Cheese makes everything better

Seriously – everything. Ask my husband. He doesn’t eat tomatoes in any form except salsa and pasta sauce. Transform the tomato slice by adding a slab of smoked mozzarella, fresh chopped basil, some olive oil, and minced garlic and stick it under the broiler – consider that tomato consumed.

I’ve always eaten Caprese Salad cold but a small block of leftover smoked mozzarella cheese begged for a more fitting end.

Hot Caprese Salad
1 medium tomato, sliced into 1/4-1/2 in slices
4 oz smoked mozzarella, sliced 1/4 in chunks
olive oil, for drizzling
small handful fresh basil, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

Mix the garlic, basil, and some oil together. Build the caprese salad from the bottom up: 1 tomato slice, 1-2 chunks of smoked mozzarella, pinch of the chopped basil/garlic mixture. Place tomatoes onto a baking sheet and place under the broiler for about 3 minutes, or until cheese begins to bubble and ooze. Remove from oven, drizzle with olive oil, and enjoy!