Antipasto Kabobs and a Giveaway Winner

UPDATE:
The winner has been selected! Random.org picked comment number 26: 

mindomatter76 said...

I "like" Early California on Facebook.

Liberty Boblett

Congrats! Please email me momwhatsfordinner@yahoo.com with your address so you can receive your kit!

Time for more picnic ideas. For us they are Sailboat meals. Whenever we go out on the sailboat, I have a full days work ahead of me to stock our boat with easy serve meals. The less utensils and dishes the better. It is the same for beach trips and pool trips. Our Summer is jam packed with all of the above so I have been working hard to come up with creative offerings for my family and guests. 

I was so happy and grateful to receive a package in the mail from the The Musco Family Olive Co. the leading supplier of olives in America. They are a California-based producer of Early California and Pearls brand olives. Olives are a great-tasting, all-natural and healthy snack for kids OR adults, and are gluten-free, kosher and vegan. If you want to learn about their farm to table process visit their website here. Look at this nice package they sent me! I was so excited!

I absolutely love all these olives. Funny random fact about myself... I had never tried a green olive until today. I don't know why, I just never had. Well, now that I have, I discovered I love them and will be using a lot of them from now on. I left a small bowl out on the counter as I cooked today and ended up eating all of them. Some of the olives I was sent are low salt, which help people who have to watch their sodium (which is becoming a  big issue in health since most packaged food is loaded with sodium). And they don't taste any different from regular olives. I loved these olives so much I am hosting a giveaway for this kit. Winner will be shipped the same kit as shown above directly from Musco Family Olive Co.

GIVEAWAY:  ( Giveaway open to US residents only)

So who wants to win a new olive kit from  Musco Family Olive Co? Here are the ways to enter, each option is one entry. Giveaway will end June 26th at midnight and the winner will be randomly picked at random.org. So please leave a comment ON THIS BLOG after each entry so that you have more chances of winning. 

1. "like" Early California and Pearls on Facebook: facebook.com/EarlyCaliforniaOlives and facebook.com/PearlsOlives. and leave a comment below on this blog post telling me that you did. 

2. Like Momwhatsfordinner on facebook and leave a comment below on this blog post telling me that you did.

3. Leave a comment below telling me what you like about olives and how you enjoy them.

4. Follow Me on Pinterest and  leave a comment below on this blog post telling me that you did.

Now time for a great picnic meal that is fast, easy, and uses a lot of olives. 

Antipasto Kabobs

Adapted From: The Hungry Housewife

8 ounces fresh mozzarella ciniegine

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme

1/2  teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

1/2  teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1/2 can Medium or Large pitted Black Olives

1/2 5.75 oz jar Green Olives

15 slices of Salami

15 pieces of pepperoni

Cherry Tomatoes

bamboo skewers

To flavor cheese: Combine oil, herbs, red-pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Drizzle over mozzarella. Let stand for at least 20 minutes (or up to 1 hour). 

        Prep your ingredients.

Place each item onto the skewer using the pointy side.

Can be made a few hours ahead and placed in the refrigerator covered.

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Watermelon Appetizer

  I saw a post a while back from Yummy Mummy that I instantly fell in love with. The perfect blend of sweet and savory. This is going to be a regular dish this summer! Naturally gluten free and so YUMMY!

Gluten Free Watermelon Appetizer

adapted from Yummy Mummy

Watermelon

Basil

Feta

Balsamic Vinegar

Add 4 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar to a small saucepan and simmer until it is reduced by half.

Slice your watermelon into cubes, slice a small amount of feta cheese, prepare fresh basil leaves. Put together on appetizer skewers and serve with a few drops of the balsamic reduction. 

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Roasted Garlic Gluten Free Pasta Salad

What do you think of when you think of Summer? I think of sweet smelling Citrus Trees, Walks along the beach, Spending more time wet than dry, sailing for days on end, Ice cold refreshing drinks, and picnic dishes. Pasta salad served cold is definitely a staple this time of year. Here is a nice recipe for you to enjoy on a hot summer day!

Gluten Free Roasted Garlic, Olive and Tomato Pasta Salad

adapted from The Kitchn

2 heads of Roasted Garlic (how to roast garlic recipe below)

1 12 ounce bag of Mrs. Leepers Rice Vegetable Twists Pasta (or other gf pasta)

Olive oil

1 cup whole milk ricotta

1 cup plain greek yogurt

1 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp freshly grated pepper

4 roma tomatoes, diced

1 cup sliced black or green olives (I used both)

1/4 cup finely minced fresh cut basil

If you do not have a garlic roaster then you need to know how to roast garlic. 

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Peel away the outer layers of the garlic bulb skin, leaving the skins of the individual cloves intact. Using a knife, cut off 1/4 to a 1/2 inch of the top of cloves, exposing the individual cloves of garlic.

Place the garlic heads in a baking pan; muffin pans work well for this purpose. Drizzle a couple teaspoons of olive oil over each head, using your fingers to make sure the garlic head is well coated. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 400°F for 30-35 minutes, or until the cloves feel soft when pressed.

Cook the pasta according to directions. Drain, drizzle with a little olive oil, and let cool for a little while. Whisk the ricotta and yogurt together until lightened and smooth, and add in all of the roasted garlic - squeezing the soft garlic out of each clove. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour the ricotta mixture over the pasta and add the tomatoes, olives, and basil. Toss to coat. Serve slightly warm or chilled.

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Gluten Free Pork-and-Cabbage Pot Stickers

One of my favorite things to order out is Potstickers. It got me wanting to make a gluten free version of this yummy dish at home. The problem being that there a no gluten free pot sticker wrappers out there that I know of. So instead I used Rice Spring Roll Wrappers that are naturally gluten free, and they worked great! I will be making a lot more potstickers now! I got the thumbs up from everyone. 

Gluten Free Pork-and-Cabbage Pot Stickers 

7 tablespoons Canola Oil

6 cups thinly sliced cabbage

1 3/4 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided

2 cups thinly sliced Vidalia onion

1/2 cup chopped fresh chives (about 1 bunch)

1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions (about 4 scallions), plus more for garnish

2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic (about 6 cloves)

1 1/2 pounds ground pork

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, plus more for garnish

1/4 cup sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided

1/2 cup gluten free soy sauce -or- braggs amino acids

1/2 cup rice vinegar

Spring Rolls Skin ( gluten free rice paper rolls)

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large saute pan or wok over high heat. Saute cabbage, and pork, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and transfer to a large bowl. Heat another tablespoon vegetable oil, and saute onion, stirring occasionally, until just softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, add to bowl with cabbage, and let cool 5 minutes. 

Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in pan over medium heat, and saute chives until just tender, about 1 minute. Transfer to chopped cabbage mixture, and let cool. Stir in scallions, garlic, pork, sesame seeds, sesame oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

For the dipping sauce: Stir together soy sauce, vinegar, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl; set dipping sauce aside.

Working with 1 wrapper at a time, put in warm water until softened (usually 30 seconds) 

Lay out flat and put 4 scoop fulls of the meat mixture. 

Then top with another softened rice paper sheet. Slice into 4 servings, and set aside until you are ready to fry them.

Repeat until all filling is used. 

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil until shimmering, and sear dumplings until browned, about 1 minute per side.  Serve potstickers with dipping sauce.

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