Gluten Free Chicken Ceasar Pasta Salad

So a couple of years ago when I started Cooking Underwriter I made some great recipes that were not gluten free. However, I feel that now that I live a gluten free lifestyle with my family, it is time to recreate these recipes to be gluten free. So when I am creating a new recipe, the first thing I try to do is to get inspired. I do this in various ways i.e.... watch The Food Network, The Cooking Channel, and I visit my local restaurants in the area; plus I have a full library of cookbooks and Magazines too. This recipe was inspired by a dish that Mr. Fix It ordered at Raz’s Little Italy , West Hills, California. Mr. Fix It, my hubby, ordered Chicken Alfredo and when I saw the colors of his dish it immediately put a vision into my head.  So when the heat turns up in the kitchen I either get up really early and make dinner or I cook and concoct the night before. This would be a great recipe for party or to serve as a main dish.

 Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad Ingredients:
1 Yellow Bell Pepper Julienne cut
½ Orange Bell Pepper Julienne cut
1 ½ Cups Broccoli in small pieces blanched
2 green onions chopped
2 cups chicken shredded
6 cups gluten free pasta cooked about 1 box
1 Jar of Ken's Caesar dressing
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
(Save 1/4 cup for garnish)
Equipment
1 Extra Large bowl
1 Large Bowl
1 (2 Cup) Measuring Cup

Tip of the day: Your fridge/freezer work better when full, so spend the week stocking up on fresh groceries and your evenings at home.

Cook Pasta to package directions.

Take Bell Peppers(both Orange and Yellow) and Julianne cut, Broccoli, green onions and toss in bowl. Next add Shredded Chicken.

 Cooked Pasta, and 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese and toss all together with Salad dressing. Place in beautiful bowl then serve.  Garnish with a sprinkle of cheese.

Bon Appetite!

Enjoy,

Sheila Fretz

Brett The Neighbor's Pasta #GlutenFree + a #giveaway w/@circulon

So as you know I have a giveaway going on with Circulon,  for a 12"  Non Stick Stir Fry Pan from Circulon Today I wanted to show you a recipe that if you win, you too could make inthis fabulous 12" Non Stick Stir Fry Wok. I know you  will want to make this fabulous pasta recipe that Brett the neighbor inspired me to make. The other night he posted a picture of his dinner on his Facebook and he said it was bacon eggs and pasta. So I quickly asked him for the recipe and then of course I had to make it my own but at the same time  differently so I quickly got to work..

Brett The Neighbor's Pasta Ingredients

1 Bag of gluten free pasta  I used Spaghetti noodles fully cooked.

5 pieces of bacon

1/2 of a large onion chopped

2 cups frozen peas

2 cups of grated Parmesan cheese

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

salt and pepper to taste

Boil Water, while boiling start chopping bacon.

Start cooking bacon after it is chopped. When fully cooked remove bacon and leave grease in pan.

Next Chop onions finely

Add to bacon grease with a frozen peas. cook for about 10 to 12 minutes.

In a separate bowl add  eggs milk and half the cheese. whisk together

Add cooked pasta and stir .

Next add cheese milk and egg mixture and stir until creamy .

Add last bit of cheese stir and add salt and pepper to taste.

Lastly adding Bacon stir together and serve warm.

Enjoy and don't forget to enter our giveaway  with Circulon.

Thai Chicken Peanut Pasta

Thai Chicken Pasta

When I go to  Disneyland, I have many inspirations when it comes to food and one of them was Thai Chicken Skewers with a peanut sauce  I thought to my self I bet I can create a dinner out of this idea and that is exactly what I did.
Chicken tenders, finely shredded and peeled two carrots, Shredded one Granny Smith apples after peeling it. Chopped up 6 Green Onions then made a peanut dressing.

Thai Chicken Pasta Ingredients:

2 cups cooked pasta
1 pound Chicken Tenders chopped in bite size pieces
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 cloves of garlic finely grated.
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon ginger powder
2 Finely Shredded Carrots.
1 Largely grated  Granny Smith Apple
6 green onions chopped.
½ cup peanut butter
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoon’s Yuzu sauce
1 Tablespoon Honey

Grate and Chop all fruit and Vegetables 1st (cooking will go fast)

Boil Water and place pasta in cook according to directions.

Next Take Olive Oil and Garlic and cook until golden and  add Chicken Cook Thoroughly

Now make peanut sauce by adding last 5 ingredients into a large measuring cup until smooth.

Add Vegetables to Chicken then cook until tender.

Last add noodles

Then add Peanut sauce.


Let sit in sauce covered for ten minutes.


Enjoy and Bon Appetit!



Sheila Fretz


                               

Pasta with a Balsamic Ginger Glaze

I love making pasta that can be served Hot or Cold and with the weather lately across the country I thought to myself what a refreshing way to have a pasta dish. So I hope you enjoy this as mush as we do.

Pasta Ingredients:

1 Bag of Gluten Free Penee Pasta
1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
1 Beef Bullion Cube Gluten Free

Balsamic Ginger Glaze

4 Table spoon Brown Mustard
2 teaspoons crushed ginger
3 Cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons Worcheshire Sauce
1/4 cup aged Balsamic Vinegar
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Pasta with a Balsamic Ginger Glaze Ingredients:

Cooked Gluten Free Penee Pasta
Balsamic Ginger Glaze
8 small vine ripened 2cups chopped
1 Cup Chopped Cucumbers
1 Cup Marinated artichokes
1 Cup cubed Mozzarella Buffalo

Take a large Stock pot fill 3/4 full add bullion and Tablespoon of Olive Oil and Bring to a boil.
Add Pasta stir constantly for 7 minutes.

Next Turn Off and let sit for 3 minutes.

 In a large bowl while pasta is resting make













Sauce/Glaze first eight ingredients whisk together












Now emulsify slowly with Remaining Olive Oil

Strain Pasta and rinse thoroughly
Next add Vegetable, Cheese and Sauce to pasta

Serve hot or cold.


Enjoy and Bon Appetit


Mrs Mix It

Red, White and Green Pasta Served Hot or Cold

I hope all is well with you guys this week, I'm still swamped so here is a fabulous recipe from my archives that is well worth making this time of year. I love creating recipes that can be served hot or cold, especially in those warm winter or summer months. I am always looking for a meatless Gluten Free meal. 

Red, White and Green Pasta Served Hot or Cold Ingredients:
1 Bag of Penne Pasta Gluten Free
1 bullion cube
2 tablespoon Olive Oil
1/4 cup olive oil
8-10 cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons Salt
2 teaspoons Pepper
The juice of One Large Lemon
1 cup of grated Parmesan
25 fresh basil leaves chopped about a ½ cup
1 cup of chopped buffalo mozzarella
6 small tomatoes Chopped about a cup

Cook Pasta according to directions adding in 2 tablespoons Olive Oil this help the pasta from not sticking and 1 bullion cube to flavor the pasta.
After Pasta is cooked strain and set aside.

In the same pan that you boiled the pasta in place 1/4 cup olive oil, 8-10 cloves of garlic minced or grated, 2 teaspoons Salt & 2 teaspoons Pepper cook until golden.

Add the juice of a lemon being careful to not add the seeds.

Simmer on low heat next adding cooked penne pasta tossing until evenly coated with Lemon Garlic sauce.

Add in your Parmesan and coat noodles thoroughly.

After Cheese has pretty much melted into noodles add last three ingredients tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella and basil. Toss and serve either chilled or right out of the Pot! You decide.


Enjoy,

Sheila Fretz

Summer In a Bowl Pasta Salad

I know I have not been the best at posting in last week or so but this is the time of the year that we have a lot going on.  For instance last week I was in Cedar Rapids Iowa on business, then this week I had to go to Santa Barbara. In addition to I have offered to give my BFF, Dana a sit down bridal shower for 35 of her nearest and dearest friends. So with all of that on my plate I figured that i would look in to my recipes that I had previously developed and share a great one that I really love. Then next week when things calm down I will be sharing great ideas for your next luncheon or brunch you throw.

So now on to the recipes my dear friend Patty, who is a Mom,  helped me name this recipe. Patty has a little boy who has terrible food allergies just like me. However, he is allergic to a couple more items than me. Such as eggs and peanuts and goes into Anaphylactic shock  so I have to be very careful! So when W and his Mom come over for a play date with my daughter Miss J. I have to make sure we do not poison her son. So it was a Tuesday afternoon and we had scheduled a play date and it happened to be only 107 degrees that day. Just a little hot so I wanted something cool and refreshing that I could make and everyone could eat. So I created Summer in Bowl.


Ingredients:

Summer In a Bowl:

1 Bag Brown Rice Pasta from Trader Joes -does not have Eggs in this pasta very rare!
1 ½ of 1 Orange Bell Pepper, Julienne (thin strips)
1 head of broccoli cut in small pieces about 1 1/2  cups cooked partially
1 whole cucumber peeled and chopped into squares
1 whole Large Tomato

Summer in a Bowl Dressing:

3 Tablespoon Brown Gulden's Mustard
1/4 cup Aged Balsamic Vinegar
2 Large cloves of garlic grated on planer to make paste
½ cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar


Directions:
Boil Pasta as directed on pasta about 12 minutes. In a large bowl place julienne the bell peppers and broccoli, cucumbers , tomatoes. Next add cooked & drained pasta. While pasta is cooking make the dressing in a separate bowl., Combine all ingredients in bowl except Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and whisk together. Next Emulsify by adding olive oil in slowly while whisking. Poor on top and toss refrigerate for 2 hours tossing periodically so pasta can soak up dressing
 
TIP of the Day: If your looking for something to put in your child's lunch that is healthy this would be great with a sandwich or without!
 

Baked Gluten Free Pasta

So sorry I have been a little MIA lately, I know that last week I only posted once and the week before you only saw Miss J’s birthday. I am so sorry about that. However, for all of us it’s the most wonderful time of the year and that means lots of partys and events to attend and that means im not cooking a lot either. So because of that my Cooking Underwriter has been forgotten a little. So this week I’m going to try to make it up to you with a couple recipes.

Today's recipe  will be a continuation of last weeks Italian Pot Roast.  With what I call a first over. What that is , is a recipe that is made with leftovers.

So this is my new first over recipe.

1 Tablespoon Butter
3 to 4 cups cooked leftover gluten free pasta
Leftover sauce from Italian Pot Roast2 cups Shredded Mozzarella cheese

Take a 9 X 13 Pan and coat with butter

Take Pasta and Toss in Sauce to coat evenly then poor into
 9 x 13 Pan

Next place cheese on top

Cover with foil and bake in oven for 45 min

Serve Warm


Enjoy

Sheila-

Tomato, Balsamic Parmesan Pasta

Tomato, Balsamic Parmesan Pasta

So as you know I currently am giving away these great pots that are non-stick from Calphalon to enter click here.

Did you know that Calamity Kate is also having a 1 year Blogaversary just like me. Calamity Kate is giving away a lot of gifts right now so you should also go check her giveaway out too!

Calphalon Non Stick Pans are great for many different recipes. I love the 12" non stick pan because I can make a great Pasta sauce with and then add cooked and flavored pasta too. Like I did last night! I made a Gluten Free Pasta that was flavored with a bullion cube. Then I made a Balsamic, Tomato, Onion Garlic Sauce with a balsamic Parmesan cheese. So yummy and with a hint of nuts and Balsamic Vinegar its even better.

Balsamic, tomato garlic with the hint of Balsamic Cheese

Tomato, Balsamic Parmesan Pasta Ingredients:

8 vine ripened tomatoes Quartered and Halved.

3 tablespoons of Olive Oil

3 cloves of garlic

½ cup chopped onions

½ cup Aged Balsamic Vinegar

1 cup Chicken or Vegetable broth

2 cups of Parmesan Balsamic Cheese

　

Cooked Pasta w/ a hint of flavor

1 tablespoon of Beef Bullion

1 Large Pasta pan filled with water 3/4 full

1 Bag of Gluten Free Penne Pasta

　

Place Olive Oil in Pan and heat then add chopped Onions

Quarter and Half Tomatoes then place in with Garlic and Onions

Shred Cheese

Now start Pasta by bringing water to a boil  and add Bullion Cube until comes to a boil and dissolved. Next add Pasta stirring for 7 minutes do not stop stirring. Last turn off and let sit in water for 3 minutes then drain and add to sauce

Next add Balsamic Vinegar, I like to use a aged 10 years or more.

Then add Broth chicken or Vegetable I used Chicken tonight.

Last adding Cheese

Drain Pasta and toss in sauce let sit tossing periodically for 30 min.

Serve warm or Cold .

Enjoy and Bon Appetit

Sheila-