EAT: Basil, Cucumber, and Tomato Salad

I don't know about you, but I have had a bumper crop of basil this year. In fact I have more basil than I know what to do with. I mean how much pesto can I make? Well, quite a bit actually because I can freeze it in ice cube size portions for winter meals, but fresh basil? I saw this salad while poking around the on internet and decided to give it a try.

The balsamic gives the cucumber slices an unappetizing brown color, but don't let the picture fool you. As a small side salad it's quite tasty, as a meal by itself? Not so much. It needs the olives and crackers (you could substitute freshly baked breadsticks--stay tuned for my breadmaking efforts), but the hard boiled egg is optional. The olives give it some zing and complement the balsamic vinegar while the crackers add some crunch or chew if you substitute the breadsticks.

To make the salad:

1 cup Basil leaves, shredded (no stems)
1 Cucumber, peeled, cut in half, and seeded
1 pint of Grape or Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half
2 tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste