Caprese Pasta Salad

The Fourth of July is right around the corner. The holiday to commemorate America is usually celebrated with friends and family at outdoor parties People celebrate in a variety of ways, but the celebrations usually involve food. If you’re in charge of a side dish and don’t know what to bring, we’ve got you covered. This caprese pasta salad recipe is your easy and simple crowd pleasing dish.

The pasta salad doesn’t require much. Here’s what you need:

Ingredients

  • Pasta of your preference
    • Farfalle or bowtie pasta is our go to, but other cuts also work well!
  • Caputo’s Homemade Bocconcini
  • Fresh cherry tomatoes 
  • Olive oil
  • Garlic
  • Basil 

Steps

  1. Boil the pasta
  2. While the pasta is cooking, cut the cherry tomatoes in half and sauté it with garlic, olive oil, and basil in a pan
  3. Cut the bocconcini in half
  4. Right after the pasta is done cooking, transfer it to a bowl or serving dish
  5. Add olive oil and salt to the pasta
  6. Mix all your ingredients in the bowl
  7. Garnish with basil 
  8. Enjoy!

The great thing about this recipe is that it is very customizable. You can add as many or as little ingredients as you want. You can choose your pasta cut or even mix!

From Our Family To Yours

Best Summer Fruits

Though we have been pretending it is summer the last few weeks, June 21st marks the official start of summer. Summer brings a lot of fun memories and thoughts for many people. For us, summer means the peak growing season of some of our favorite fruits! Here is a list of some fruits that just taste better on a hot summer day!

1. Watermelon

Watermelon typically require a longer growing season and warm weather to grow. Watermelon is around 90% water which makes it a refreshing and hydrating treat on those warm summer days. Despite popular belief, a watermelon will not grow in your stomach if you eat the seeds.

 

2. Peaches, Apricots, and Nectarines

Soft fruits such as these ones are best in the summer. These are usually at their peak around July. The warmth and sunshine results in juicier fruits. Soft fruits are typically a great source of vitamins and antioxidants. One of our favorite peaches is the percoca peach. Percocas are native to Italy and grown exclusively for us by a California farmer. These red flesh peaches should become available in just a few weeks. Try cutting these up and putting them in your wine for a nice fruity flavor!

3. Cherries

Bing and Rainier cherries are sweet cherries that typically become available around May and reach their peak in late June, early July. we get our cherries from California and Washington. California growing season starts early and then the Washington crop starts coming in. Typically, the plumper, darker cherries are the sweetest and most flavorful!

This list is only the beginning of the fruits and vegetables that are great! Though most of these fruits are available year round, the hot climate allows them to thrive and grow to their sweetest and juiciest forms. Which fruits make your favorites list?

From Our Family To Yours

 

 

Happy Father’s Day!

There is always the one Sunday in June that is dedicated to appreciating all the father figures in a person’s life. It is a day to acknowledge all the valuable lessons, laughs, and guidance they have given over the years. With Father’s Day this Sunday, I can’t help but think of two very important men in our company. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize my father, Robertino Presta, and grandfather, Angelo Caputo.

My father started working at Caputo’s at a very young age. My grandfather appreciated him because of his strength, especially his ability to throw and catch watermelon when unloading a truck. Throughout his 30 plus years, he has learned and taught us. He has helped us and the business grow. He has taught us the importance of hard work and dedication. He has taught us a variety of different things from how to properly display produce to how to clean tables. My father embraces all challenges, coming up with unique and efficient ways to get past them. One of the things I feel most fortunate for is that my father believes in us, sometimes more than we believe in ourselves. He helps to give us the tools we need to succeed and guides us towards the path of success. I have learned so much from not only my father, but my grandfather too.

My grandfather has always been one of my biggest inspirations. He overcame so much and always persevered. When he was just 18 years old, he left his home in Italy and enlisted in the US Army so that he could create a better life for himself. He never shies away from hard work and faces adversity head on. He has always taken the time to teach us and work with us. He has passed along important tools and wisdom– things that we can carry with us

I am very lucky to have two men who believe in me. My father and grandfather are incredible men who have made many sacrifices to get to where they are today. I have the utmost respect for these two men and strive to make them proud.

Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers and father figures.

From Our Family To Yours

 

A PIZZA My Heart

There are some days when you just do not want to make dinner. Other days you want to save some money and just eat at home. We have a compromise for you! Our new all you can eat Pizza Party is the way to go!

Our all you can eat pizza party is only $6 a person and will be happening daily from 5pm-8pm. This will take place at three of our locations– Addison, Carol Stream, and Naperville. This party will be taking place in our bar areas. The bars will feature a pizza buffet with many options to choose from!

Every party needs some drinks and we have created special drink deals for the pizza party! For the beer lovers, we are featuring a a $3 Miller Lite draft.

For the winos we are offering a $4 glass of Pizza Vino. Pizza vino is a red blend produced in California. It is a blend of Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon to give a fruity yet spiced taste.  

If you’re looking for a cocktail, we have my personal favorite– an Aperol Spritz! An Aperol Spritz is an aperitivo enjoyed by many Italians. It is a mix of Aperol (an Italian bitter), prosecco, and soda garnished with an orange slice. It is a refreshing cocktail that is a great compliment to any meal! Our special has this satisfying cocktail for only $6!

If you want a sparkling wine, get a prosecco bucket! Four 187 ML. bottles of Mionetto Prosecco for only $18! If you don’t think you can get through all four bottles, an individual bottle is $5.

Our all you can eat Pizza Parties are happening for a limited time only. The locations where you can join our parties are:

Addison

510 W. Lake St

Addison, IL 60101

 

Carol Stream

550 E North Ave

Carol Stream, IL 60188

 

Naperville

3115 111th St

Naperville, IL 60564

From Our Family To Yours

 

Grilling Season

As school winds down and the warm weather approaches, we know that it is almost summer! Memorial Day Weekend is usually considered the start of summer. Summer means a lot of things to many people. One thing is that summer is equivalent with grilling season! Being able to sit outside and enjoy some good barbecue with people you love creates some of the best summer memories. We can help you create some barbecue memories because we have all the grilling essentials you need this summer!

There are so many things that taste better when they are out on the grill. One of those things is corn. You can either  put the corn on there with the husks and everything or peel the husks, remove the silk, add your seasonings, and let the corn sit on the grill. This gives the corn a delicious and fresh flavor. The grill leaves the corn warmed and with an unmatched and distinct taste. In my opinion, corn on the cob isn’t complete without some butter and salt!

Feeling adventurous? Try grilling your pineapple! You can cut your pineapple into rings or spears, then put them on the grill. Grilling pineapple allows for the natural sweetness to caramelize and gives it a delicious taste that can be used
in so many ways. Some enjoy grilled pineapple with ice cream as a dessert and some even add grilled pineapple to their burgers!

 

Then there is the main event of all barbecues– the meat! Our meat department offers a variety of the freshest products perfect for your barbecue. Our unique items will give your party or dinner a delicious and flavorful twist!

One option is our kabobs. Our chicken and steak kabobs come on skewers with peppers and onions. We also offer some pre-marinated kabobs for a different flavor

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Everyone loves a good burger. Our ground round, chuck, or top sirloin burgers are all incredibly juicy. If you’re looking for something a little different to add to your menu, try our stuffed burgers! With three different options, these can satisfy a range of people. For those who like spicy, try our jalapeno cheddar burgers. For those that like cheese, we offer a blue cheese stuffed burger. For the meat lovers, try our bacon cheddar burgers! These will melt in your mouth and make your tastebuds dance with flavor!

Can’t forget the sausage– our homemade sausage! Our sausage is made in house daily. Our recipe has been tweaked and perfected over the years. It is made th old-world way, by hand using lean pork and private seasoning blend. There is nothing quite like our homemade sausage. Hot or mild, links or rope, traditional or barese– we have it and we have dedicated a lot of time and effort to making it perfect.

We hope everyone has a safe Memorial Day Weekend. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who are currently serving or have served our country,as well as their families. We especially remember the fallen soldiers who gave their lives to protect us.

From Our Family To Yours

Always Keep Growing

Now that the weather is warming up, it is time to start tending to the garden. The sunshine is sure to help the plants grow! We have recently gotten some new and excited additions to our garden center! These new plants have special features that will change the gardening game. We even have some plants that can help you to teach younger kids how garden!

One of the new types of flowers we have are impatiens! Impatiens go by many different names including jewelweeds, touch-me-nots, and sapweeds. These bedding plants are unique because of the bright colors and the way they grow, impatiens like shade! Impatiens are some of the few plants that actually thrive in the shade as long as they have enough water! You want to make sure you water your impatiens regularly in order to keep the moisture. These bright colored flowers are a great way to add a little diversity to your garden.

The warmer weather usually means that all the bugs come out, especially the mosquitos. The bugs can put a damper on your outdoor activities, but we’ve got a plant to solve that– citronella! A member of the geranium family, these plants carry the scent of citronella. The leaves of the plant can be crushed and then rubbed on your skin where the citronella scent will help to repel mosquitoes naturally. Some people like to plant these near their patios or near the place they spend time outside for easy access.

We will also have Sunfinity sunflowers! These sunflowers were designed to grow continuously, all season long! A unique feature of these plants is that after they are cut, they will re-grow. They have many stems which lead to many flowers- you can cut a flower to bring inside your home and the flower will grow again. It is a clean cut that will leave no messy pollen for you to clean up once inside. They will grow fast and require little maintenance, all you have to do is prune and deadhead them! This allows for beautiful sunflowers to brighten up your home and your home garden all season long!

If you are looking to spruce up your garden, but also help teach your kids how to grow, checkout Chef Jeff’s Plants! There are a variety of fruits, vegetables, and herbs to make your home garden special. The plants for kids include Peter the Pumpkin, Tommy the Tomato, Sherry the Strawberry, and more! Starting Thursday 5/16/19, every child will get a special Caputo’s goody bag with the purchase of a Chef Jeff plant! The goody bags include a special activity book includes details about the plant and how to care for it. The goody bags will also include a few more fun surprises for the kids! These are only available while supplies last, so stop by and get yours soon!

From Our Family To Yours

 

Easy Ways to Show Mom You Care This Mother’s Day

With Mother’s Day so close, we take a moment to think about all the strong women who have had an influence in our lives. We think about all the love and guidance they have given us and use Mother’s Day as an opportunity to say “thank you” for all they have done. If you’re still not sure what to give your loved ones on this special day, we have some options for you!

A simple gift to show you care is flowers– the gift that keeps on giving. With flowers, you are giving a gift that is pleasing to look at, sparks happiness, has a great aroma, and can remind the recipient of you 😉 Our garden centers are open and have an assortment of flowers. From hanging baskets to potted plants, there are many different colors and types that can appeal to anyone. If you would rather have an arrangement, check out our floral department! Our talented florists can create beautiful bouquets and arrangements that will leave your mom impressed!

You can cook her breakfast! Come grab all the fixings you need to make a stay at home brunch. You won’t have to leave your house and it will be delicious. Bacon, sausage, eggs, toast, pancakes, french toast– whatever mom likes, we can help you make! If you want to put a fun spin on french toast, make panettone french toast! Panettone is an italian sweet bread and a fun replacement for your classic french toast recipe. The consistency of panettone makes it a unique meal option sure to please a crowd. While panettone are usually enjoyed on major holidays like Christmas and New Year’s Day, we have some available now! Maina panettone are wrapped in cellophane and a smaller panettone which make it easier to bake with and to eat individually. The panettone can be given as a gift!

If your mom has a sweet tooth, we’ve got just the thing for you! Available on Friday (5/10) we will have heart shaped cannoli cakes! These cakes are great, especially if you’re in charge of dessert! It consists of yellow sponge cake and cannoli filling. They are shaped in a heart and decorated with beautiful buttercream flowers. This simple gesture shows mom you care while nourishing her stomach, just like I’m sure she did for you!

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there, especially the moms in the Caputo family. Romana Caputo and Antonella Caputo Presta are both embodiments of strong, incredible women. They have taught us and helped us to grow. They have inspired us and nourished our hearts, minds, and souls. They are each amazing mothers and grandmothers who bring such joy to those lucky enough to have them as influences. Happy Mother’s Day Nonna Romana and Mommy, we love you ❤️

From Our Family To Yours

Olé

The beginning of May is the start of many festivities– from graduations to Mother’s Day, there is plenty to celebrate. One important celebration that occurs at the beginning of each May is Cinco de Mayo!

Cinco de Mayo is often mixed up with Mexican Independence Day, but it is actually the celebration of a Mexican Army’s victory over the French at Battle of the Puebla on May 5th, 1862. This victory boosted morale and helped the nation come together and bond over patriotism. Cinco de Mayo has become widely popular in America as a way to celebrate Mexican culture and heritage. People nationwide celebrate with traditional Mexican meals and drinks, and we are here to help make your celebration muy bien!

    One way to celebrate is with tacos! Our Addison location is now home to a stainless steel tortilla machine imported from Mexico. This allows us to make fresh tortillas in-house daily! We even fry our tortillas to make our own chips! Like all of our other prepared foods, our tortillas are all natural and have no preservatives. Yellow or white corn, crispy or soft, we’ve got it all! Our tortillas and chips also pair wonderfully with items from different departments! Our chips are delicious with our homemade guacamole and salsas, and you can try our tortillas with our pre-marinated fajita mix from the meat department. The fajita meat and taco meat are already marinated, so all you have to do is cook the meat!

No time to cook, but still want to celebrate? No problem! We also have taco kits in our prepared foods. These taco kits feature pre-marinated meat already seasoned to perfection, our homemade tortillas, and toppings! They are a perfect solution to a taco night on the go because it is easy to prepare.

Every party needs some drinks! From Tecate to Modelo to Corona, we’ve got all your beer needs. Don’t forget about Jarritos– a Mexican soda drink that come in many different flavors. These sodas are great alone or can be the perfect mixer!

We have many options for dessert, but an authentic option (and one that’s on sale!!) is our tres leches parfait! Tres leches is a a sponge cake that has been soaked in a sweet milk and is made up of 3 milks- evaporated, condensed and cream. Ours are featured in a parfait container which makes it easy to transport and easy to share or keep for yourself 😉

Throwing your own celebration? We have plenty of traditional Mexican food items on sale this week– cheese, shredded lettuce, beans, jalapenos, chips, and more! Stop in to get all the items you need to make your fiesta a hit!

From Our Family To Yours

In Full Bloom

These past few weeks have been rainy and as the saying goes “April showers bring May flowers!” This proves true because our garden center is opening soon! It’s the perfect time to spruce up your home gardens and add a little color to your home and we’ve got just what you need!

Our garden center has been open since pretty much the beginning of time 😉 A few weeks ago, our buyers visited Michigan to check out this year’s crop. We have been buying our vegetables from the same family owned farm in Michigan for over 50 years now! We get a variety of our plants from there including our signature melrose peppers! Melrose peppers are a sweet heirloom pepper perfect for frying! It got its origin in a local Chicago neighborhood– Melrose Park! The story is that a family immigrated to Melrose Park and brought these pepper seeds with them. The uniqueness of the pepper is what makes them so well known. We offer the plants so that you can grow your own Melrose peppers! Some of the other herbs we sell are the classic items you are sure to see in your Nonno’s garden– swiss chard, chicory, mint, tomatoes, basil, and more!

In addition to fruits and vegetables, we have an assortment of beautiful plants to add some color to your homes and home gardens! From hanging baskets to potted plants, we’ve got them all in many colors! Studies have proven that having flowers in your home can increase happiness, reduce anxiety, and can even increase your energy. I know that flowers always make me feel happy– how can you not when you see the beautiful colors?

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We also have some really cool and exciting things for kids this year! We are featuring some of Chef Jeff’s plants which are plants for children. The individual plants are a great way to teach responsibility and watch things grow! These include things like corn, pumpkins, and even popcorn!

Our garden centers are only opened for a limited amount of time. Stop by and browse to see what we have that you need in your home gardens!

From Our Family To Yours

Earth Day

Now more than ever there is an increasing awareness on sustainability and protecting the environment. On April 22, we celebrate Earth Day. Earth day is about planning a better future for the environment. It is about talking steps now to help tomorrow. At Caputo’s sustainability is a big part of who we are. We have taken many steps to make sure our practices are good for the environment.

One action we have taken is our lighting. We utilize LED lights in our interior and exterior. LED consumes up to 90% less power, has a longer life, is non toxic, is recyclable, and reduces carbon footprint by a third.

We also us CO2 transcritical systems for our refrigeration. Most refrigerators use freon, which kills the ozone layer and leaks very easily. Our CO2 systems are better for pipelines, non-corrosive, and less likely to leak. CO2 is a huge reduction in our carbon footprint. Our systems are equivalent to recycling 22,229,997 pounds of waste, saving 7,337,324,035 gallons of gas over ten years, and planting 1,657,274,782 trees over ten years!

Another initiative we take is in our recycling. We know that cardboard can pile up in your house. Whether you order things or have boxes laying around, cardboard collects and the proper way to dispose of it is to recycle it. We offer bins in front of our stores where you can drop off your cardboard whenever you want and we will take care of recycling it for you! All you have to do is put your cardboard in the bin and we will properly recycle it! By recycling cardboard, we conserve valuable resources and reduce pollution from production of new materials.

We also have reusable cups. Our 28oz double walled tumblers feature a plastic straw and are suitable for hot or cold drinks. Reusable cups are good because they reduce waste. The number of cups that get thrown out each day is very high, reusable cups keep that number low. Another positive is that they are less likely to spill because the lids are secured and our tumblers are only $7.99!

In addition, we have reusable bags! Reusable bags are better than plastic bags for many reasons. Plastic bags don’t biodegrade and they are harder for the environment to break down– it can take anywhere from 15 to 1,000 years to break down. Because they are lightweight, they are more likely to fly away and turn into littler. This litter can be harmful to animals. Reusable bags are also more durable. They can hold more and they last longer. The average reusable bag has a lifespan equal to that of more than 700 disposable plastic bags. By purchasing and using a reusable bag, we have the power to eliminate a lot of waste and potential dangers to the environment.

Earth Day is a day to raise awareness about initiatives to help the environment in order to create a better future for the next generations. We hope you will join us in taking action and steps to protect our home.

 

From Our Family To Yours