Cheesy enough title for you?
For the Fourth of July, my uncle made a Caprese Salad. For most of the afternoon, I stood next to the salad bowl, picking out the cute little mozzarella balls dressed in basil and popping them into my mouth. Ever since that day, I could not get the salad out of my mind! It was all I could do to not try making it as soon as I got home that very evening.
My uncle used this Rachel Ray recipe, and not wanting to mess with perfection, I followed it to a tee. It also didn’t hurt that I happened to have all the ingredients on hand besides the bocconcini (that’s what the small mozzarella balls are called for any of you who were clueless when seeing that word for the first time like me).
Besides needing the tomatoes and mozzarella, you’ll need everything that’s pictured above – basil, olive oil, lemon, and garlic (I used pre-minced garlic instead of the fresh stuff).
After halving my tomatoes and mozzarella balls (I’m sorry, but bocconcini is too hard of word to try and remember), I started on the pesto dressing.
After pulsing the garlic, lemon juice, and basil leaves together while drizzling in your olive oil, you’re left with a very green dressing. I’ll admit, I was a little nervous at this point. This certainly didn’t look like what I expecting.
Thankfully, once I poured the dressing into my bowl of tomatoes and mozzarella, things started to look more delicious.
All it took after this point was chopping up some fresh basil to toss on top…
…and mixing everything all together.
You can serve the salad cold or at room temperature. And the good news is, the salad actually tastes better the next day after being left to marinate in the fridge over night.
The salad alone can make a wonderful side dish or light lunch. However, since I just can’t leave things alone, I took my salad and put it in a wrap along with mixed greens and balsamic syrup. Delish!
And since we’re at the end of this post now, I suppose I’ll end on just a cheesy note as the one we started on…. that’s a wrap!!
Oh, but on a completely different note, you might want to hang on to your juiced-out lemon. It works wonders on kneecaps and ankles that might have been slathered with a bit too much tanning lotion. Not that I would know from first-hand experience, you know.
mmm, that looks really good in the wrap, but i am very disappointed in you for buying garlic in a jar.
I know, I know, but it makes things so much easier sometimes!
Lovin it! Nothing like fresh, wholesome food.
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