The Perfect for Summer, Caprese Skewers

Photo from Yum Sugar

I love a Caprese Salad, especially on a hot summer day. With my abundance of fresh basil in my backyard I thought this would be a great appetizer or small meal idea. The results are what I call heaven.

Caprese Skewers: Origonal recipe from Party Sugar

Ingredients
For pesto:1 bunch fresh basil, leaves removed from stems
2 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
3/4-1 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

For skewers:
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 pint fresh mozzarella, chopped into small 1-inch cubes
Toothpicks, for serving
Directions
Make the pesto: Combine the first four ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Process to combine. With the machine running, slowly add the oil in a steady stream.
Season with salt and pepper. Taste, adjust the pesto to your liking.
In a large bowl toss 1/2 cup of the pesto with the cheese.
Depending on the size of your toothpicks, skewer one cherry tomato and one piece of pesto-coated cheese. Repeat until all of the tomatoes and cheese is used. Chill or serve immediately.

Pesto-Sundried Tomato Appetizer Ball

Honestly, my new favorite appetizer. It's actually an old recipe, but has come back into the mix again. This is a huge hit at parties. Everyone always for the recipe. I can not remember where I got this from, but you won't be disappointed.

Pesto-Sundried Tomato Appetizer Ball

8 oz. cream cheese (softened/room temperature)
¼ c. margarine or butter (softened/room temperature)
½ c. finely chopped onion
¼ c. pesto sauce (drained from oil)
¼ c. sundried tomatoes (drained and chopped)
½ c. pine nuts (toasted)
Parsley and Basil for garnish
Crackers

**You may want to use a bit more of the called for pesto and tomatoes…so consider those measurements approximate

Combine the cream cheese, butter and onion
Take a 2 c. bowl and line with plastic wrap.
In the bowl, layer:
1. 1/3 of the cream cheese mix on the bottom
2. Put ½ of the pesto and spread it over the cream cheese mix (go all the way to the edge).
3. Put ½ of the sundried tomatoes over the pesto
4. REPEAT steps 1 and 3
5. Finish with a layer of cream cheese

Cover and refrigerate overnight. Before serving, garnish plate with parsley. Flip bowl over onto plate to remove the ball. Top with toasted pine nuts and a sprig of basil. Serve at room temperature with crackers.