Ingredients for My Caprese Salad

Tomatoes

Fresh tomatoes! You can use Cherry, Roma, Beefsteak… Any type of tomatoes works. Cut them in medium-large bites.

Mozzarella Cheese

Fresh Mozzarella is best but if you don’t have any you can use regular it just isn’t quiet the same but is still good. You can either buy the slices or the pearls. For this salad I use a high quality regular mozzarella because its what I had on hand. I cut it into cubes the same size as my tomatoes.

Fresh Basil

I grow fresh basil in my garden and I advise everyone to grow basil. Its easy and so rewarding! If you don’t have a basil in your garden you can buy fresh leaves at your local grocery store or ask a friend who has a garden if they could spare a few basil leaves. This recipe will not work at all with dried basil.

Balsamic Vinegar

Although not a traditional ingredient I don’t ever make Caprese without a little balsamic. It adds a sweet, bold flavor that complements the other ingredients beautifully.

Olive/Avocado Oil

Traditionally you would drizzle olive oil on caprese salad but I was out so I used Avocado oil and it did not disappoint. You don’t need a lot just a little drizzle.

Garlic

Fresh garlic is another non traditional ingredients that I just can’t seem to live without! I love fresh garlic on just about everything. The garlic is bold flavor and some people don’t love it, if you are one of those people feel free to leave it out.

Salt and Pepper

Adding a little salt and pepper goes a long way.

How to Make Caprese Salad

Caprese salad is easy to assemble. Traditionally sliced tomatoes and sliced cheese with full leaves of basil, drizzle some olive oil and you are done! I personally like everything cut a little smaller so I can easily have all the ingredients in one bite.

Cut or slice your tomatoes the way you want, cut or slice the mozzarella the same way at the tomatoes. Cut or keep your leaves whole depending on your preference. Add minced garlic, salt and pepper, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Caprese Salad

Yield: 2-4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

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Ingredients

• 4 Medium to Large Tomatoes
• 5-10 Basil Leaves
• 3-5 Mozzarella Slices
• 3-4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 3-4 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 Garlic Cloves

Instructions

1. Cut or slice tomatoes, cheese and basil however you prefer.
2. Add minced garlic and salt and pepper
3. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar
4. Toss lightly and serve!

Add more….

Here I added butter lettuce and avocado to my Caprese Salad to go along with my Honey Balsamic Salmon. I may seem like you are ruining a good caprese salad by adding more ingredients but I like to think of it more as elevating my everyday salad with some caprese.

In my cooking I also encourage creativity and experimenting, its how we learn and grow to be a better cook. So add ingredients you think will make your meal complete and worry about tradition later.

The post How to Make Caprese Salad appeared first on Embracing The Home.

Ingredients for Honey Balsamic Salmon

Salmon fillets

This recipe calls for 2, 4oz fillets but the glaze could easily cover 3. If you plan to cook more than that I would double the recipe.

Honey

Honey is our sweetener but you could easily substitute honey for brown sugar. I go back and forth depending on the flavor I’m craving. There are sometimes when I really want that honey flavor and sometimes I want the caramelized brown sugar. Either one works.

Balsamic Vinegar

Balsamic Vinegar is our main ingredient and flavor for our salmon. Use Balsamic Vinegar not balsamic glaze or dressing.

Dijon Mustard

You can use Dijon or yellow or even spicy brown mustard, either one will work but my favorite is Dijon. You could also use powdered mustard. If you use powdered only use 1/4 of a teaspoon.

Rosemary

This is optional, We have a rosemary bush and put it in almost everything. It does go very well with balsamic glaze. You can use fresh if you have it. Just chop it up nice and small and add it in. Or you can use dried rosemary and that work just as well.

Garlic

One of my favorite cooking ingredients of all time. I like to use fresh garlic but sometimes I do use powdered. If using powdered measure out 1/4 teaspoon.

Salt and Pepper

I add salt and pepper to taste, It doesn’t need much you can either add it to the sauce or sprinkle a little on each fillet.

How to Cook Salmon

Mix Glaze Ingredients together

In a small bowl add honey, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper and mix till combined.

Marinade Salmon

Take your fresh or thawed salmon and put in a ziplock bag to marinade. Pour 1/2 of your balsamic mixture into the bag with the salmon. Zip the bag, letting out the air and place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Cook Salmon

Place your skillet on high to med high and get it nice and hot. Take your salmon and place it skin side down on your hot skillet. If you want the skin to be extra crispy add a little oil to the pan first. Cook for a few minutes and pour or spoon the extra sauce from the bag onto the fish. After 4-5 minutes when most of the salmon is cooked flip over and pour or spoon more sauce on the fish. after 2 minutes turn the heat off, pour the rest of the sauce in the pan and place the lid and let be for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Serve and Enjoy!

Serve the salmon over rice or with a nice Caprese Salad. When you serve the salmon drizzle the sauce that is in the pan on the salmon and enjoy!

Salmon With Honey Balsamic Glaze

Yield: 2, 4oz fillets

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

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Ingredients

• 2, 4oz Salmon Fillets

Honey Balsamic Glaze

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• 1 Tablespoon Honey
• 1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/2 Teaspoon Mustard
• 1 Teaspoon Rosemary
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 Garlic Clove (1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder)

Instructions

1. In a small bowl mix together all the honey balsamic glaze ingredients, Honey, Balsamic Vinegar, Mustard, Rosemary, Garlic and Salt and Pepper.
2. Take fresh or thawed Salmon fillets and place in a ziplock bag. Pour 1/2 of you balsamic glaze in the bag and marinade in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
3. Heat your pan on high/med high till its hot. Drizzle a little oil in the pan and place your salmon skin side down and cook for 4-5 minutes. Spoon a little of the glaze on the salmon as it cooks.
4. Flip on the the other side and cook for another 2 minutes.
5. Turn off heat and pour the rest of the glaze on the Salmon and leave in the pan with a lid for 5-10 minutes off the heat.
6. When you serve drizzle the sauce from the pan on the fish. Enjoy!

The post Salmon with a Simple Honey Balsamic Glaze appeared first on Embracing The Home.