Nuts - BEWARE!

I love nuts.  I love them alone, in salads, encrusted on foods, blended with other ingredients as in pestos and just about anyway you can think of.  The only nut I'm not fond of on their own are walnuts.  I think they taste dry.

Over the past few years though I've encountered some problems with nuts.  I thought I had blogged about it before but apparently not.  After reading a friends blog the other day it prompted me to share my findings with you.

Several years ago I purchased raw pecans from The Wine and Cheese Place in St Louis.  A favorite place of mine to get wine, cheese and fresh nuts.  I've never had an issue with anything there as I'm sure you'll agree if you've ever shopped there.  However, what happened was out of their control although a disclosure statement would have been helpful.

I purchased the pecans around the holidays to make a large batch of my candied pecans to give as gifts.  I made several batches but had some left over that I kept in my cupboard for a week or two.

I happen to be out running errands and my husband called to say that the cabinet containing the pecans was covered with maggots and bugs and they were coming from the bag of pecans.  I was on my way home and when I arrived I couldn't believe my eyes.

When I spoke to the gal at The Wine & Cheese Place she told me that all raw nuts harbor insect eggs.  If left raw after a certain period of time the eggs will hatch.  If you eat the nuts prior to the eggs hatching, the acid in your stomach will kill them, so you never see these bugs.  I nearly vomited after hearing that.  How disgusting!  I immediately went online to verify and found several sites that mentioned insect eggs on nuts.  This is one of them.

I could have avoided this calamity had I put the nuts in the freezer or cooked all of them.  Too bad I didn't find this out sooner.  A warning or instructions with the nuts would have been helpful! 

Has this ever happened to you?

Another incident occurred 4 weeks ago while vacationing in the mountains of Colorado.  I purchased almonds on sale at the City Market grocery store that came from a local producer.  

Upon arriving home, I ate a handful of almonds and one of them tasted rancid so I tossed the bag out.    Later that afternoon and for the next 3 days I was so sick I couldn't even stand up.

After doing research I found this to be a common occurrence among almonds.  The clue should have been that they were on special and packaged in zip lock baggies.  Blue Diamond shares important information about maximizing the shelf life of almonds that I found useful the next time I decide to purchase them.

The majority of nuts are said to be heart healthy which besides loving them makes them more attractive.  Some offer greater benefits than others but overall they're said to help lower your LDL, low-density lipoprotein or "bad," cholesterol level in your blood, they're rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, contain fiber and Vitamin E along with a host of other benefits.  Yet, caution must still be taken.

(photo from Frieda's)

My most recent revelation was when Dianne blogged about pine nuts, a nut I use often especially when making pesto. She came down with "pine mouth".  I've never heard of or experienced this however, it appears the key factor here as well as other nuts, is quality.  Rather than purchasing on sale or inexpensive nuts it's best to splurge, for safety and quality.  If it's too good to be true, then it probably is!

Buyer beware!  Next time you decide to purchase some nuts it's best to do a bit of research. 

Have you encountered a negative experience after purchasing nuts?  If so, please share it with us, so that we can all become better consumers!

The I Love Trader Joe's College Cookbook!

As you might imagine, I have a cookbook fetish.  In fact, I should probably have stock in Amazon since I order so many cookbooks from them each week.  What can I say, I love to cook and read cookbooks from cover to cover learning whatever new techniques and recipes that I can.

So when a foodie friend of mine, Andrea Lynn, asked me if I would review her new cookbook, "The I Love Trader Joe's College Cookbook" I said yes! 

Most of what intrigued me about the book was the fact that my daughter who will be a college senior this coming fall, loves Trader Joe's.  In fact, she gets upset if the weather outdoors is bad and she can't get to Trader Joe's to do her weekly grocery shopping. 

She enjoys getting their prepared foods, marinated and vacuumed packed fish such as their salmon, which apparently comes in a variety of marinades along with other healthy food items.  Since she lives in an apartment I'm thrilled that she can purchase foods that are healthy and require only a microwave, grill pan like the "Griddler" which she has, a pot or oven.  All the items are easy to prepare.  However, there's just one thing - she can cook these but can she be creative in how she prepares them?

This is where Andrea Lynn comes in with her book, The I Love Trader Joe's College Cookbook!  Andrea can help your college student transform Trader Joe's ingredients into a mouth-watering array of nibbles and meals.  Dishes that will wow not only them but their roommates and friends too!

What do you think? Are your kids just buying junk food for their meals? Are they tired of eating cafeteria food?   Do you think they would throw a meal together if it only required a microwave or one pot?

I literally went through each and every page of this book and was so excited, I ordered one to send to my daughter.  For the person that loves Trader Joe's and let's face it, who doesn't, this is a masterpiece.  Your child will feel like a seasoned cook and with the step-by-step instructions from Andrea they will be.  Your college student won't be overwhelmed with a long list of ingredients but will learn to prepare outstanding dishes with the limited time they have.

Andrea's cookbook covers:
Snacks & Nibbles
Sandwiches & Salads
Soups
Pastas
Main Meals
Vegetarian Main Meals
Microwave Main Meals
Simple Sides
Quick & Hearty Brain Food for Finals (who doesn't need this)
Special Occasions
Desserts & Drinks
Tips & Techniques

Plus in her introduction she explains how to use the cookbook, discussing substitutions and even has Recipe Icons listed for each recipe, so you know whether the recipe uses a microwave, one pot, meals in 5 minutes or less, meals that require no cooking, meals to go, and even vegetarian and vegan dishes.

Andrea doesn't miss a trick.  All 150 recipes come with special notes in addition to Servings, Prep Time and Cooking Time, leaving nothing to the imagination of the cook.

If your child will be going off to college in the fall, whether they'll be a freshman in a dorm or a senior in their own apartment, I highly recommend purchasing this for them.  If you have friends whose children are going off to school this will be a great gift to give.  At just $12.21 on Amazon, I Love Trader Joe's College Cookbook: 150 Cheap and Easy Gourmet Recipes will be the best gift they receive from anyone.  In fact, if you love Trader Joe's then get one for yourself too!  It's not just for college kids, this cookbook has incredible recipes that everyone will love.

Here are just a few of the recipes that I can't wait to try but go ahead and browse the cookbook for yourself:

Snacks & Nibbles: Stuffed Mushrooms, Sloppy Joe Nachos and Sweet Chili Wings

Soups: Mexican Tortilla Soup with Avocado and Tortilla Chips, Gazpacho

Pastas: Portabella Mushroom Ravioli

Main Meals:  Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa, Chicken Masala with Sweet Potatoes

Vegetarian Main Meals: Teriyaki Tofu with Baby Broccoli, Brie and Butternut Squash Quesadillas

Microwave Main Meals: Pad Thai, Beef Fajita with Guacamole and Pico De Gallo

The list  is endless.  There are so many great recipes from appetizers to desserts.  My daughter's cookbook should arrive at her apartment today.  I wonder which recipe she'll try first. 

It will be nice to know that now, when my daughter goes to Trader Joe's she'll have some fun, creative and delicious meals to put together with the items she purchases.

This is my 2-cents worth.  What do you think?

Farmer's Market Shopping Fun!

Yesterday I had a fun time going to the Dillion Farmer's Market here in Colorado where it was a cool and sunny 66 degrees.  The only drawback was that my daughter wasn't here to come with me.  The two of us typically go to all the farmer's markets in the area, sampling the various foods and goods from the numerous vendors all over the state of Colorado.  Since she's attending summer school this summer she couldn't join me.

So to make the trip more entertaining I decided to bring my camera and take some photos of those food vendors that I liked best.  There were booths with a large assortment of food, from jams to smoked salmon, jewelry, clothing, silver platters, homemade soaps and the list goes on.  However, since I write a food blog, that's where my focus was.  Although all the vendors had wonderful items to share these were some of my favorites.

Jumpin Good Goat Dairy

Award winning handmade artisan farmstead goat cheeses that are incredibly smooth and mellow tasting.  Each one with it's own unique flavor that you don't want to miss. 

With over 360 goats that roam freely on over 46 acres in the Bueno Vista Mountains of Colorado, Jumpin Good Goat Dairy knows exactly what's it's doing when it comes to making the best goat cheese. 

Check out their catalog to view all their goat cheese varieties.  All I can say is WOW!  If you love goat cheese you'll adore Jumpin Good Goat Dairy cheeses!

Next up was Minnie Beasley's Handmade Almond Lace Cookies.

Oh my heavens, these were so buttery and light.  I could have eaten the entire tin but, of course I had to share it with my family, and better that I did, otherwise my waistline would not be happy.

Minnie Beasley's Almond Lace Cookies come in two flavors, Almond Lace and Double Chocolate and even Gluten Free!  These tasted so sensational that now I want to learn to make them.  Of course, I'm sure I won't get close to their recipe.  Plus, when all you need to do is order these perfect little lace treats in either a tin or a bag online, why bother trying to create your own.  

Don't forget to check out their specials! 

This is Bonnie & Carole of Grammys Jam. 

These two ladies were so nice and had some delightful homemade jams and marmalades.  Of course, you remember I just blogged about making jam in my previous post.  Since I've never attempted canning before, they handed me a beginners guide to canning and recipe booklet, to get me going.  I can't wait to try it! Plus, through the Ball Corporation, you can even purchase a canning kit along with tips for Fresh Preserving.  Check out this video on canning, it looks so simple. I'm definitely going to order this kit.  I love learning and mastering new kitchen techniques!  When I do, I'll be certain to share them with you.

Before I left Bonnie and Carole's booth I purchased a jar of their Strawberry Banana Jam just for my hubby.  You know how he loves Strawberry Jam.

Bonnie and Carole don't have a website yet, but you can contact them at their Minturn, Colorado location @ 970.827.5684 to get a list of all their homemade jams and marmalade's.

This is Jessica of jajaBelle's Homemade Greek Pastries.  Jessica was very eager to share with me the greek pastries her grandma YiaYia taught her to make. 

I sampled Baklava (layers of walnuts, phyllo, butter and covered with grandma YiaYia's homemade syrup).

Kourambietes ( a butter cookie but not like one you've ever tasted before)

Finikia (a date nut filled cookie, dipped in syrup and rolled in walnuts)

Spanakopita (spinach, feta and butter, wrapped in phyllo)

Although I just tasted small bites of each of these, they were fantastic and not too sweet - just right.  In fact, Goldilocks would have loved them all just as I did.

Click here to learn more about jajaBelle's.

My final stop was at Chef Neuhold's booth.  He makes smoked fish in addition to dips and soups.  I tried a sample of the Smoked Salmon that was delightful.  I grew up eating smoked salmon but what I loved about his, is the fact that it's not too salty or too smoky.  I could eat this alone, in a salad, on a bagel with cream cheese, in pasta or whatever else you can think of. 

Check here for a list of products he makes and recipes!

In spite of the fact that my daughter wasn't with me I had a very enjoyable day.  Spending the time like I did, talking with the vendors and learning about what they do, made it a far different experience than I'd had before.

As I mentioned, there were many more vendors at the Dillion Farmer's Market each having unique and wonderful items to sell.  Yet these "foodie booths" were the ones that captured my attention most.

Please check out their websites or give them a call.  It's always nice to support the local vendors in the area or wherever you may live.

Which farmer's market is your favorite to go to and why?  Maybe next time we're in that area we can check it out.

To find a Farmer's Market near you, click here.

Strawberry Balsamic Jam and Peach Crostata!

There's nothing as simple as making a crostata.  This italian rustic freeform dessert is perfect anytime of the year.  If company is coming over and you want to prepare an effortless yet delicious dessert to serve with coffee this is ideal.

While visiting the blog Scrambled Henfruit last week I happened the come across a recipe for Strawberry Jam with a Twist.  Of course I was intrigued, and when I viewed the recipe found that the twist was Balsamic Vinegar a favorite ingredient of mine, and a recipe Scrambled Henfruit found on the blog Savory Sweet Life. 

The world wide web is wonderful for sharing and finding recipes and ideas.  One recipe leads to another and before you know it your meeting total strangers that have the same interests as you do.  I love it!

Anyway, when I saw this recipe I knew I wanted to make it.  I've actually never attempted to make jam before but I had all the ingredients at hand since it didn't use any pectin. The National Center for Home Food Preservation has guidelines for cooking without pectin that you might find helpful. 

Since my husband goes through jars of Strawberry Jam I figured why not try this and if he likes it, then I'd have more fun making batches of Strawberry Balsamic Jam for him than purchasing jar after jar of the ready-made varieties.

The recipe made a small amount so it wasn't necessary to "can" it, which thrills me.  Since that would take a whole other lesson that I wasn't in the mood to tackle. However, uncanned jam will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.  Here's more information if you'd like to learn how to can jam.

Once I made the jam, I decided that I'd make a crostata using the Strawberry Balsamic Jam and the White Peaches that I had just purchased.  Together the two were a marriage made in heaven.  Warm out of the oven it was everything I had imagined and then some.  To say the least, it didn't last the day.

Strawberry Balsamic Jam and Peach Crostata
serves 6

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped strawberries
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 large peaches, cored and sliced into 1/4-inch slices

1 (9") premade Pillsbury pie crust
3 tablespoons sugar
water
1 tablespoons sugar

Directions:

Strawberry Balsamic Jam:

Combine strawberries, 1 cup of sugar and balsamic vinegar in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes until sauce is a honey-like consistency or 220 degrees on a candy thermometer.  (For altitudes other than sea level see this chart for guidelines).

Remove from heat and cool.  If desired you can run through a blender to puree once completely cooled.

Crostata:

Slice fruit and place in a bowl with 3 tablespoons of sugar.  Mix together and set aside while preparing the dough.

Place parchment or foil on a countertop and roll out one 9-inch premade Pillsbury pie crust to approximately 12-inches. Place all on a pizza pan or sheet pan.

Spread approximately 3 tablespoons of the jam over the surface of the dough as if spreading sauce onto a pizza, leaving a 2-inch border all the way around.

Add the sliced peaches to the top of the jam and carefully pull up the sides of the dough over the edges of the fruit.  Leave an opening in the middle. Be careful not to tear the sides of the dough or fruit juices will ooze out during cooking.

With a pastry brush, spread water over the top of the dough and then sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar.

Bake at 400 degrees for 50 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool at least 10 minutes.  Place on serving platter and serve slices warm or at room temperature.

Note:  You can make any type of crostata using your favorite ingredients.  Simply follow these guidelines and you're sure to have a perfect tasting crostata everytime.

Enjoy!

Here's the recipe for a Peach and Blueberry Crostata that I posted in a previous blog.

(For those of you that have been following my blog for awhile, what type of recipe would you like to see me post or what topics would you like me to discuss?  Your feedback is important to me).

Watermelon Lime Salsa!

Summer is the time to bring out all the fresh fruits and vegetables and create dishes that are refreshing and healthy.  Although we should do this all year, it appears that during the summer we think about it more.  Maybe because we're getting into our bathing suits or because the weather is warmer and heavy foods just don't sound appetizing.

At any rate, I wanted to grill some fish last night with a fresh salsa but unfortunately when I arrived at the grocery store where we are vacationing, in the mountains of Colorado, their selection was marginal.  So I opted for chicken breasts instead.

Since my husband is a maniac about watermelon, which is packed with lots of nutrition, I decided that I would make a Watermelon Salsa.  It sounded good to me so I figured I would use watermelon in place of the usual tomatoes and add other similar ingredients like the salsas I've made in the past.  I do that a lot, do you?

I wanted to make sure that the salsa was colorful so this is what I came up with.  It was so delicious that I almost ate the entire bowl.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to since my family ate the rest.  So much for leftovers!

Speaking of leftovers - a fresh salsa will last covered and refrigerated for only 5 days.  If you prepare a cooked salsa it will last up to 6 months in the refrigerater, covered.

Watermelon Lime Salsa
serves 4 (because you'll gobble it all up)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 -2 cups watermelon, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1/2 cucumber, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1 jalepeno pepper, seeded and minced (be careful not to touch your eyes or skin after removing the seeds.  It will burn severely)
2 green scallions, thinly sliced
2 limes, juice of both and zest of one lime
1 Tbsp. minced cilantro

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to chill and let the flavors meld together.

Serve with chicken, fish or alone as a side dish.  It's that good.

I love salsa recipes.  So if you have one that you love, I'd welcome you to share it with everyone in my comments section below.  Then I'll try it and post about it.

If you like watermelon like we do you might enjoy this link that shares a lot of watermelon recipes.

Also, here's my post for the Grilled Watermelon Salad with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Reduction in case you missed it.

Enjoy!

National Pina Colada Day!

Did you know that yesterday was National Pina Colada Day?  Well, I'm sure you're not alone, no one that I know knew except for me.  So in honor of the day I decided I'd whip something up.

If you read a recent post of mine for Coconut Encrusted Scallops with Banana Colada Sauce you'll know how much I love the stuff.

In fact, as a little girl my family would always go away for the Christmas Holidays to either Florida or Puerto Rico.  So every year we would have lots of virgin Pina Colada's.  I grew to love them so much and of course having spent quality time with my family (Mom, Dad, and two sisters) during the holidays and someplace tropical, I have very fond memories of Pina Colada's. 

When I finally reached the age of 21 I could have a juiced up Pina Colada but for some reason it just didn't do it for me.  I love what I grew up with and adding the Rum ruins it for me.  However, in the recipe that I'm going to share with you, feel free to add some Rum if you like.

Since it's summer I thought I'd make a Pina Colada Granita, which is a type of Italian dessert, similar to sorbet or frozen flavored ice.  The ingredients are simple and quick to put together.  I've just added a touch of lime which I think lends a special touch. 

I would suggest making this a day ahead of time to insure that it gets done in time for serving.  I'm on vacation and made it yesterday planning to have it ready by dinner time but whether it was the freezer where we're staying or the altitude it took longer than normal.

Follow these simple steps and guaranteed you'll be in Pina Colada and Granita heaven.  This cool refreshing treat is just what the doctor ordered on a hot summers day.  Oh and one other thing, you can use this technique to make any type of Granita that you desire.

Pina Colada Granita
serves 6

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups water
2/3 cups sugar
1 (13.66 oz.) can unsweetened coconut milk (2 cups)
1/2 cup pineapple juice
Juice and zest of 1 lime

Directions:

Make a simple syrup by adding the water and sugar in a saucepan, bring to a simmer and cook until the sugar dissolves. 

Remove the pan from the heat, allow to cool, and then stir in the coconut milk. 

Add the pineapple juice, lime juice and zest and blend.

Freeze Granita:

Pour the granita mixture into a wide and shallow container.  Cover with foil and freeze for 1-2 hours until the edges are frozen. 

Take container out of the freezer and scrape the ice with a fork as though you were shredding it. 

At this point you will only be able to do the edges since the center will still be gushy.  Place back into the freezer and continue to repeat this method every half hour to an hour until the entire mixture has frozen and you have been able to scrape it into tiny ice crystals creating your Granita.

Serve in a fancy glass with a slice of lime and if desired add a splash of rum.  YUM!!!

Enjoy!

Here are some links to other Pina Colada recipes that you might like to try:
http://in-homeculinaryclasses.blogspot.com/2011/06/coconut-encrusted-scallops-with-banana.html

http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2011/02/pina-colada-cupcakes.html

http://www.cherryteacakes.com/2010/05/pina-colada-donuts.html

BBQ Salmon with Pineapple

Before coming out to Colorado I stopped in at my local grocery store, Schnucks, to pick up a few things.  While there they have a stand called "Schnucks Cooks" where they share a recipe that they've created and offer samples to all the shoppers.

On that particular day they had Sweet and Sour Meatballs.  I love meatballs and although I try not to indulge too often in meat, I am always eager to see what new recipes they've come up with.  Well the meatballs were delicious, in fact, I wish I could have had another but, didn't want to sound like a hog, especially since they are offering samples to everyone.

So the other night I decided to make salmon for dinner.  My daughter suggested I BBQ the salmon just like she and my husband had out to dinner a few weeks before.  Of course, whenever I can, I'll BBQ fish just so I don't have any residual odors left in my house.  There's nothing worse than walking into a house that stinks like fish.  Wouldn't you agree?

Anyway, I remembered the Sweet and Sour Meatballs at Schnucks and thought that the combination of sauces they used would be great for salmon.

I went to the store to get my ingredients and indeed it was superb!  It's simply an equal blend of BBQ sauce and Apricot Preserves that you combine together and spread over the salmon.  I mean how easy is that?

If you wanted to change it up I think an Orange Marmalade would also be delicious or even Raspberry Preserves.  If you wanted to add even more flavor, although it's not necessary, add some butter and heat all three ingredients up in a saucepan and spoon over the salmon and grill, pouring some additional sauce over the salmon once cooked.

In addition, my daughter asked if I'd grill the pineapple that I had purchased which gets it nice and caramelized.  Following her wishes I ended up with a beautiful and healthy plate of food to serve to everyone.

There's nothing like a well balanced meal.  When the meal is over you're completely nourished and don't find yourself running to the refrigerator or cupboard to find something else to fill your belly.

Here's my recipe.  I hope you like it.  It couldn't be more simple and luscious, and pretty enough to serve to guests.

BBQ Salmon with Pineapple
serves 4

Ingredients:

4 (8 oz.) pieces of Salmon filets
1/3 cup BBQ Sauce (whatever you like or have on hand)
1/3 cup Apricot Preserves
1 fresh Pineapple, sliced into strips, core removed

Directions:

• Fire up the grill or turn on the gas grill to preheat. 
• Blend the bbq sauce and preserves together, combining well.
• Slice the top and bottom off the pineapple.  Carefully slice the skin off, slicing down from top to bottom.  Go around until all skin is removed.  Cut pineapple in half vertically, then slice each of those pieces in 1/2 and remove the core.  Continue to slice each section into 3 strips for a total of 12 strips. You can also slice the pineapple in rounds.  Here's a pictorial demonstration.
• Place the pineapple strips on the grill
• Add the Salmon with the skin on (no need to flip the salmon and with the skin on it's easy to remove it from the grates), skin side down.
• Slather the sauce over each piece of salmon, close the lid on the grill and cook for about 8 minutes on medium heat.
• After about 4 minutes open the grill and turn over each strip of pineapple.  Continue to grill until the salmon is cooked, for about 8 minutes total.
• With a metal spatula, place the edge between the bottom of the meat of the salmon and the top of the skin.  Gently glide your spatula under the salmon releasing it from the skin, remove it placing it onto a platter.
• Remove pineapple slices

To plate:

• Lay 3 strips of pineapple onto the plate
• set salmon on top of pineapple and pour additional sauce over the fish

Simple, healthy, delicious and beautiful!

Enjoy!

Grilled Watermelon Salad with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Reduction

There's nothing better than watermelon in the summer.  Whether having it as a side dish, dessert, watermelon gazpacho or salad, it's refreshing and light.  

This sweet, juicy watermelon is actually packed with some of the most important antioxidants in nature.  An excellent source of vitamin C and a very good source of vitamin A  it's so refreshing and light, I could literally sit down and eat and entire bowl and not feel stuffed.  This is probably due to the fact that's it's packed with 92% water, making it an extremely thirst-quenching fruit. Plus, it has a good concentration of lycopene, it's rich in B vitamins necessary for energy production and magnesium and potassium. And at only 48 calories per cup, it packs more nutrients per calorie - an outstanding health benefit!

Of course, all this helps to know when I eat buckets full.  However, I eat it mostly because I just love it and it's so refreshing and satisfying. 

So last night I decided to make BBQ Salmon with a Grilled Watermelon Salad with Goat Cheese, and a Balsamic Reduction.  Since I had some pineapple I decided to add that to the grill as well and set that under my salmon for a light and luscious meal. 

The Watermelon Salad was so delicious that I thought I'd share the recipe with you.  For my next post I'll share my salmon dish that I think you'll enjoy as well.  All are so simple to prepare in addition to being healthy and delicious!

In the recipe below, adjust the amount of watermelon needed for the amount of people you're serving.


Grilled Watermelon Salad with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Reduction

Ingredients:

Watermelon (seedless)
Spring Mix lettuce or Arugula
Balsamic Vinegar
Olive Oil
Goat Cheese, crumbled

Directions:

For each serving cut 2 rectangular pieces of watermelon (about 3"x2") and set out on a paper towel for approximately 30 minutes.  This will absorb the extra water in the melon and allow it to get to room temperature before grilling.

Prior to grilling rub just one side of each piece of watermelon with olive oil.  Place each piece, oil side down, onto a very hot grill.   Grill just the one side for about 8 minutes.  After about 4 minutes you can rotate the watermelon to create hatch marks, if desired.

Place one piece grill side down on a plate.  Top with Spring Mix or Arugula.  Then place the other grilled piece of watermelon with the grill marks facing up on top of the Spring Mix. Set a couple pieces of the Spring Mix on top with some goat cheese crumbles.  Additionally, sprinkle some of the goat cheese around the plate and drizzle with the balsamic reduction.  (My balsamic reduction moved a bit as I moved my plate to the outdoors for photo taking).

Balsamic Reduction:

Take one bottle of balsamic vinegar and place in a heavy duty saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and reduce until just 1/4 of the vinegar is remaining in the pan.  It will be thick and sweet.  Perfect for salads, ice cream on fruit, etc.  Cool before serving. 

Store in a squirt bottle for easy serving.  Will last indefinitely.

Serve and enjoy this light, delicious and refreshing salad!

Have a Happy & Safe 4th of July!