Summertime Peach Caprese

Tags

balsamic glaze, caprese, food, foodie, mint, mozzarella, peach, salad, sidedish

These sweet and syrupy peaches are mixed with mild and moist mozzarella balls and tingly refreshing mint. Then, drizzled with tangy and sweet balsamic glaze and topped with a hint of pink Himalayan salt. Making this peach caprese the perfect summertime dish sure to please any palette!

Summertime Peach Caprese ♥ Young Wifey’s Blog

XOXO,
Young Wifey

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Colorful Caprese

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appetizer, basil, BBQ, bocconcini, ciliegine, cold food, dinner, entree, food, foodie, fresh mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, grape tomatoes, light fare, light lunch, lighter fare, lunch, mozzarella, mozzarella balls, picnic, postaday2011, pot luck, raw foods, recipe, salad, side dishes, tomatoes, vegetable, yellow tomatoes

Caprese is a summer classic, that’s why it’s my go to recipe. It’s always requested, but never the same. You can serve it sliced and stacked, as a kabob or cut and mixed as salad. At the beginning of the year, I served yellow tomato caprese for the teachers’ back-to-school. It seemed only fitting to use yellow tomatoes in my caprese for the end-of-the-year party today! So since I never serve anything exactly the same way twice, I’ll share my current variation. I halved golden grape tomatoes (first time I’ve found these at the store!!!), red grape tomatoes and the mozzarella balls (ciliegine). Then, I tossed them together with extra virgin olive oil, fresh chopped sweet basil, fresh ground sea salt, and fresh cracked black pepper. Just before serving I will drizzle with some balsamic vinegar.

Colorful Caprese

The hardest part is making sure the caprese is not devoured before leaving the house… with this dish, it’s not just Hubster, it’s also me!

Which summer dish do you prepare multiple variations?

Baked Tortellini

Tags

baked pasta, dinner, entree, food, foodie, lunch, mozzarella, parmesan, pasta, postaday2011, recipe, side dishes, spinach, tomatoes, tortellini, vegetarian

I love tortellini, I love them in pasta salad, soup and even baked. I prefer them filled with cheese or spinach or both. Hubster prefers meat in his tortellini.
This time I made it my way…  (I needed to… in order to get through the last week of school).

Baked Tortellini

Ingredients: 
1 batch of homemade tortellini (or one package), 1 package spinach, 1 small shallot (diced), 2 Tbsp. butter, 1/2 pint heavy cream, 2 large tomatoes, 2 1/2 c. of grated parmesan cheese, 2 c. shredded mozzarella

Directions:
Preheat oven 350°F. Cook tortellini according to package directions. Chop tomatoes and set aside. Chop spinach and wilt. Mix spinach and tomatoes in with tortellini and 1 c. parmesan. Spread evenly into casserole dish. Brown shallot in butter. Add heavy cream and 1 1/2 c. parmesan cheese, stir until thickened. Pour cream sauce over pasta and sprinkle on mozzarella cheese. Bake for 35 minutes. Serve hot with garlic bread or garlic knots.

Do you have a favorite tortellini recipe?

Fav’ House Salad

Tags

artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoe, cherry tomatoes, dinner salad, entree salad, food, foodie, fresh tomatoes, hearts of palm, kalamata olives, light fare, light lunch, lighter fare, mozzarella, olives, postaday2011, recipe, salad, side dishes, spring mix, vinaigrette

Yes, I am a judgmental person when it comes to food. I believe the house salad sets the tone and taste for the expected meal. First of all, I do not like blasé iceberg lettuce. And adding shredded carrots, cucumbers and sliced tomatoes does not make the salad interesting either. And croutons? Please! They are only admissible when made fresh for a crock french onion soup. However, there is one restaurant I enjoy dining at that makes a fantastic house salad!

Fav' House Salad

Ingredients:
spring mix (no romaine, no iceberg), kalamata olives, hearts of palm, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella

Directions:
Assemble ingredients on a chilled salad plate and serve with dressing.

Of course you can get any dressing you desire, however their house dressing is a perfect complement to the salad. Their tangy vinaigrette is simple and cleansing to the palette. They serve their house salad with fresh brick-oven focaccia. Double the salad size to make it an entrée salad.

Do you have a restaurant favorite?

Yellow Caprese

Tags

appetizer, balsamic vinegar, basil, brunch salad, caprese, food, fresh mozzarella, mozzarella, olive oil, picnic salad, salad, summer salad, yellow tomato

Yesterday, I found a stand with delicious looking yellow tomatoes. I had to buy a basket of them. I had the perfect use for them, I needed to bring a dish to a get together and (at the people’s request) I often bring some form of caprese.

Yellow Caprese Salad

Caprese Salad – Slice fresh mozzarella log and slice yellow tomatoes. Alternate slices on plate. Chop fresh basil and sprinkle over caprese. Sprinkle with fresh cracked pepper and fresh ground sea salt. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and EVOO. Garnish with whole basil leaves.

The yellow tomatoes were terrific in this dish! Due to the low acidity of these tomatoes, it balanced the balsamic vinegar. The use of the yellow tomatoes also makes this a possible brunch dish.

Delicious! One of my favorite dishes, so many ways!

*For traveling purposes, I photographed before we left and add the balsamic vinegar once we got there.

Caprese Close-Up

Caprese Kabob

Tags

appetizer, appetizer on a stick, bocconcini, caprese, caprese kabob, kabob, mozzarella, mozzarella balls, ovolini

Caprese is my favorite summer time salad. Arrange a spread platter for a formal party, cube and chunk it for a BBQ, stack it for individual servings, on put it on a stick or cocktail our or a shower…

Caprese Kabobs

If you are using wooden skewers, the first step is to prep them by soaking them in water, with a splash on lemon juice.

Caprese Salad – Use fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini) and alternate on skewer with cherry or grape tomatoes. Chop fresh basil and sprinkle on kabobs. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and EVOO. Sprinkle with fresh cracked pepper and fresh ground sea salt. Garnish with whole basil leaves.

Enjoy!