Every once in a while, I see a recipe online and think, "DUH! Why didn't I come up with that one myself?" This recipe from mint love social club falls right into that category. These Caprese bites take almost no time to make and require only five ingredients, plus salt and pepper. Plus, no heat is needed to make them, so they're a great option for hot summer days. And they're gorgeous! I'm taking them to a dinner party tonight and can't wait to get a reaction from our hosts!
You will need:
- grape or cherry tomatoes
- fresh mozzarella
- basil leaves
- balsamic vinegar
- extra-virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
Steps:
- First, prep the ingredients. Wash the tomatoes and cut them in half. Cut the mozzarella into pieces roughly the size of the tomato halves. Slice the basil leaves into roughly one-inch square pieces. (I used a pair of kitchen shears.)
- Take one tomato half, top it with a basil leaf piece, and top that with a mozzarella piece. Stick a toothpick through the stack. Repeat until you've made enough Caprese bites for your gathering.
- Place the skewers on a serving plate. Drizzle them lightly with balsamic vinegar (a spoon helped me out) and olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or stick in the fridge for later.
So easy! The original recipe suggests using a balsamic reduction, but I didn't feel like using the stovetop today. You could possibly save a little time by buying bocconcini instead of one large chunk of mozzarella, but you'd need to cut the mozzarella balls in half anyway, and they're usually more expensive than the bigger chunks. Eh, it wasn't worth it to me. Besides, I like that my platter of Caprese bites don't look uniform; some of the tomato halves are bigger than others, some of the basil leaves hang over the sides, and the mozzarella pieces are in all different shapes. They look like they were made with love, and I like that about them.
Yes, I do still exist, readers. I really have no excuse for my lack of posts, besides the usual post-work fatigue and laziness. But here I am, back with a fabulous pantry-based recipe!
Recipes like this are wonderful, especially at the end of a long work week (or after ten straight days of work, as the case may be). This recipe comes from Food and Wine, which surprised me, considering its low-cost ingredients (most of which come right out of the pantry) and its quick preparation. It's vegan, it's easy to make, and it's very satisfying without being too heavy or rich. One teaspoon of red pepper flakes was just enough heat for me; it warmed up the dish without overpowering the other flavors. This would be a great dish to combat a nasty summer cold!
You will need:
- 3/4 lb (12 oz) dried penne (or similar) pasta
- 1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes in juice, drained
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- chopped parsley or basil
Steps:
- Start a stockpot of water boiling for the pasta. Meanwhile, use a food processor to puree the drained tomatoes until smooth.
- Heat the oil over medium-low in a large rimmed skillet. When warm, add the garlic, cooking and stirring until golden (about 2 min). Add the red pepper flakes and stir for 30 seconds. Pour in the tomatoes and increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened (6-8 minutes).
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions; drain. Add drained pasta to tomato sauce and toss. Serve immediately with parsley or basil on top, if desired. (We added a little parmesan too, thus making it non-vegan, of course.)
It couldn't be much simpler than that! It's a really cheap recipe, too. What a great way to start the weekend!
