As you start to plan out the upcoming Memorial Day weekend menu, may I suggest you add a Caprese Salad to your list?

Let’s face the truth.  We all know we are going to eat heavy, fatty, greasy, and gooey burgers, sausages, or hotdogs, and we will end up b-l-o-a-t-e-d.   Ughh.

Why not balance the menu out this year and add the delicious caprese salad.  Pronounced phonetically as “kah-press-ay,” this salad not only looks pretty, it is also very delicious, refreshing, and easy to prepare.

Another plus?  It will please your guests who may not prefer the greasy side of life!

How do you make it?  It really is easy and you can’t mess it up.   Really, don’t think to hard about it.  It will turn out just right!

Serves 9-12

6 large tomatoes (leave at room temperature)

2 soft mozzarella balls

Basil

Salt

Pepper

Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar

·       Slice the tomatoes into ½” thick slices.  Lightly salt and set aside.

·       Slice the mozzarella balls into thin slices.  The idea is to have one slice of mozzarella for each slice of tomato.

·       Wash the basil and tear off enough leaves so that you have one for each slice of tomato.

·       Now you are going to arrange the salad: tomato, mozzarella, basil, tomato, mozzarella, basil, tomato, mozzarella, basil… continue until you run out of tomatoes.

·       In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar.  Wisk and add pepper to taste.

·       Last step:  Drizzle the olive oil mixture so that each tomato and mozzarella receives a lick.  Let it set to soak in the goodness of the dressing.

·       Serve and wait for all the ooohhhhs and ahhhhhhs.

I hope you enjoy!  I would love to hear what your family or friends thought of your Caprese Salad addition!