Easy Caprese Salad Bites Appetizer Recipe

This post is a sponsored conversation brought to you by Flavor Your Life campaign and Moms Meet. All opinions are my own.

It's the most wonderful time of the year.... when you have to bring an appetizer or side dish to an umpteenth event. I have a super easy one for you that will really up the wow factor. You can organize it into a wreath if you have the right dish wear and then you'll be extra fancy.

If you are like me and looking for a super easy yet fancy looking recipe, here is how you make these yummy Easy Caprese Salad Bites Appetizer.

Balsamic Glaze:
1 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar

Salad Skewers:
12 ounces cherry tomatoes
10 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3-4 teaspoons dried Italian herbs
handful fresh basil leaves

If you don't buy your own balsamic glaze, then you can combine the vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook while stirring over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 8-10 minutes or until thickened to syrup.

Toss the tomatoes in olive oil and Italian herbs. Place mozzarella ball on toothpick, then basil, then tomato. Drizzle with balsamic glaze. And you're done! Told you it was super easy!

Picking the perfect olive oil is helpful because there are reasons for different tastes and varieties. Olives harvested early in the season, late August (varies by region), are under-ripe and produce oils that are greener, more bitter and pungent. Olives harvested at the end of the season, late November into December, are over-ripe and tend to taste mild and buttery. Spanish oil is typically golden yellow with a fruity, nutty flavor. Italian olive oil is often dark green and has an herbal aroma and a grassy flavor. Greek olive oil packs a strong flavor and aroma and tends to be green. French oil is typically pale in color and has a mild flavor.

Olive oil comes from the fruit (known as a drupe) of the plant Olea europaea, or European olive. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is made by pressing without heat or chemicals. It represents the freshest and purest olive oil available. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is virtually free of acidity—below 0.8%. This is to assure its quality rather than its taste, because overly processed and rancid oils contain higher levels of oleic acid. Olive oils are also tested for peroxide values. Lower values indicate fresher oil and more rapid processing and are required for Extra Virgin designation. Olitalia believes all great cooking revolves around great oil. Olitalia is the #1 brand most used by chefs in Italy and is now available for home cooking in the US. Look for Olitalia at Eataly locations. Available at Eataly locations. Go to https://www.olitalia.com/ww-en/ and follow us at https://www.instagram.com/olitalia.it/

Each oil is judged by expert tasters, who must agree that it meets the high flavor standards of an Extra Virgin rating. These experts also test for taste defects and the presence of positive attributes of fruitiness, bitterness and spiciness. If the oil doesn’t have the signature fruity taste and harmonious balance it won’t receive an Extra Virgin rating.

The Flavor Your Life campaign, supported by the European Union, Unaprol, and the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, is dedicated to providing the latest in industry news on European Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The program aims to educate US consumers so they can make informed decisions when purchasing Extra Virgin Olive Oil. To learn more visit flavor-your-life.com.

What is your go to appetizer or side dish recipe to bring during the holidays?

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