Watermelon and Cucumber Salad

I love a great new recipe that is different and tasty. My neighbor Annie was kind enough to share her recipe for Watermelon and Cucumber salad after attending a party at her house. I explained this is a great and a must have salad for the summer months. So enjoy this great new twist on a Watermelon Salad.

Watermelon and Cucumber Salad Ingredients: 

4 cups one-inch cucumber squares, peeled and seeded

4 cups watermelon balls

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1/2 cup shredded fresh basil leaves

In a large bowl, add salt and pepper over cucumber squares. mix well, and let sit for about  one hour.

Add watermelon balls to the cucumber, mix gently.

Just before serving, sprinkle the basil leaves on top.

Enjoy this refreshing summer dish!

Thank you Annie for sharing your fabulous recipe with us today.

Sheila-

Watermelon Arugula salad Inspired by Contemporary Hotel's California Grill and Ina Gartnen

I was reading Twitter and Facebook this weekend and was dreaming of Florida. I love the white sand beaches, the theme parks and all of the fabulous restaurants in Florida.  I next had a flash back of a salad that I had at the Contemporary Resort restaurant called the California Grill  - this is a great restaurant to go to next time you are at Walt Disney World. The last time we were there I had a salad that was very similar to this one. So I thought I would share my version of these too salads.



Watermelon Arugula salad Inspired by Contemporary Hotel's California Grill  and Ina Gartnen Ingredients :
One square slice of Watermelon
1/4 cup Arugula for each portion
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Glaze dressing
1 Tablespoon Goat Cheese
　

Slice Watermelon cutting off rind leaving a square of Mellon like this.

Next take 1/4 cup of Arugula a 1 tablespoon of Balsamic Glaze dressing toss in bowl

Place tossed Arugula on Watermelon

Next Sprinkle with Goat Cheese

Last drizzle remaining dressing on Salad and serve.




Bon Appetit and Enjoy



Sheila Fretz

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

#GlutenFree Penne hot salad with basil, asparagus, cherry tomatoes fresh mozzarella and chicken with a mustard vineagarete for #SundaySupper

So I love a great Salad that you can either serve hot or cold and after I received a case of  tomatoes;  I knew exactly what I would make for #SundaySupper.  A salad that reminded me of Summer in a bowl but with a twist of Italy.

Ingredients for Penne hot salad with basil, asparagus, cherry tomatoes fresh mozzarella and chicken with a mustard vinaigrette:

1 Bag of cooked Penne Gluten free of course I used Trader Joe's Brown Rice Penne
1 cup of sliced  in half cherry tomatoes
2 cups slightly cooked asparagus
1/2 cup basil sliced and or chopped
2 cups of fresh Mozzarella cubed
2 cups chicken from either left overs or a rotisarie chicken



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
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar
½ cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Cook Pasta according to directions I like to boil 7 minutes string constantly then let sit for 3 on murky water then rinse in hot water.

Cut asparagus and put in pan cover with water until it boils than immediately pour cold water over so it stops cooking. I like to put mine in a colander then run under water until cold to the touch.

In a measuring cup mix first 6 ingredients together than whisk in olive oil so it emulsifies

Slice tomatoes, mozzarella, basil  and chicken and place in bowl

Next add cooled a asparagus

then pasta and toss with mustard vinaigrette.

Let vinaigrette sit  and soak up pasta for about 5 to 10 minutes then serve.


Also don't forget tonight is Sunday and what does that mean it's time to gather around the #Sunday Supper table.

So I turned to the #SundaySupper team and asked them what their favorite items to bring to a Labor Day Cookout.  As usual, they did not disappoint.  I am telling you, if you ever need inspiration or a new recipe, this is the group to come to.  They will blow you away with their recipes.

Join us this week around the family table for our #SundaySupper and we will share with you our favorite cookout recipes .  We hope to inspire you with these fabulous recipes from our talented contributors.  We will be sharing them all day long and would love for you to share your favorite cookout recipes during our #SundaySupper live chat at 7pm ET.

Labor Day Cookout Recipes:

Starters & Snacks

• Lobster Salad with Avocado, Corn and Tomatoes by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Grilled Vegetable Spread by Magnolia Days
• Toast Topper #8: Tomato Confit for #SundaySupper by Yummy Smells
• Honey BBQ Wings and Cool Ranch by Big Bears Wife
• Finger Lickin’ Chicken Drumettes by Noshing with the Nolands 

Main Dishes

• Baked Shrimp and Pasta Caprese by Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Korean chili by Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
• Newfangled Cowtown White Chicken Chili by Shockingly Delicious
• Strawberry BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches by The Weekend Gourmet
• Spicy Seoulful Pulled Pork Sandwiches by Kimchi Mom
• Smoked Pork Butt (A How-To) from Juanita’s Cocina
• Soy Glazed Chicken Thighs by The Messy Baker Blog
• Stuffed Green Chili con Queso Cheeseburger Sliders by Damn Delicious
• Adana kebab by Small Wallet, Big Appetite
• Portabello Paninis by The Hand That Rocks the Ladle
• Bloody Mary Skirt Steak by From Fast Food to Fresh Food
• Tuna and Roasted Pepper Packets by Cindy’s Recipes & Writings
• Mint Marinated Beef Kabobs with Garlic Sauce by Sustainable Dad
• Creamy Latin Style Pasta by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
• Spicy Portuguese Style Sliders by Daily Dish Recipes
• Aromatic Glazed Salmon by Happy Baking Days
• Pork sliders by Basic ‘N Delicious
• Foil Packet Chicken by In the Kitchen with Audrey

Salads & Sides

• Mom’s Savory Pork’n'Beans by Webicurean
• Ranch Potato Salad by My Catholic Kitchen
• Gluten Free Penne hot salad with basil, asparagus, cherry tomatoes fresh mozzarella and chicken with a mustard vineagarete for #SundaySupper by Cooking Underwriter
• Southern Surprise Potato Salad by Granny’s Down Home Southern Cooking
• #SundaySupper Marinated Ginger Chicken & Spinach Salad by Kwistin’s Favorites
• Roasted Potato & Corn Salad w/ Bacon by GirliChef
• Vegan Caprese Salad by Galactosemia in PDX
• Picnic Friendly Grilled Vegetable Salad by Mama Mommy Mom
• Smokin Hot Caribbean Spiced Corn-On-The-Cob by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Potato salad with Stilton and bacon by Tora’s Real Food
• Tomato Feta Orzo Salad by Family Foodie 

Drinks

• Frozen Sangria by Supper For a Steal
• Persian mint & cucumber cooler (sekanjabeen) by Family Spice

Desserts

• lightened lemon pound cake by The Meltaways
• Root Beer Float Cupcakes by Chocolate Moosey
• Strawberry Cream Squares by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
• Fresh Mango Pie by La Cocina De Leslie
• Brown Butter M&M Cookies by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Gluten Free Lemon Blondies by No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
• Blueberry Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake by Baker Street
• Strawberry Pie + White Sangria by Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Grilled Banana Splits by Diabetic Foodie
• Easy Desserts: Frozen Chocolate Bananas by Home Cooking Memories 
• Ice Cream Sandwich Cake by Comfy Cuisine
• Blueberry Lemon Whoopie Pies for a Holiday Cookout #SundaySupper by In the Kitchen with KP

Wine Pairings

• Labor Day Cookout Food And Wine Pairings byENOFYLZ

Please be sure you join us on Twitter throughout the day during #SundaySupper. We’ll be meeting up at 7:00 p.m. EST for our weekly #SundaySupper  live chat where we’ll talk about our favorite cookout recipes!

All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, or you can follow us throughTweetChat!

We’d also love to feature your Cookout recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers!

In  addition to we still have our giveaway going on with Meyer's Smoke House so come check it out and enter...

Enjoy and have a Happy and Safe Labor Day

Curry! Curry! Get Your Chicken Curry Salad and it's #GlutenFree

Gluten Free Chicken Curry Salad

It is so hot here in Los Angeles and I am writing this recipe in 104 degree heat. As you know it's my 2nd Blog Anniversary and I wanted to share one of my original recipes that brings back memories. This is one of my favorite summer recipes, I remember as a kid my mother made a similar recipe but mine is a little different. The best part of it is you are not required to cook the chicken. I bought a rotisserie chicken from Costco and shredded the chicken from that. The night I made it, my hubby was not that into me adding the golden raisins. So I left them out, however it’s optional, but very yummy with or without.

Serves 4-6 people depending on portions

Ingredients:

2 cups Shredded Chicken

2 Granny Smith apples chopped and pealed

1 Bunch of Grapes 30-35 grapes

½ cup Best Foods Mayonnaise Best food on the West Coast Hellman's in the East Coast

2 Tablespoons Curry Powder

1 Tablespoon Brown Mustard

1 cup golden raisins (optional)

1 head of lettuce

Garnish with Fresh Fruit

Combine all ingredients in bowl stir well and refrigerate for 1 hour Serve with fresh melon on a lettuce leaf.

 

Tip of the Day : You can always get a cooked Rotisserie Chicken or Precooked Chicken at the

market to save you time

 

Enjoy and Bon Appetite!

 

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

Happy Forth of July + Hubby's Famous Potato Salad

Happy Independancel Day!  Thank you to all of our veterans of armed forces who have served our country or are currently serving our country. Thank you for keeping us the land of the free and the home of the brave.
The 4th of July, to me marks the middle of the Summer Season it generally involves grilling. I always pull out my red  white and blue  clothes, and we decorate our bikes and ride in the neighborhood parade. Yes, I am old school!.

When I think of  4th of July or any Summer Holiday , the first thing I think of is My Hubby’s Potato Salad. When ever we go to a Potluck or to a Back Yard Barbecue everyone always request this special salad. They also request this recipe but he has never been willing to part with it until now. So please enjoy it for now and Happy Independence Day.





Potato Salad Ingredients:
8 Cups of Red Potatoes scrubbed and chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 Pot full of water
2 cups Celery Chopped
½ Onion Chopped
½ cup chopped chives (optional)
2 cups Hellman's or Best Foods Mayonnaise
½ cup Spicy Brown Mustard
1 Tablespoon White Wine Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Salt
1 ½ Tablespoon Pepper
Paprika for Garnish

Potato Salad Equipment:
Dutch oven to boil Potatoes in
1 Chopping Block
1 Extra Large Mixing Bowl
1 Sharp Knife
1 Bowl for serving

Clean and chop all potatoes

Place in water

Rinse twice.

Then refill and salt water

Cook in Water for about 15 to 20 minutes until pierces with fork easily.

Drain and cool in refrigerator for about an hour

Chop celery

Chop Onions and Chives (Optional)

Place Onions, Celery and Chives in a Large Mixing bowl.

Add Cooled Potatoes,  add Mayo, Mustard, Vinegar,

Salt and pepper mix thoroughly taste and see if you need either more Mustard or pepper.

My husband generally make the salad the morning or night before; we serve and garnish with Paprika prior to serving.


Enjoy and Bon Appetit



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!
 

Caprese Salad

This fun and easy salad reminds me of my trip to Tuscany Italy a couple of years ago. I love a good quick and Easy Salad that I can get done super quick and easy.

Caprese Salad Ingredients:

1 Beef Steak Tomato Sliced in 6 thin slices

Buffalo Mozzarella

Fresh Basil

Balsamic Glaze Dressing

Slice  Tomatoes and Mozzarella and layer Tomato Mozzarella,

Chopped Basil then repeat.

Last poor Balsamic Glaze.

Enjoy and Bon Appetit

Sheila Fretz

Balsamic Glaze Dressing

Balsamic Glaze Dressing Ingredients:

3 Tablespoon Brown Gulden's Mustard

1/4 cup Aged Balsamic Vinegar

2 teaspoons granulated garlic

1 teaspoon dried cilantro

½ cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/4 teaspoon Pepper

1/4 teaspoon sugar

Equipment:

Medium Size Bowl to mix Balsamic Glaze dressing in

Mix dressing together Balsamic Glaze Dressing by putting all ingredients in a bowl except the olive oil and whisk together.

When completely combine emulsify with Olive Oil. Poor all but 1 tablespoon per tostada in a jar and save in refrigerator.