Silly Skewers: Mozzarella, Tomato, and Basil

These skewers are like having an insalata caprese on a stick. These make a great party appetizer or you can pack them and take them to the park for a picnic with the kids. The best part about skewers is that the possibilities are endless. You could do cubes of low-fat cheese like gouda with green grapes, cheddar with chunks of nectarine, or pepper jack cheese and jalapeño-stuffed olives. Anything goes!

SILLY SKEWERS

Let the kids help.  Even little ones can do this.

• 1 container mozzarella balls (ciliegine) or equivalent cheese cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 pint container of small tomatoes
• fresh basil, larger leaves only
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• toothpicks

Drain mozzarella if using. Place cheese in a medium-sized bowl and toss with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Wrap each cheese ball or chunk with a basil leaf and skewer with a toothpick, then skewer a tomato. Arrange on a platter and serve.

Comments

[crazedparent]

Yum. Great idea. I just made this as a salad a few weekends ago, but would have never thought to make them skewers. gracias!

[Robyn]

I am making these for our 4th of July picnic. Something different for a change!

[kyfan]

I make these with balsamic vinaigrette dressing instead of olive oil, salt and pepper. My family and friends love them. It is hard to find fresh basil where I live and my family has come to expect these for our Christmas Eve get-together. The first year I made them I just used the cheese, tomato, and balsamic vinaigrette dressing and they loved them. I made them with fresh basil and the olive oil mixture listed above in the summer and they wanted the Christmas Eve ones back. That is how I make them year-round now!