Mini Caprese's

This is a fun and quick healthy recipe that is guaranteed to be loved by all. A few years back in an awful attempt to make small fondant covered blocks for my brother’s baby shower I bought some small Noah’s art cutters. I’ve used them from time to time for things like sandwiches or to cut the crust that goes on top of my pot pies because I think they are cute [and would seriously have issues if they weren’t used after I spent the money, lol] Best of all you can use any small cookie cutters you might have.



Its incredibly refreshing and healthy, originally from the City of Campana Italy [Which either from Italian or Spanish would translate into the English word Bell ] and much like the Pizza was made to have the color of the Italian flag.

So, I decided to start using the cutters to make my mini caprese and they came out looking phenomenal + everyone loved them. WIN,WIN FOR ME =) Then, I figured we could put little tooth picks so that people could easily grab them for say a New Years party [which is what we made this one for one year] and they worked so great its become one of our easy, quick, delish and awesome little secretes. We also have a salad that we make with the same dressing and similar vegetables we will post later one.




1 Box of ~ mini Tomatoes
1 container~ Mozzarella cheese [Fresh ones are really the best but really any will do fine ]
1 Bunch~ Basil leaves I try to pick them with out having them get damaged
1 per half tomato~ Tooth Picks
½ cup of Olive Oil
2 TBS~ Lemon Juice
½ cup of ~ Balsamic Vinaigrette
½ a table spoon of ~Cumin [I always add it but you can decide not to and it wont affect this recipe]
1 TBSP~ Salt [Kosher sea salt is my fave}
1 TBSP~ Peppers



~Cut Tomatoes and cut in half each
~Pick basil Leaf by leaf . If they are small I add several and spread them so it looks like a lil flower
~Slice Mozzarella and use cookie cutters to make shapes. Any extra Mozzarella as you will have pieces left over once you’ve gotten your area cut I either give
to the kids to pacify them,lol.or just add them to a bag and cute later in order to put them on anything you’d like, salads, mini bread pizza’s ect. Don’t throw them way =)

Use the hard side of the Tomato down ward, add basil and then mozzarella and put toothpick through it. Put into whatever container you are using to store them in and once completed get a cup and add.



Olive Oil
Lemon Juice
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Cumin
Salt
Peppers


Stir quickly and either spray [yes if you have a sprayer Id say use it. If not a regular cup and fork will work well] Evenly disperse on the top of Caprices so the mozzarella and basil get some dressing on them too. Make more or less as you desire and put in fridge for at least an hour to cool off [If you don’t have time it works well with as little as 10 minutes but we like ours cool] and Done! .






If you would like to make the salad just slice all veggies, add some yellow,red, and green peppers and add some romaine lettuce and onion and your set. This is what it looks like.



Hope you enjoy! And if you can include the kids but watch them carefully, they might sneak a Giraffe or Lion depending on what you have.