I absolutely love the combination of mozzarella cheese and tomatoes. In fact, one of my fast food go-to dishes is the Caprese Salad at Donatos. Yeah, they have really good pizza, but those salads are everything! And they're affordably priced too. If you haven't had one, I highly recommend it.

Now, in case you need a primer on Caprese, this will help!

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Owensboro, KY food expert Merritt Bates-Thomas is sharing her love of caprese too. And, in the What's Cookin'? segment on our radio show, she brought in her recipe for Caprese Skewers, which features a fun suggestion. Merritt actually soaks her mozzarella pearls in olive oil and spices before she assembles the skewers.  Here's how and what you need to make them!

CAPRESE SKEWERS

1 8 oz. package mozzarella pearls
6 ounces extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
dash of salt and pepper
1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, finely ground
2 containers of cherry or grape tomatoes of choice
Pesto for garnish
Balsamic vinegar or reduction for garnish
Miniature wood or bamboo skewers
DIRECTIONS:
Mix your olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning together.  Break apart mozzarella pearls and, in a mixing bowl, coat pearls with olive oil mixture.  Refrigerate and marinate for at least a couple of hours or overnight. Merritt marinated hers overnight and they were absolutely coated in deliciousness.
Assemble skewers alternating mozzarella pearls and tomatoes or as desired.  I use 2 pearls on either end and place the tomato in the middle.
Garnish with pesto and balsamic vinegar or reduction.
Here's what the finished product looks like!
Merritt Bates-Thomas
Merritt Bates-Thomas
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Gallery Credit: Charlotte Barnett