Tomato Salad

My sister and I were recently doing some cross border shopping in the USA when we stopped at T.G.I. FRiDAYS for dinner. I had the Jack Daniel's Black Angus Shrimp & Sirloin - OH MY GOODNESS!!! The steak was perfect, the Jack Daniel's Sauce sumblime but I was also impressed by the tomato salad. The salad was slightly chilled, sweet, crunchy and delicious with bits of cheese..
 I had to recreate it and I believe this fits the bill.

I used 2 different grape tomatoes because I just wanted pretty colours.

Zima are the super sweet orange tomatoes and Sun Drops are the red ones. A perfect combination for this salad.

I believe T.G.I. FRiDAY'S just used cubed mozzerella,
 I prefer Tre Stelle Bocconcini Pearls. If you never tried bocconcini, you don't know what you're missing, it's a semi soft unripened cheese. 

I LOVE the little pearls, they are about the size of a pea, perfect for salads

I also used some red onion.

I didn't measure, I just used lots of tomatoes, enough Tre Stelle Bocconcini Pearls to look pretty and some red onion to taste.

Tomato Salad
Ingredients:
Grape or Cherry sized tomatoes cut in 1/2, as much as desired
Tre Stelle Boccincini Pearls, as much a desired
Red onion, diced or sliced
Italian Salad Dressing - (recipe below)
Directions:
Place the above items into an appropriate sized bowl, pour dressing over tomatoes to taste. Stir and allow to marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours prior to serving. If possoble, stir mixture a few times while marinating. Sprinkle with a little more pepper and serve.

ITALIAN SALAD DRESSING
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon white sugar
1.5 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon salt
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic salt, onion powder, sugar, oregano, pepper, thyme, basil, parsley and regular salt. Store in a tightly sealed container.
2. To prepare dressing, whisk together 1/4 cup white vinegar, 2/3 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons water and 2 tablespoons of the dry mix.
This will make approximately 1/2 cup of dry ingredients.
 I keep this in a jar or baggie to use when needed.3. To prepare the dressing for this salad (or any salad) you need 2/3 cup of olive oil, 1/4 cup of white vinegar, 2 tablespoons or water, 2 tablespoons of the dry mixture.

Store any extra mixed dressing in the fridge for up to 3 days.

                     Bon Appetit !