Recipes:
## **Classic Italian Bread Salad**
*Serves 6*
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### **Ingredients**
* 5 cups Italian bread cubes
* 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
* 2 medium cucumbers, peeled, deseeded and sliced
* 2 green onions, sliced
* ½ cup pitted black olives, sliced
* ½ cup fresh basil or parsley leaves
#### **Dressing**
* ½ cup olive oil
* ¼ cup red-wine vinegar
* ¼ cup lemon juice
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic
* 1 teaspoon salt
* ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
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### **Make Ahead**
You can prepare the dressing in step 3 **up to a day ahead**. Refrigerate until ready to use.
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### **Directions**
1. **Preheat oven to 300°F.** Toast bread cubes until dry and lightly browned, about **15 minutes**.
2. **Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions, olives and basil** in a large serving bowl.
3. **For dressing**, combine oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Whisk until salt is dissolved and ingredients are blended.
4. **Pour dressing over vegetables.** Add bread cubes; stir gently. **Serve immediately.**
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### **Variation**
For an attractive presentation and tang, use **pitted kalamata olives**.
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### Make It Quicker
To deseed a cucumber quickly, peel it and slice lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a small spoon.
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