Lady Bug Caprese Salad

How adorable is this? and edible too!

Lady Bug Caprese Salad

Ingredients:
Cherry tomatoes (split back end)
Balsamic vinegar dots
Black olives
Fresh basil leaves
Fresh mozzarella cheese

Arrange on plate and let the "Ohs and Ahs" begin.

Thanks to Greens First with Mary Tees-Corridon and Gigi Sotomayor for the idea.

Summer time and Caprese Salad

Feel like singing . . .  "Summer time and the Caprese Salad is easy."
Guess what I made from the garden?

Ingredients:
Tomatoes from the vine
Fresh Mozarella cheese
Fresh Basil
Balsamic Vinegar
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
Slice, season with salt and pepper to taste, drizzle with oil and vinegar. Serve. Yummm.

Lots of other great salads in Tastes & Treasures cookbook.

Grilled Caprese Salad

Here is a new twist on Caprese Salad. Grilled tomatoes and string cheese with your basil make a modified Caprese.

Ingredients:

1 stick light string cheese

2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil

1 large tomato

Optional seasonings: salt, black pepper, garlic powder



Directions:

Break string cheese into thirds and place in a blender or food processor -- blend at high speed until shredded. (Or pull into shreds and roughly chop.) Transfer to a small bowl, and mix with basil. 


Cut tomato in half horizontally. Carefully scoop out and discard the inside of each tomato half, leaving a hollow shell intact.


Bring a grill pan sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat. 


If you like, sprinkle tomato halves with optional seasonings.
Place tomato halves on the grill pan with the cut sides down. Cook until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. 

Flip tomato halves.
Divide cheese-basil mixture between tomato halves.
Cover (any lid will do!) and cook for 2 more minutes, or until tomato has softened and cheese is warm.
MAKES 1 SERVING
Thanks to Hungry Girl for recipe.

Caprese Salad from the Garden

The tomatoes are ripening and the basil smells wonderful. Time for Caprese Salad. The farmers market had wonderful tomatoes so we were inspired.

Don't forget to try the other wonderful salads in Tastes & Treasures cookbook too.

Ingredients:
Tomatoes sliced
Basil leaves
Mozarella cheese sliced
Drizzle of Olive Oil
Drizzle of Balsamic Vinegar

Directions:
Arrange on platter and wait for compliments!

Cornucopia Salad

Cornucopia Salad


Bursting with color and energy, and chock full of veggies, fruits, nuts and cheese; this super salad recipe from Terri Bailey of Bailey's Palomar Resort in Southern California, is a complete meal!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sliced almonds
3 Tbsp. Sugar
1 1/2 heads romaine or mixed lettuce, or any green leafy veggies, like or spinach, kale
4 green onions chopped
1 can mandarin oranges, drained; or fresh tangerines or blood oranges are great too!
1 avocado sliced
1 Granny Smith apple sliced
1/4 cup dried craisins (dried cranberry)
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup blue cheese or gorgonzola
2 Large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (or one rotisserie chicken)


Dressing:
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 cup oil
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
4 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar.

Directions:

Toss sugar in large frying pan with almonds and cook over low heat to medium heat, stirring occasionally until almonds are coated.
Don’t let sugar burn.  Spread on foil to cool. Or purchase sugared almond slices.  If sugaring almonds, Spray foil with Pam, so it does not stick, while cooling.
Tear lettuce leaves into bite-sized pieces. Mix lettuce, onion, oranges, avocado, apple, celery, craisins, cheese, chicken and almonds.
Mix remaining ingredients for dressing.  Toss with salad ingredients.  
Serves 5-6.

Caprese Corn Salad

A pretty side dish with cheese and corn - my favorite foods all in one recipe. Oh My.

Ingredients:
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 ear corn, husked and cleaned
8 ounces tomatoes or 1/2 pint grape tomatoes or 1 chopped tomato (drain the excess water after chopping)
3 ounces fresh mozarella (we used shredded)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions: You can boil the corn cob but we love the extra flavors when it is grilled. Scrape corn kernels into a medium bowl.
Cut tomatoes, drain and add to bowl.
Cut cheese into dice a little larger than corn kernels (or use shredded cheese). Add to bowl.
Toss with oil and basil. Season with salt and pepper.

Makes 2 servings.

Note: Grilling corn brings out such nice flavors. The recipe for grilling vegetables is on page 100 Tastes & Treasures cookbook. Lon's at Hermosa Inn share easy instructions for Grilled Fennel. It works for most vegetables.

Caprese Salad with Baby Pear Tomatoes

Can't get enough of these wonderful Baby Pear Tomatoes with mozarella slices and fresh basil. Be creative with your favorite spices, green onion, parsley, finely chopped celery, balsamic vinegar and enjoy the tastes of summer.

Schnepf Farms and The Olive Mill in Queen Creek offers several choices of flavored vinegars, olive oils and dressings. You can also pick up a copy of Tastes & Treasures there.