It's late July and unless you live in San Francisco where it was 60 and foggy this weekend, you probably don't want to stand over a hot stove today. And if you've planted a big garden, you may be looking for something to do with all those vegetables. You also may be planning a lot of picnics and other outdoor eating events, so something portable would be nice, too. And let's not forget how handy it is to have something that can be made in advance and actually gets better as it sits in the refrigerator.

Finally, whatever this is, it had better taste really good. And it does: piquant with sherry vinegar and lemon and a hint of garlic, yet subtle enough to let the flavor of the vegetables come through. Let me introduce you to Lorrie Mae's Amazing Marinated Vegetables! Recipe below the jump.

This is my mother's recipe and it is very versatile. For example, she also adds julienned carrots and pea pods, plus some Dijon mustard to the marinade, about one tablespoon.

Salad:
l small head of califlower, cut into florets (about 4 cups)
l bunch broccoli, cut in florets (about 3-l/2 cups)
2 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise, sliced (about 3 cups)
l medium green bell pepper, cut julienne
l medium red bell pepper, cut julienne
l pound mushrooms, stems removed, (thickly sliced)
l can black olives, drained and sliced (I used oil-cured)

Marinade:
l cup wine vinegar (I used sherry)
l cup vegetable oil
l/2 cup fresh lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons sugar
l teaspoon salt
l teaspoon pepper

Combine vegetables and olives in large bowl. To make marinade, combine ingredients in a jar, cover and shake vigorously. Pour over vegetables, cover and marinate in refrigerator overnight, stirring occasionally. Makes l3 cups.