Simple Tomato Salad

I always look forward to a beautiful Thanksgiving table. Tender, juicy turkey surrounded by cheesy potatoes, stuffing and gravy, roasted carrots and beets, and a bevy of beautiful salads. While it might sound like a lot of work, the salads in particular are show stoppers that really shine without a lot of work. In fact, this week is going to see a couple of my favorite salads for entertaining and holidays being shared. The first is this gorgeous tomato salad that takes no more than 10 minutes to assemble and tends to bring so much color to your plates.

Splurge on excellent tomatoes. If you cannot find or afford them, look to other salad options for your holiday. But if you happen to be lucky enough to have a grocery store or market that produces such things, this salad will be on the table in no time. Pick tomatoes in shapes and colors and flavors you enjoy. A variety is particularly pretty on a plate. Fresh herbs are bright, beautiful, and aromatic in this mix and if you don't use bagel seasoning, make sure what you do use has some bits of garlic and seeds and such in it. You want it to season the plate, but also be seen. I love balsamic glaze on this and really any tomato dish, but you can use a premade version or even just a careful drizzle of unthickened balsamic vinegar.

Remember that salads are on holiday tables to bring color and lightness to menus that are traditionally heavier than most meals. That's why this one's so perfect for a Thanksgiving table. No one is making this their meal, but for a plate that often lives in browns and beiges, the shock of red and green does a lot to brighten your plate and the whole table on a day devoted to thankfulness. Enjoy and be thankful for easy, beautiful salads!