Homemade Croutons Recipe

I would love to find a package of croutons to buy in my local store that doesn't contain oils we can't eat, or corn products, or garlic, etc.  But unfortunately, I am out of luck with that, so I decided to make my own.  I buy a loaf of Swiss Peasant Bread every couple of weeks from Red Apple Market and keep it in the freezer, so I use this bread to make these crunchy, flavorful, delicious croutons. The trick to this recipe is the oven temperature and baking time, and the recipe just uses what you have on hand without any measurements, so feel free to experiment with different bread, spices, and oils you might like.  These croutons are great on Caesar Salads, as well as just to snack on.  This is how I make them:

Homemade Croutons Recipe

Olive oil
Salt
Dried rosemary spice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Chop into small cubes as much rustic, day-old or semi-stale bread that you have on hand for this recipe.  Add them to a medium mixing bowl, then drizzle a little olive oil over the bread cubes.  Next add a sprinkling of salt and a sprinkling of dried rosemary spice.  Use your hands to mix the bread, oil, salt and rosemary together.  Add another drizzle of oil over the bread cubes if it looks like it might need it (don't overdo the oil), and use your hands to mix it together again.  Pour out the bread cubes in a single layer onto one or two cookie sheets sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Bake them in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Let them cool completely before storing them in an airtight container in the pantry.

Zesty Garlic-free and Onion-free Italian-Style Salad Dressing Recipe

I have not been able to find a good zesty garlic-free and onion-free Italian-style salad dressing in the grocery store.  We eat salads with our supper a few times per week, so I was inspired to come up with my own recipe.  This salad dressing is now a family favorite and we really look forward to eating salads with our meals.

Zesty Garlic-free and Onion-free Italian-Style Salad Dressing Recipe

1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp dry ground mustard
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

In a large measuring cup or small bowl, add all of the ingredients and use a small whisk to mix it all together until well combined.  Pour the dressing into a jar with a lid, or a salad dressing bottle for storage.  Shake well before pouring.

Spicy Cucumber Salad Recipe (Vegan)

Richard introduced me to making a simple chopped cucumber salad with seasoned rice vinegar many, many years ago. We love it as a side dish with pizza. A little while ago I decided to add more flavors and texture to it and spice it up a bit by adding carrots and cilantro to the salad and hoisin sauce and chili paste to the dressing. This is now our favorite cucumber salad. The dressing is amazing! It's tangy, slightly sweet, and spicy all in one. The cilantro adds great flavor and the carrots add a great crunch. This is a great party appetizer, and goes wonderfully with pizza.

Spicy Cucumber Salad Recipe

1 medium to large cucumber
1 medium to large carrot
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves (about half a bunch)
1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp Sambal Oelek Ground Fresh Chili Paste
1 tsp Hoisin Sauce

Peel, de-seed, and chop the cucumber into bite-sized cubes. Peel and julienne the carrot into 1 inch matchstick-size pieces. Rough chop the chilantro leaves. Put the cucumber, carrot and cilantro into a mixing bowl. In a 1 cup measuring cup, add the seasoned rice vinegar, the Sambal Oelek and hoisin sauce. Use a small whisk to mix it all together. Pour it over the salad and mix gently with a spoon until all of the cucumbers and carrots have been mixed with the dressing. You can cover it with plastic wrap, refrigerate it and serve it later, or you can serve it right away. Serves 2 to 3 people as a side dish.

Tuna Salad Recipe (No Mayo)

We haven't had mayonnaise in our house in years due to Sam's egg sensitivity. All of the no-egg mayos have oils or starches in them that she also can't have. So I gave up, and we eat our turkey sandwiches with a little olive oil and salt, or occasionally cream cheese, on the bread. The one thing I missed pretty quickly when we cut out mayo was tuna fish sandwiches. So I came up with a flavorful dressing for the tuna that completely replaces mayo for me. This recipe is great for anyone with an egg sensitivity or allergy.

Tuna Salad Recipe

For the dressing:

1/4 tsp dry yellow mustard
1/4 tsp sugar
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

For the tuna:

1 can of chunk white tuna in water (5 oz.) - drained
1+ tbsp finely diced Mexican style hot chile peppers (optional)
1+ tbsp finely diced dill pickle (optional)

In a small bowl add the dry ingredients for the dressing and mix them together. Add the oil and vinegar and whisk it together until it is well combined.

Drain the tuna and put it in a bowl. Finely dice a few small hot chile peppers and a small dill pickle, or use whatever you want for a little crunch and flavor like celery or onions, and add them to the tuna.

Pour the dressing over the tuna mixture and stir it all together. You can eat the tuna salad by itself over some lettuce, or put it in a sandwich. Serves 1 to 2 people.

Balsamic Salad Dressing Recipe

Since I don't eat soybean oil, garlic, or onions, I've had a hard time finding a salad dressing I can purchase in a store. I love balsamic vinegar, and decided to make my own balsamic dressing to use on salads or as a marinade.

Balsamic Salad Dressing Recipe

2 tsp dry ground mustard
1-1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt

1 cup safflower oil
2 tbsp + 2 tsp good balsamic vinegar

In a large measuring cup or small bowl, add all of the ingredients and use a small whisk to mix it all together until well combined. Pour the dressing into a jar with a lid, or a salad dressing bottle for storage. Shake well before pouring.