Seriously, who doesn’t need an Eyeball Caprese Salad for Halloween? Who? Just imagine a whole platter of caprese eyes staring back at you. Creepy, but cute.
Melissa over at Alosha’s Kitchen sent me this recipe to fuel my Halloween madness. Thanks for thinking of me Melissa!
The original recipe Melissa sent used these fabulous Italian, Castelvetrano olives. They have an incredibly bright green skin, making the eyes look really alive. However, I live in a town that doesn’t even carry decent women’s underwear, so finding Castelvetrano olives was pretty much NOT going to happen. But I did happen to have some Spanish Queen olives stuffed with pimentos in the cupboard, so they would have to do.
This salad is great because you just pick up the basil leave and wrap it around the other ingredients and take a bite. It’s like salad finger-food. Kids will love them but so will adults. And it just doesn’t get any simpler to make something like this.
All you need are basil leaves, Roma tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and a drizzle of olive oil. Maybe a sprinkle of salt and freshly ground pepper.
I’d show you how to make this but I think it’s pretty self-explanatory!
Halloween-A-Day-Photo
My awesome friends Lisa, Lori, Wendy and Becky gave this to me as one of my many, many Birthday gifts this year. It’s nice to have friends who don’t try to control your obsessions but just roll with them. Thanks guys. I love these little sinister-skull-headed-cocktail-forks. They are perfect for Halloween appetizers. If you must have them, head on over to Pottery Barn, they’ve got you covered.
Jin Hooi says
I love the salad, it looks so cute !!! creepy but cute
KathyB. says
The eyeball Cypress Salad made me smile ! I can picture this little appetizer at a fun party, and kids would LOVE it !
Your skull headed cocktail forks make me think you would really appreciate my ram, Goth ! Or even the skulls of my deceased Jacob rams….they have horns a-plenty !
Philly says
Caprese salad is one of my favorites!!
HoneyB says
That is the kind of friend to have – one who knows what you like and what will make you happy!
Love the salad, so cute (but yeah, creepy!)
ntsc says
Going to suggest that one to my wife for Thanksgiving. We will have 6 grand nieces and nephews under 12, plus their uncle who is even younger in spirt.
Day two of the waterless kitchen has dawned.
Leah Q says
As I rush out to get my arse off to school, I love starting my day with reading your blog. And when class gets boring at one point today, I will be sure to be reminded of your friendly smiling foods today…to help me stay awake…and although I am not an friend of olives per say, I can see me making this at my next party – good show, I say! – and your skull fondue forks are a riot! Fantastically scarish!
Becky says
The salad is a great idea. Now if I could get Boo to eat salad…
Love the skull! Never seen one of those before. Neat idea, they came up with.
Kathy says
Hi, I was over at Twisted Fencepost and saw you won, so I thought I’d pop over and say congratulations. So… Congratulations.
Love the basil leaf salad!
And the post below about asking a friend to make the tarts – NO WAY! Not even if it was an A plus friend. And then to say she would just pay for the ingredients and to have them to her house by 7:30 am – Wow – she has some nerve.
Jennifer says
Love love love that salad! My daughter just started eating tomatoes so this would be fun to do some time!
Pottery Barn has some very cool Halloween stuff this year. I was at one recently drooling all over it.
Jennifer says
That salad is right up my alley!
And I MUST have those skull forks–thanks for the tip!
Barbie with a T says
Eyeballs. What a cute idea. I also do decorating with stuffed olives on my potato salad, depending on the occasion. Sometimes spelling out my name on top with olives is simple enough and gets a few comments. Or XMAS for a holiday potato salad. Also I decorate crackers similar to your eyeballs, but I never thought of them as eyeballs until now!!
Leslie says
I love you spooky salad, too cute!
Thanks for wishing me well on my nerve racking TV spots!
Dee says
Is your tomato grinning at me? Too cute! My husband would love your cocktail forks. When I met him he was a long-haired, leather-jacketed rocker with a dangling skull ear ring. He’s cut his hair since.
Asthmagirl says
So glad your six year old likes superdog!
As usual, the sight of tomatoes makes me scroll down quickly… only to see the skull cocktail forks which. I. love! Those rock!
Thanks for sharing your obscession!
Daziano says
LoL… it even has a mouth!
krysta says
how fun and kinda creepy! but i would eat it.
Trisha says
Okay – if I liked olives, I would try out your recipe. It looks so neat looking back at you!
Oh – sorry about sending you the Texas heat but we really, really needed a break!
Marlene says
That is so cute…I am going to have to do that for dinner on Halloween. Too cute. I love visiting with you!!!!
Have a great weekend.
Marlene
Bellini Valli says
This Caprese would be a hit on Hallowe’en night…what a cute idea and not terribly goulish!!
RobinSue says
Very cute salad, but can I have mine with 3 eyes? Love fresh mozzarella cheese!
Harmony says
I am totally loving your Halloween madness…
Tammy says
Adorable….love a salad that looks back at you!!
Cheryl says
Oh Cathy! We LOVE food that stares back at you! (Although here, the facial construction tends to involve less-healthy options…think eyes of marshmallows and chocolate chips)…you’ve provided some great non-cavity inducing ideas! 😉
(The skulls are fabulous…)
Happy almost weekend!
Alisa says
I am loving how much you love Halloween. Way back when the kids were younger, I used to do all sorts of cool things. Now, it’s all just flying by in a blur.
Keep up all the fun stuff! And thanks for sharing it with us.
Teri says
No, I am holding myself back. I have not walked into Pottery Barn and buying that adorable steely skull! Really, I’m just going to adore it on your photos!
I take it these were A+++ Friends for sure! They definitely know you well!
Cute food photo!
Choosy Beggar Tina says
Eyeball caprese…brilliant!
Also, those skull-picks? Oooh…I’m so in love. Like, SO IN LOVE. The problem is that I buy all this stuff, but I don’t limit the usage to Hallowe’en…so when somebody comes over in July and I serve them canapes off of a platter with a severed hand in the middle, they kinda get creeped….or so I hear….
Lo! says
I really do approve of the finger-foodishness of this dish. And it’s cute to boot. 🙂
I still can’t believe how much Halloween stuff you have!
grace says
i do love to play with my food. 🙂
alexandra's kitchen says
these are ridiculous. the possibilities are endless!
Biz says
Ohh, creepy, but I love it!
Blond Duck says
I love that salad! I embarrass my family by turning my leftover food on my plate into faces at restaurants. So that’s right up my ally!
Andi Sexton (rrlscrapgal) says
OH gosh! I just about spewed my coffee all over the keyboard!!! Those are so dang awesome!!!
Finding Olives in small towns: Same problem here.. and don’t even ASK about finding underwear! If we can’t get it at the grocery store it ain’t happenin’…
kellypea says
Very cute! I just may have to get my act together with Halloween if you keep this up. Does it count that I have an uncut baby pumpkin on my doorstep? Pathetic, huh? But I’m loving the “eye”dea of those olives w/ the tomato & basil…and some minced proscuitto. YUM.
Deborah says
I love it!
Egghead says
Too fun!
pam says
Ahhh..food to make you smile!
annbb says
Very cute idea.
You must need a storage unit for all your halloween things. Been enjoying them.
Misty says
Awwwww, that is such a cute idea
Loving Annie says
Melissa is a doll – we ought to all get together for a meal one day ! Is there a halfway meeting spot ? She and I are about 20 minutes apart.
The cocktail forks are a crack-up. Enjoy !
clumbsycookie says
I don’t even like fresh tomato and I think that’s sooooooo cute that maybe I would be tempeted to eat it!
Mrs. L says
That cocktail fork and skull set has been on my “I want I need” list. And love the salad!
Laura says
That salad up there?
Indeed, inspires bad haiku..
From olive eyeballs….
dawn says
Cute! Very cute.
You really do have a ton of Halloween stuff…yes, I’m just catching on now.
Melissa says
Annie – If I were to meet Cathy, I’d travel all the way up there so I could go to Stockton and meet my favorite food blogger. One of these days…
And Cathy, I had no idea you would actually post these hehehe. Too cute. I know they other olives do look a bit more “alive” but your red “pupils” are freakier. A better bet for Halloween. 😉
heather says
mmmmm, that looks yummy! i’ve been enjoying all your holiday decorations btw 🙂
Flea says
Way cool cocktail forks!
Dr. John says
It looks creepy. It would make me sick since I’m allergic to the tomato. I think the skull and little skull forks are great.
chanelireli says
Those are really cool skull forks! Are you in Stockton? I’m really close to Stockton?
Kim says
Cathy, you are too much. I don’t know how you come up with half the things you do, but it is never a dull moment when I visit you.
Bunny says
That’s cute, a salad with eyes. A great salad for a Halloween Party!
Kevin says
Nice looking caprese face salad!
Liz C. says
This is a common appetizer at our house… along with extra virgin olive oil. However, I’m completely taken with the addition of olives for eyes. What a hoot! I can hardly wait to try this on guests, to see if they even notice, lol. They better…
Liz C. says
Sorry… I meant to say Balsamic vinegar, not olive oil, lol.
Amber says
That is one of the funniest things I have seen. He is too cute and yes I think he looks like a he. I busted up when you wrote that your town doesn’t even have decent womens underwear. I remember when I was in Kansas visiting family and I was going to make spaghetti, the only french bread they had was by Wonder or Rainbo, what, no Acme baking company bread? I am sure it was the same with womens underwear.
Satchell says
Every recipe of yours looks DIVINE! I have tried several and always get rave reviews! Thanks for sharing.
PaniniKathy says
Now that’s just too cute!
Jude says
Looks like this guys had a rough night.
noobcook says
hehehe this looks absolutely adorable … your creativity is endless!
Private Number Plate says
Gorgeous!
Kitcat says
Kinda looks like Pepe the King Prawn.:0)
Katie says
Hilarious! My sister loves caprese salad…I think I’ll surprise her with this on Halloween. 🙂