Category: News

Fall has officially begun! We can expect brisker days, Sundays spent watching football, fun activities, and some great produce!

Fall brings about some of the freshest seasonal produce! 

Here are 4 of the best fall fruits and veggies, and some ideas of what to do with them! 

1. Brussel Sprouts

From the cabbage family, brussel sprouts are a great fall veggie packed with health benefits! 

It is a great source of vitamin k which is essential for blood clotting and bone health. They are high in fiber which is great for your digestive and gut health.v They are a good source of omega 3’s (thanks to the alpha-linoleic acids which convert to omega 3’s) which can help with cholesterol and blood pressure.

Brussel Sprouts have a mild flavor that really adapts to what you cook it with! You can roast, steam, sautee… uit’s up to you! 

A  great way to cook them that really enhances the flavor and makes for a great side dish? Bacon Braised Brussel Sprouts

2. Apples

Apple picking is a classic fall activity. Fall is great for a juicy, crisp apple and we bring in a variety of locally grown apples throughout the fall season! These are great for cooking, baking, or even eating by themselves for a snack!

There’s so much you can do with them, but using apples for making a sweet dessert is one of our favorites! Get the very best of fall with this Cider Glazed Apple Bundt Cake

3. Pears

Fall is a great time to enjoy pears. Bartlett, anjou, bosc, comice… so many to choose from! They are all uniquely delicious and have great benefits like they are high in fiber, can boost your immune system, lower cholesterol and more! 

You can incorporate pears in so many dishes. They are great to throw in a salad,  add to a side dish, or even use on your pizza! Try this Pear, Goat Cheese, and Pistachio Pizza for your next pizza night! 

4. Pumpkins

The iconic fall vegetable… pumpkins! Not only are pumpkins fun to take pictures with or spend the night carving, they are also delicious to eat! That beautiful orange color of pumpkins isn’t just to make them pretty, the orange color comes from the high amount of beta-carotene. This then converts to vitamin A which makes it great for your eye health! Beta-carotene is also great for your immune system, and can help with skin protecting. These are just a few perks of incorporating pumpkins in your fall diet. 

When you think of pumpkin, you can’t help but think of pumpkin desserts! The natural sweetness makes pumpkin puree a main ingredient in many fall sweets. Why not try to use it as a side though? Try these Pumpkin dinner rolls! These pair perfectly with butter and a little cranberry sauce or enjoy it on the sweeter side with butter and a little cinnamon sugar.

From Our Family To Yours

We are very excited to officially be opened for business in Orland Park! On September 8th, we will open our doors and start serving Orland Park and surrounding communities. 

We will bring the best of what we’re known for. Here are some of the things you can look forward to in our brand new store! 

We have fresh, top quality meats and seafood. Fresh produce which we still buy daily, just like Angelo would do when he started over 60 years ago. Cut fruit and salsas made fresh in house. An international deli which features imported and domestic meats, cheeses, and olives of the highest quality, Our La Bella Romana Bakery which features items made from scratch daily, many of which are Romana’s very own recipes– amaretti cookies, cannoli, eclairs, butter cookies, and more! 

We have a large variety of items imported from all over the world! Olive oil, pasta, pasta sauce, canned tomatoes, taralli, olives, and more! 

We have an extensive line of prepared foods! You’ll find a large line of homemade meals, sides, entrees, soups, pasta sauces, and more. All of these items are made from scratch daily. All natural and no preservatives. It’s just like you would cook at home, but without all the mess. 

Our hot foods department has a hot bar, a pizza station, a fresh made sushi station, and more so you can have a good, homemade meal right in the store.

 Bar Angelo where you can get a coffee, espresso, beer, wine, or mixed drink! Enjoy a beverage or a coffee at one of our tables or even bring it with you while you shop. Then stop by the gelato case and pick from our variety of authentic gelato flavors for a delicious treat. 

This opening is bittersweet for us as it marks our first new store since we lost our heart, soul, and founder. We know Angelo and Romana are looking down on us as we expand. We will continue to honor and respect their names.

We hope to see you at our new store and we look forward to serving you!

Where: 11333 W 159th St, Orland Park, IL

Store Hours: 6am-9:30pm

From Our Family To Yours

Back to school means back to packing lunches. You can have your classic peanut butter and jelly, turkey and american cheese, or mortadella and provolone, but sometimes you might want to mix it up! Pack your kids something new and exciting, but still easy and quick! 

Here are some ideas for an easy and different lunch time (and they’re not just for kids)

La Bella Romana Salad

Already prepared, any of our salads are easy to bring for lunch, filling, and delicious! We have a variety of different kinds for you to choose from– Greek, house, Caesar, chopped… Lots of options that require little to no work!

Chicken Noodle Soup

Easy to store in a thermos and enjoy for lunch! No time to make the soup? Our prepared foods section has a variety of pre-made soups that all you have to do is heat!

Recipe: https://shopcaputos.com/recipe-rack?dishId=2779d0ff-81fa-4827-81bb-309db6f42f52

Avocado Grilled Cheese

Make this sandwich in your cast iron skillet, which is one of our absolute favorite pans to cook with. They’re very inexpensive and cook your food to perfection. From the crispy bread and gooey cheese, to the fresh avocado, you’re sure to make this sandwich on repeat!

Recipe: https://shopcaputos.com/recipe-rack?dishId=a43846e7-0829-4595-a481-decc7c500155

Stromboli

there are endless possibilities for filling variations when it comes to a stromboli. This stromboli is stuffed with melted mozzarella cheese, Italian spices, roasted red peppers, and garlic infused kale. Bake to golden brown perfection in 30 minutes and enjoy.

Recipe: https://shopcaputos.com/recipe-rack?dishId=182f98f0-aa83-4e6f-bbfa-faf02686b78d

Chicken Pot Pie

Already prepared and full of fresh ingredients for a delicious and easy meal!

Shop: https://shopcaputos.com/shop/prepared-foods?productId=50e41805-715d-493b-ab8b-b5384fcdf41d#rank=3&shelfRank=3&searchandizing=8d9e508e-a70e-4e40-aef8-0e32260f4c71

From Our Family To Yours

At Caputo’s, we love tradition and we are incredibly proud of our Italian heritage. A great way to combine both is with a game of Bocce!

We are partnering with Hardcore Italians for our 2nd Annual ACHI Bocce Tournament!

Come by our Carol Stream Store on August 21st, 2021. Our teams are all filled up, but there will still be plenty to do!

The main event– a 48 team bocce tournament! We will have teams playing from early morning to late afternoon. Even if you don’t have a team, come out to watch a few games. We will have more to occupy your time!

You can enter our Meatball Eating contest or Morra Competition. 

For the meatball eating contest, every contestant will have a plate for 10 homemade La Bella Romana meatballs from the Caputo’s kitchen. The first person to finish the 10 or whoever eats the most in 3 minutes will win a $10 Caputo’s Gift Card and Caputo’s Apron! You can also enter the Morra competition! Play the famous hand game that dates back centuries! Enter the competition for your chance to win a trophy or a medal! These events are open for anyone to sign up and you can sign up here

Our food truck will be there with a full menu of homemade sandwiches and Italian classics. 

Italian Cards so you can have a fun game of scopa or briscola, bags, and more! We hope to see you there on Saturday!

From Our family To Yours

August 11th is National Panini Day! Growing up in an Italian household, a panini for lunch is a must. Some quality meat and cheese on authentic toasted bread drizzled with olive oil brings back so many memories that you can almost taste! 

With a deli full of authentic, imported meat and cheese and a made from scratch bakery, a panini was always something to look forward to. There are so many options to choose from and so many items to pair together, each combination gives a unique and scrumptious taste. 

It’s hard to pick what to put in a panini, so here are our top 3 items in each 

Here is what I put in my favorite panini:

• Ciabatta Bread
• Prosciutto Cotto 
• Salami
• Arugula tossed in olive oil
• Homemade Ricotta seasoned with olive oil, salt, pepper, and oregano
• La Bella Romana Giardiniera 

Put some olive oil on the bread, put the ingredients inside, press it on the panini machine and enjoy! 

What’s your go-to panini? Enter our Panini/Sandwich Recipe Contest for your chance to win a $100 Caputo’s Gift Card!

All the info on the contest here

From Our Family To Yours

Summertime means a lot of outdoor activities! One of the best things to do on a summer night  is a bonfire. There is nothing like sitting around a fire with your friends or family– listening to music, sharing stories, and creating memories. Don’t forget the s’mores!

S’mores are a classic summer treat that we look forward to. The combo of toasted marshmallow, chocolate, and graham crackers is a fantastic trio. Late nights around the bonfire during summer has us thinking about the delicious dessert. While a classic s’more is great, there are some things you can do to make your next s’more indescribable! 

Here are 5 ideas to take your s’mores to the next level.

1. A peanut butter cup or peanut butter

Is peanut butter a guilty pleasure of yours? Chocolate and peanut butter are a fantastic duo, so why not bring it into a s’more?! Substitute your chocolate bar with a peanut butter cup for a new, savory flavor! This delicious pairing gives you sweet and salty in every bite!

Already have your ingredients, but want this peanut butter duo? Shmear your graham cracker with peanut butter and then add the rest of the s’more ingredients! You get to control how much peanut butter goes on it and you get the great flavor!

2. Cookies

Who doesn’t love a fresh cookie? It makes a great ice cream sandwich and it makes a great base for smores! Try to swap out your graham crackers for a cookie. Whether homemade or store bought, small or big, sugar or chocolate chip… the options are endless! It’s a fun way to change up the taste of a classic s’more!

Some cookie flavors to try– chocolate chip, sugar, peanut butter, snickerdoodle, double chocolate… have fun with it!

3. Fruit

Want to add a little freshness to your s’more? How about some fruit. Chocolate and fruit go well together… think chocolate covered strawberries or bananas. Being that S’mores are a pretty rich treat, adding some fresh fruit  like strawberries or bananas gives it a brand new flavor! Plus how good are juicy berries in the summer!

4. Pretzels 

In a very sweet dessert, sometimes you want a little salt. Adding a pretzel is a great way to add a little salt and more of a crunch. You can even swap out the graham crackers for pretzels. 

5. Nutella

Nutella is delicious on so many things and s’mores are no exception! Swap out the chocolate bar for some creamy Nutella and you will not be disappointed! A softer bite, a subtle hazelnut flavor, and pure deliciousness!

Using different candies, chocolate graham crackers, and so many other ways… enjoy the best days of summer with some of these innovative ideas!

From Our Family To Yours

On the go, packed for lunch, a quick bite to eat… sandwiches are a versatile meal option! August is National Sandwich Month and National Panini Month. Our deli is the perfect place to celebrate this.

Our international deli has a large variety of imported and domestic, premium meats, cheeses, and olives. There are a plethora of options for you to make your perfect sandwich. Prosciutto or Turkey, Swiss or Provolone, a mix of deli meats and cheeses– we want to know what your go-to is!  

Think you’re the best sandwich maker? Put it to the test for your chance to win a Caputo’s gift card! 

We want to know the ingredients you use to make your sandwiches. Submit your sandwich recipes. The brands, the slicing preference, the type of bread, hot or cold– we want to know it all.

Here’s how to enter:  

Step by Step Directions

1. Shop at Caputo’s for all your sandwich making necessities
2. Make your sandwich and document it as detailed as you can
   1. Write down all the ingredients you use. We want to know what you put in your sandwich that makes it better than everyone else’s.
3. Take a picture of it… lots of pictures! 
4. Fill out this form with all the above info and submit any extras we should know. We will take your submission, review it, and test out the recipe! Our team will judge based on overall flavor and decide who has the best sandwich!

What you can win

1. A Caputo’s Gift Card
   1. 1st Place- $100
   2. 2nd Place- $50
   3. 3rd Place- $25
2. Your recipe is featured on our social media, websites, and is available for purchase as a special in our hot foods department on September 10, 17th, and 24th! The special and recipe will feature your name so everyone knows where it came from!
   1. Your recipe will be featured on our website so other shoppers can test it out for themselves! It will also be featured in a banner on our homepage 
   2. We will then offer your sandwich as a special in our hot foods departments in our Addison, Carol Stream, and Naperville stores every Friday throughout the month
3. Bragging Rights

The Rules

You have the whole month of August to submit. We will go over the recipes and make the sandwiches, then pick a winner from there. The winners will be contacted and then announced on September 6.

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Be sure to follow us on social media to stay up to date and see our family share our go-to sandwiches!

Submit your recipe here

From Our Family To Yours

The weather is beautiful, the nights are long, and there is a lot to celebrate. If you’re looking for something beautiful and delicious to bring to a get together or to put out for guests, we have just the thing! 

This board features new cheeses, fresh summer produce, unique crackers, and more! This board has what every good charcuterie board needs– a mix of flavors, shapes, textures, and colors! It looks beautiful and tastes delicious.There is something for everyone.

Before we get started, here are a few key things to remember when making a charcuterie board

• Placement– When placing your items on the board, do not have anything that rolls in the corners or on the edges. This prevents items from falling off your board
• Balance- You want to balance the items on your board. Have a mix sweet and savory, different textures, and different shapes
• Color- having little pops of color goes a long way! Choosing a few bright items like green olives or colorful fruits and veggies is an easyway to accomplish this!
• Nothing will be perfect, just have fun with it! 

Now it’s time, here are the items on our summer, farmer’s market charcuterie board! 

Cheese 

Even if you aren’t looking to make a board, we have some fantastic and different new cheeses that you must try!

Windsor Red 

This is a creamy and mild English cheddar. During the making process, port wine and brandy is infused into this cheddar which is where the unique red marbling color comes from. The result is a beautiful looking cheese that is sweet and savory at the same time. You get the sweetness of the wine and the sharpness of the cheddar in every bite. For our board, we cut this cheese into wedges. 

3 year Gouda 

This Vintage Lot Gouda is aged 36 months and from the Netherlands. It has a nutty, caramel, butterscotch taste and a firm bite. The aging allows salt crystals to form which give it a crunchy, yet creamy bite! For the board, we cut the cheese into matchsticks. 

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Mustard Seed Gouda 

This cheese is a sweet, but savory gouda with mustard seeds in it from Holland. It is a lighter, mild cheese that is extra creamy. 

 For the board, we cubed this cheese. 

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Wooly Woolly

Wooly Woolly is a fresh sheep’s milk cheese that is spreadable and extremely versatile. This is great on crackers, in pasta sauce, with jelly, or even straight up with a spoon! It is fluffy and tastes rich, sweet, and mild. It is very different from any other sheep’s milk cheese because of how mild it tastes. 

For the board, we cut it in half and added a spoon to the cheese. 

Blueberry Lemon Goat Cheese

Even if you don’t like goat cheese, this is a must try! Incredibly creamy with a sweet tang, this goat cheese log is delicious! With a taste almost like a blueberry lemonade, this adds a sweet flavor to the board. This cheese would be good in salads or even as a dessert!

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Homemade Bocconcini 

A fan favorite, we also included our homemade bocconcini! Soft and fresh, our homemade bocconcini is unlike any other. This hand stretched and tied mozzarella is a must on any board!

Supreme Brie Bites

Bite size, individual pieces of brie. Each piece is incredibly rich, creamy, and buttery! This cheese comes pre packed, so we took it out of the packaging and added it into spots on our board to add some dimension.

Crackers 

We used some new, delicious crackers on this board! 

Effies Homemade Oat Biscuits

 New to Caputo’s is the Effie’s biscuits, In a few different varieties, they are versatile and full of flavor. We used the oat biscuits on our board. They are buttery, great with every cheese. These are truly addicting!

Isola Cranberry and Poppy Seed Flatbread

This cracker has a great texture and flavor. It’s not super sweet and a great addition to any board!

Rosemary Sea Salt Mediterranean Baked Crackers

We chose these as a new texture, flavor, and because they are great on a cheese board 

Meats 

Peppered Salami

This peppered salami is a great contrast to a board that has a lot of fruit and no spicy cheese. This adds a new flavor and a good look as you can fold it into fun shapes 

Mortadella

A great and simple meat, we suggest folding it softly into fluffy shapes

Parma Prosciutto

Another classic! We suggest rolling it lightly and on a bias for a full flavor profile

Savory

For a change in flavors, textures, and fun colors, we chose a few savory items to put on the board. 

Castelvetrano Olives

These olives imported from Italy are sweet and buttery. They’re great for snacking and good with lots of cheese!

Roasted Red Bell Peppers

Available pre-marinated in our deli, these are a new, oily, savory flavor profile! They add color and good to stop items from rolling 

Condiments

Little items to pick on that provide different textures and flavors, they are great for snacking between bites!  

• La Bella Romana unsalted pistachios
• Valencia almonds with fine herbs 
• Mitica caramelized walnuts

Produce

Summer is a great time for fresh produce. There are so many items currently in season that go great on a board. This board has an emphasis on fresh produce to give it a farmer’s market feel! 

Fruit

It’s stone fruit season, so those are a must!

• peaches 
• white nectarine 
• sapphire grapes (not super sweet, but natural sweetness and adds a fun shape) 
• Cherries

Veggies

• Persian cucumbers  (Rich and buttery)
• Orange bell pepper
• Carrots (good for color and munching. We cleaned the carrot, cut tip, and halved i, but left some of the stem on it) 

Now all you have to do is enjoy!

From Our Family To Yours

Italy has advanced to the finals and we could not be more excited! It has been an exciting run and we cannot wait to see Sunday’s game! Maybe you’re getting ready to watch with family or planning to come to Caputo’s and watch in the bar. No matter how you’re watching, we are sure food will be involved.

What better way to cheer on Team Italy than with some Italian classics. At Caputo’s, we are very proud of our Italian heritage. We have a variety of items imported straight from Italy and some classic Italian items. 

Here are some staples that are great to cheer on Team Italy this Sunday! 

Panzerotti

Panzerotti is dough stuffed with sauce, cheese, and other pizza ingredients! A classic in Angelo’s hometown of Mola di Bari, you can often see people in the piazza late at night enjoying panzerotti!

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Taralli

Have you tried taralli? They are an Italian snack item that taste almost like a cracker and we have them available in a variety of flavors. They are great on their own or paired with cheese or salami!

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Lupini

 Lupini are a common Mediterranean snack related to chickpeas and lentils. In addition to their delicious taste, they are full of nutrients too. Lupini are a great source of fiber, protein, vitamins, and more! 

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Focaccia

Focaccia is a bread baked in an oven and topped with oil, tomatoes, salt, and more! We make ours in-house daily and in multiple sizes and shapes. It is known for its light and airy texture. It is great to make sandwiches with or eat on its own!

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Sausage

Tradition is important to us and our sausage is a testament to that. Our homemade sausage is full of flavors and aromas that will make your home taste like Italy!

Our sausage is made in-house daily. The process starts with our old-world tradition of using hand-trimmed lean pork. We mix the pork with our private blend of spices and seasonings, developed specifically for our sausage. 

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Let us know what other Italian staples are your favorites!

From Our Family To Yours

The Fourth of July is the summer holiday known for fireworks, fun, and (most importantly) food! If you’re going to an American themed get-together, you might be tasked with hosting or preparing a dish. In a holiday known for grilling, sides and desserts are incredibly important! Let’s be honest, choosing what to make that will please a crowd is usually tough.

It’ll be hot enough outside, so don’t sweat over what to make. We have some ideas for you! 

Here are 4 All American appetizer, side, and dessert recipes perfect for your Fourth of July festivities! 

Appetizer Ideas

Bacon Wrapped Dates 

Anything wrapped in bacon is good! Bacon wrapped dates are easy to make and a great balance of naturally sweet, salty, and savory. 

We have two different options for you to try– one stuffed with goat cheese and the other stuffed with almonds. Both are delicious and completely a preference choice! You can even try both.

Bacon Wrapped Dates with Goat Cheese Recipe:

https://www.shopcaputos.com/recipe-rack?collectionId=bece5b02-80ef-41b4-b146-4fd27ad37ec6&dishId=285d8ac9-fd70-47a7-912f-42c3688cdc13

Bacon Wrapped Dates with Almonds Recipe:

https://www.shopcaputos.com/recipe-rack?collectionId=bece5b02-80ef-41b4-b146-4fd27ad37ec6&dishId=ea5aa8bd-84d0-4932-87e9-575bd3c2caf1

White Bean Hummus Veggie Dip

This protein-rich white bean hummus is the perfect thing to have ready-made in the fridge. Pair with fresh cut seasonal veggies and crunchy pita chips for a delicious, munchy snack that’s kid-approved!

Recipe: https://www.shopcaputos.com/recipe-rack?collectionId=bece5b02-80ef-41b4-b146-4fd27ad37ec6&dishId=872f44e0-7bce-4348-b50d-c34087d7648e

Side

Chipotle Sweet Potato Wedges

These golden-brown sweet potato wedges make a versatile side dish or snack with only minutes of hands-on work. Each bite bursts with smoky and sweet flavors, perfect to pair with chipotle ranch dressing, sriracha mayonnaise sauce, or plain ranch dressing for dipping.

Recipe: https://www.shopcaputos.com/recipe-rack?collectionId=bece5b02-80ef-41b4-b146-4fd27ad37ec6&dishId=09dec725-6b7e-4747-8622-50a7da1ab614

Dessert

Salted Caramel Apple Pie in a Mason Jar Lid

Nothing is more american than some apple pie! Add the use of mason jars and it’s perfect. These little pies might just be the cutest (and tastiest) pies ever. The mason jar lids act a bit like a little spring-form pan. It is a delicious individual dessert idea!

Recipe: https://www.shopcaputos.com/recipe-rack?dishId=58741a00-fd96-4424-9e0a-288085f2c648

We wish everyone a safe and happy Fourth of July! God Bless America

From Our Family To Yours