Cooking Made Easy by The Fresh Market + Watermelon Salad Recipe

Brooke and Harlow preparing to make a salad in their kitchen

This post is sponsored by The Fresh Market. Thank you for supporting the brands that support The Tony Townie!

Just like any other kid growing up, I wasn't always too keen on going to the grocery store with my mom...unless we were going to The Fresh Market. Everything about it was different, in a good way. It smelled like coffee, chocolate, and freshly baked bread. It had tiny coffees that were especially novel to a young girl. I wasn't allowed to drink them for a long time -- a kid on pure caffeine is nothing to be trifled with, I now understand -- but I always asked if I could make one for my mom. And let's not forget the coolest thing of all -- the gigantic candy section! I remember thinking it was the closest I'd ever get to Willy Wonka's factory o' dreams.

I'm much older now, but I still shop at The Fresh Market for those same reasons along with a handful of others I've grown to appreciate as a busy mom. For one, I enjoy the atmosphere. It's calm, well-organized, and actually inspires me to cook instead of dreading it. When I'm strapped on time, I can always find a ready-made meal that still feels like a nice dinner when I sit down with my family.

Arugula, alfalfa sprouts, lemon, and truffle oil

Brooke Williams preparing to make a salad with ingredients from The Fresh Market

Sliced watermelon and lemons sit a top a cutting board

Brooke Williams slices watermelon from The Fresh Market for a summer salad

Brooke Williams slices watermelon on a cutting board

If you've watched my Instagram Stories on how I cook, you know by now that convenience is everything for me when it comes to cooking. When you're cooking at home with a toddler on the loose, you better believe you're on the clock. The more time I spend slicing, shredding, dicing, or processing, the more likely I am to have a meltdown on my hands...which can often lead to a meltdown on the stove.

By purchasing pre-sliced and diced ingredients, I can enjoy more of the elevated recipes I otherwise wouldn't have the time to try. The Fresh Market strives to inspire their guests to "make everyday eating extraordinary" and that's how I feel when I shop with them. I trust the ingredients to be top-quality, and they've often taken care of most (or all) of the prep!

Brooke Williams juices a lemon on top of her summer Watermelon Salad

Watermelon, Arugula, and Asiago summer salad

Mom Brooke Wiliams hold daughter Harlow as they cook together in their kitchen

Blogger Brooke Williams dresses her summer salad with white truffle oil

Mom blogger Brooke Williams feeds her daughter a piece of watermelon

Blogger Brooke Williams shows the finished watermelon, arugula, and asiago salad in a white bowl

That's how I was able to whip together this amazing summer salad recipe shared with me by Corey Marino of Catering By Corey. Corey is one of Asheville's premier wedding and event caterers and I'll tell you that every plate she's ever served me I've licked clean LOL! Corey is a mom herself, so she's got a knack for creating fresh, innovative recipes that are easy for parents and enjoyable for kids. Scroll down to find a list of ingredients and directions to make this Watermelon, Asiago, and Arugula Salad yourself!

With how quickly this salad came together, I was able to spend more time snuggling with Harlow and hanging outside on the deck while Mike grilled the burgers. The Fresh Market grounds their beef fresh every day so of course we thought the perfect summery companion to our watermelon salad would be sliders! I love making sliders for our family because they're already the perfect size for Harlow and then I can have fun dressing them differently. I usually default to the classic American cheeseburger with mayo, lettuce, and tomato, but I also really love a swiss cheese and mushroom burger.

A plate of burger sliders sits next to a summer saald

Blogger Brooke Williams smiles at the camera as she tosses her watermelon salad

Brooke Williams pours a glass of wine to enjoy with dinner

Hydrangeas sit next to a summer spread of burgers and watermelon salad

Blogger Brooke Williams smiles as she gets ready to enjoy a summer dinner from The Fresh Market

Today, The Fresh Market is officially kicking off its refresh of our local Asheville and Hendersonville store, featuring expanded fresh food selections in the bakery and produce sections, as well as increased options for meal solutions. They've also added a Mind and Body department with products that support a healthy lifestyle, and to offer items valued by their customers all under one roof. They'll be having lots of awesome events to celebrate the occasion starting today at 11AM, like a free meal for a family of four to the first 50 guests! You'll also hear live bluegrass musicians playing from 11AM-3PM at each location. I'll be popping over to the South Asheville location later this morning -- hope to see you there!

For more information on The Fresh Market's local store refresh, and for a list of store events, you can click here.

Watermelon, Asiago, and Arugula Salad

Courtesy of Catering By Corey

Ingredients

2 cups Seedless Watermelon, Medium Dice

3/4 cup Asiago Cheese, Shaved

4 cups Baby Arugula

2 Tbls White Truffle Oil

1 Lemon, Juiced

Salt and Pepper, To Taste

Directions

Mix Watermelon, Asiago & Arugula together.

Season with Salt and Pepper.

Dress with White Truffle Oil and the juice of one lemon. Toss to combine.

Learn more about Chef Corey Marino and Catering by Corey here!

Thanks to The Fresh Market for partnering with me on this post. All opinions herein are mine and mine alone. And a big thank you to Corey Marino of Catering by Corey for sharing her original recipe here on The Tony Townie.