CAPRESE PASTA SALAD

Hi!  Today I had some Caprese Pasta Salad, but I didn't know that THAT was the name of it until now!

I went looking for a mozzarella, basil, grape tomato, pasta dish recipe, and found a ton of "Caprese" recipes!

This one that I'll post here is from Pioneer Woman, where (a few years ago), I found a really good shortening/butter pie crust recipe.  I can't find it on her site anymore, but I have it written down somewhere....

Anyway -- This recipe has a "reduced" balsamic vinegar in it.  It's a "thicker" vinegar.  It sounds good.   : )  She said that the vinegar is good on steak, too.

Anyway -- it's a START!

The dish I had today was different:

It had cold pasta, put into a pan with olive oil and minced garlic, and tossed with little mozzarella balls, salt, pepper, cut basil and sliced grape tomatoes.

It was SO good!!!!

For the pasta dish, you could add either add cold chicken, and serve it like that, OR you could make it into a hot dish and melt fresh parmesan over it...

But -- for just a plain ol' mozzarella, tomato, basil dish, here's the Pioneer Woman's recipe!

Mozzarella Basil and Tomatoes