EASY CAPRESE SALADS

Easy Caprese Salads image

This recipe is a guideline for two types of Easy Caprese Salads. The amounts given are not written in stone, they are a guideline, you have control over how you want to make them... and how much you want to make! My grandchildren love helping make the cherry tomato ones, so easy for them and fun! You can go casual for a...

Provided by Colleen Sowa

Time 1h40m

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

TOMATOES YOU CAN USE
3 qt cherry, grape or pear tomatoes
6 - 18 medium tomatoes, firm vine ripened
CHEESES YOU CAN USE
1 -3 lb mozzarella cheese
1 - 2 large fresh mozzarella
3 - 6 pkg fresh mozzarella balls (small size)
BASIL
1 - 3 bunch fresh basil
DRESSINGS YOU CAN USE
1 - 3 pt balsamic vinegar reduction, home made or store bought
1 -3 pt italian dressing, home made or store bought
SKEWERS YOU CAN USE
50 - 100 large skewers
1 - 2 box toothpicks or party toothpicks
100 plastic spoons, clear

Steps:

1. Wash and pat dry the cherry tomatoes. You can leave them whole or cut them in half.
2. Wash, pat dry vine ripened tomatoes. Slice each tomato 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Place on a platter or serving dish. Cut up as many tomatoes as you want put in one layer or make two or three layers deep. Just make sure you put a dressing drizzled over each layer.
3. Rinse and pat dry the basil. Pull off whole leaves from the stems, the prettiest leaves are what you want to use for the cherry tomato skewers, toothpicks or clear plastic forks. For the sliced vine ripened tomato recipe, you can leave the leaves whole, cut them in half, slice into strips or mince according to your liking. *** Keep in mind that the more you break up or cut the basil... the more possible damage you do to the leaves, which can make them "get old looking" fast!
4. If you choose a more aged mozzarella, then cut it into appropriate size cubes.
5. Fresh mozzarella balls can be used with either the cherry tomatoes or the sliced vine ripened tomatoes.. Use them whole, cut in half, sliced or broken up into pieces according to which salad you are making and the "look" you are going for.
6. The large chunk of mozzarella can be sliced, cubed or broken into little pieces according to your desired results.
7. To assemble the cherry tomato skewers: Using a toothpick: Put half of a cherry tomato on the toothpick, add a piece of fresh mozzarella (cut in squares or use small round balls of cheese). add a basil leaf. add the other half of the cherry tomato. Repeat until you have the amount you need.
8. For each layer of the sliced tomatoes: Put sliced tomatoes on platter, add mozzarella, add basil. Drizzle with desired dressing. In the photo, it was Italian dressing.
9. Italian dressing. Can be used as a drizzle, or a dip.
10. Balsamic Vinegar Reduction. Can be used as a drizzle or a dip.
11. This salad was made for a potluck and it went fast!
12. This salad was made by my nephew's bride for their wedding reception. This was a beautiful presentation and a big hit!
13. My latest version! I love making and eating them!