatoes (5 or 6, depending on size)
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1 sweet pepper, any color, chopped
1 cup pitted green olives, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 loaf dense white bread, cut into large cubes (6-8 cups of cubes)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Directions:
Over a large mixing bowl, core and chop the tomatoes, discarding the cores. Stir in the red onion, pepper, green olives, salt, black pepper, and garlic. Set aside to let the juices come out. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a lasagna pan or similar large baking pan, stir the bread cubes and the olive oil to lightly coat. Bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring once, until lightly browned. Cool for 10 minutes, then toss the toasted bread with the tomato-olive mixture to coat. Stir in most of the basil, and mound the salad onto a serving platter. Scatter the remaining basil over the top. Serves six. Serving suggestions: This is a great main-dish salad, and the bread can also be browned on a grill instead of baked, and then topped with grilled chicken or shrimp. If you have people who love anchovies, a few chopped anchovies are a great addition.