Caprese salad skewers

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Caprese salad skewers - who doesn't love salad on a stick?

When it's party time, I look for easy appetizer recipes I can throw together quickly. I make the easy snacks ahead of time and set them out on a platter so they're ready when guests arrive. Then, while they nibble and sip in the dining room, I can stand in the kitchen and throw myself into the more complicated stuff.

Inspired by On a Stick! 80 Party-Perfect Recipes by the legendary Matt Armendariz of Matt Bites, I broke out some bamboo skewers for a recent Sunday dinner and pierced my way to hand-held Caprese salad. Firm grape tomatoes, fragrant basil and creamy fresh mozzarella - that's all it takes, along with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. But don't feel like you have to stop there. Olives, marinated artichoke hearts, a strip of roasted red pepper, grilled zucchini...every vegetable gets better when it's threaded onto a stick.

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Caprese salad skewers

by Erika Kerekes May-29-2012

Use firm, ripe cherry tomatoes and good-quality fresh mozzarella for these Caprese salad skewers. Perfect for a summer cocktail party.

Ingredients

• 24 grape or cherry tomatoes
• 24 medium-sized basil leaves
• approximately 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, drained, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 24 short bamboo skewers or long toothpicks
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• sea salt (for a variation, try smoked salt)
• freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Thread 1 tomato, 1 basil leaf and 1 cube of mozzarella onto each skewer. Lay the skewers on a serving platter. Drizzle over the olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 10 mins Total time: 20 mins Yield: 24 skewers