There is something about blogging that I cannot figure out.  You should see my “blog fodder” file.  It began before I was ever blogging because I thought I might start.  There are ALL KINDS of post ideas in there.  It has barely been touched in the 10ish weeks I have been blogging.

My “draft” page has unfinished posts in it, too.  Posts that I WILL finish (some of them need to be soon), but when they have been written, something just did not click.

Then there is my “blog fodder pictures” folder.  Pictures go in there that are for imminent posts.  I resize them to not take up so much space and put them there.  There is a folder unto itself inside the picture folder that I made last night for the post I was going to do then which was a follow-up to Thursday’s SkyWatch post.  (I was going to show the sky in all directions.)  I knew what I was going to say, the pictures are ready, so WHY IS THAT NOT WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT???  I wish I knew.

I was taking my weekly, blissful bath (there will be a whole post on that–soon, I  hope) when something screamed into my brain that I CANNOT post the rest of the sunset story, but I have to post this recipe.  What is that about?  Someone please tell me this is just the way blogging is, and that it is not that I am just a lunatic wasting my time preparing something to let it fall by the wayside.  PLEASE!  (Or tell me I AM a lunatic and I need to seek some kind of help.)

So the sunset story must wait.  When whatever demon muse told me to do this recipe, I decided to save the sunset follow-up for a later date when my skies are the same every day.  They will be a beautiful, deep blue, but still the same every day.

So now that you know what is NOT here, I hope you enjoy what IS here!

I found this recipe more than 15  years ago.  I think it was in a Taste of Home magazine, or one of the food periodicals from that publisher.  I cannot give more credit than that.  I actually have a name with it, but without being able to contact said person, I am not sure if she would want her name on the internet, so I will withhold it.  (If it is YOUR original recipe, please leave a comment as such!)

This is a recipe I would not dream of making without my own fresh garden produce.  What is pictured used my tomatoes, green peppers, cucumbers and parsley.    (Home-grown tomatoes are a must, the other ingredients can be from the store, but it is a bonus if they are not.)  I make it once or twice a summer, and I have never, EVER made it without at least one–usually several–recipe requests.  I believe that is why the demon muse screamed at me to post it today, but I am not sure why it could not have waited until next week.

Without further ado, here it is:

Gazpacho Salad

4 tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced
2 green peppers, seeded and diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 (2-1/4 oz.) can sliced black olives, drained
1 tsp. salt

Dressing:

1/2 c. olive oil
1/4 c. vinegar
1/4 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbls. chopped fresh parsley (I like Italian, or flatleaf, best)
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cumin

In 2 qt. or larger class jar or bowl, layer 1/2 of the salad ingredients in order as given in recipe, topping with 1/2 of the salt.  Repeat layer.

In a small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients.  Pour over vegetables.  Cover an dchill several hours or overnight.  Makes 10-12 servings.

by Louise Cannon

Note:  I really despise the font I have been using, and it is hideous for displaying recipes.  I apologize.  I have played with my font and found things I like, but I cannot do things I like when I start in WordPress.  If I start in a word processing program, then copy and paste it, then add pictures, I get crazy, unwanted space.  My blog guru figured this out for me, and apparently the only way I can combat this problem is shell out some cash to have a self-hosted blog (with non-blog-technical ME at the helm) and hire a designer to do what I like, and possibly someone to even help me keep it doing what it needs to do.  Although I would LOVE to do those things, that is not a priority for my cash at the moment, so recipes must be done as above with too much space in them.  But if I brought them in from another program, there would probably be more space, so I guess we just have to deal with it.

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EDITED:  My blog guru changed my site while I was taking a nap!  What could be better than that?  I LOVE it!  Do you?  I have been meaning to change my header picture anyway for the next season, so this is perfect.  It is so much more “me.”  Thank you, Ducky!  I think you should do this for a living!