sweeties for my sweetie (and me!)

As predicted, we're nearly up to our eyeballs in tiny tomatoes...

...and I'm glad.

I'm glad because fortunately, there's no end to the list of ways you can eat grape or cherry tomatoes, from popping them right off the vine and into your mouth (my beau's method of choice) to mixing them into pasta salad or, my current favorite, slipping them into a frittata. That frittata is currently coming up against some tough competition as reigning favorite, namely this lima-less version of succotash.

I probably sound like a broken record at this point, but I'm so proud of myself and my man for taking this garden project all the way to fruition. It's often been a frustrating struggle and downright hard at times, and if nothing else, I have a new and huge appreciation for the people who do this for a living (and also for my grandparents, who STILL garden, even in their 90s!). This is another dish composed primarily of ingredients we grew ourselves, and that seems to make it taste extra good.

Though we have lots of yellow pear tomatoes too, I used the little red sweeties in this dish--they're juicy and delicious! The cucumber, pepper, and basil came from the garden too. We're not-so-patiently waiting for the corn to mature, and then this can be a completely homegrown dish. As usual, adjust the proportions and seasonings to your tastes, but above all else, make this perfect summer side!

Summer Sweetie and Corn Salad
Ingredients:

• 3 cups sweet corn
• 3 cups sweeties (cherry or grape tomatoes), halved
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup basil leaves, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• Drizzle of balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup feta or cotija cheese

Directions:
Place the corn, tomatoes, cucumber, pepper and sliced basil in a large bowl.
Sprinkle with cumin, pepper, salt and sugar, and squeeze a lime over the top. Stir until everything is evenly coated.
Refrigerate for an hour or so to let everything mingle.
When ready to serve, top with cheese and a splash of balsamic vinegar.