Balsamic Caprese Mini Tarts

Ahh, guys..do you know what makes me really happy? I mean, besides the obvious things like food...and food to wash down my food.

March. Yes, the mere fact that it is March is enough to put a HUGE cheesy smile on my face for 3 simple reasons.

My car is no longer an igloo on wheels
Spring starts in just a couple more weeks
Easter (candy) is just around the corner

This time of the year is when super quick and easy appetizer recipes l-i-t-e-r-a-l-l-y come to the rescue, cape n' all . Between St. Patrick's Day, Easter, and the huge list of Bridal showers that happen around Spring time (perks of having a sister that doubles as a wedding planner), easy appetizers are a must.

Hear me when I say easy guys, I seriously mean like 5 ingredient easy.

Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry sheets
Basil
Mozzarella
Tomatoes
Fat-free Balsamic vinaigrette

Done.

Okay, okay. We also threw in a couple seasonings into the mix..but those are tooootally optional. 😉

To make these Balsamic Caprese Mini Tarts, I allowed the Puff Pastry sheets to thaw at room temp for about 30 minutes. I then unfolded them onto a floured surface and used a pizza cutter to make 9 individual squares from each sheet - 18 total.

I then topped each square with a little sliced tomato and a half slice of fresh mozzarella (fresh is the key here, it makes a HUGE difference compared to the shredded kind).

Add a little basil and into the oven they went to transform into something fab.

While they were baking, I made a super quick balsamic reduction on the stove. To do this, I just added a cup of fat-free balsamic vinaigrette to a small saucepan and boiled it on medium/high heat until a majority of the vinegar had evaporated.

What you're left with, is a thicker, sweet yet tangy, full-of flavor drizzle that is good on just about ANYTHING.