Caprese Salad

4 vine-ripened tomatoes

8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese (preferably the kind packagedin water)

basil leaves (definitely fresh!)

fresh cracked pepper

salt

olive oil

balsamic vinegar

Slice tomatoes, you should get about 4 slices per tomato. I chose to slice mine in half again, but be creative in how you want to arrange them.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Then add your mozzarella cheese and basil leaves. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the top.  Great summer salad!

If you want to, you can mix your olive oil and vinegar prior to drizzling.  You want about 3-4 parts oil to 1 part vinegar

Another tip if you like your basil leaves chopped smaller:  Stack the basil leaves all going in the same direction, gently roll them, then gently slice them crosswise.  You'll end up with little shreds of basil.  Just be careful because it bruises really easily, then it turns black and doesn't look quite as appetizing.