Fresh Basil and Garden Tomato Salad

When my basil is ready I get the tomatoes ready for this easy to make side dish. I can't keep my kids from snitching! This is the dish I spoke of the other post I made with one of the meals on 30 in 30 painting day.

 

3 table spoons red wine vinegar
Salt
6 ounces of mixed yellow grape and red tomatoes, halved (1 cup) Can be all one kind or what ever you have on hand but variety of color is really appetizing
sliced pitted black olives(optional but tasty and great color contrast)
 4 tea spoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
pepper
1/2 pound of unsalted bocconcini (or bite size mozzarella), quartered
bit of red onion sliced thin.

In a bowl, combine tomatoes,  bocconcini, olives, red wine vinegar, basil,2 teaspoons of the oil, season lightly with salt and pepper.
Refrigerate for about 30 minutes or while preparing rest of meal.
I do not like strong onion flavor. So I add the onion about 15 minutes before serving.

This can vary ingredients depending on what you have on hand for tomatoes, olives, onion. I have made it many times with out the black olives though we prefer it with. Red Wine vinegar is key and worth it.
If using buffalo mozzarella I do not put that in to soon as it can get messy. But rest can be made a head of time with no problem.

I would love to hear how you like it or change it up. :)