CategoriesAppetizers Sides
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Cinnamon Pear Balsamic Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Cinnamon Pear Balsamic Roasted Sweet Potatoes

The cinnamon pear balsamic roasted sweet potatoes have a unique depth of flavor. You may make these with the potato skins peeled or unpeeled. If you decide to go the unpeeled route, we recommend using new sweet potatoes. Enjoy as part of the meal or as a snack!

What you’ll need:

4 Medium Sweet Potatoes, cut into wedges, peeled or unpeeled

1/3 Cup Cinnamon Pear Balsamic

2 Tablespoons Butter Olive Oil

1 Teaspoon Sea Salt

Here’s how:

Heat oven to 400° F. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of a large sheet pan. Whisk together the Cinnamon Pear Balsamic and Butter Olive Oil until emulsified. In a large bowl, mix the sweet potatoes with the olive oil and balsamic mixture until the potatoes are well coated. Arrange the potatoes on the parchment paper-lined pan in a single layer. If the sweet potato wedges are unpeeled, lay the potatoes with the unpeeled side down. Sprinkle with sea salt and roast for 45 – 50 minutes until tender and the balsamic glaze has caramelized.

 

CategoriesAppetizers Bread
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Olive Oil Bread Dip

Olive Oil Bread Dip

No one can deny the heart-healthy benefits of consuming a good quality olive, and why not make it more delicious with this olive oil bread dip. Anyone can make this restaurant-style olive oil bread dip which is great for entertaining or just for yourself. It’s so good and super easy to make. You can add more garlic for a garlicky bread dip or add more of your favorite herbs. It’s hard to go wrong on this one! You can even use a different infused olive oil instead of the suggested garlic olive oil. Perhaps try it with our Chipotle Olive Oil for a slightly smokey spicy flavor or even our popular Tuscan Herb Olive oil. To make it Dairy-free, you only need to withhold the Parmesan, and it’s still very flavorful. 

What you’ll need:

1 Garlic clove, minced

2 Tablespoons capers, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 Teaspoon dried or chopped fresh thyme

2 Teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

3 Tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Fresh ground pepper and salt, to taste

1/2 cup So Olive UP Extra Virgin Olive Oil or So Olive Garlic Olive Oil

Here’s how:

Add to small bowl garlic, capers, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and grated cheese. Press and mix the ingredients and place the herb mixture on a dipping plate. Drizzle the olive oil on top. Add salt and pepper to taste. For a spicy olive oil bread dip, add crushed red pepper flakes. Serve with your favorite crusty bread. Enjoy!

CategoriesAppetizers Salads
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Valentine’s Caprese Salad

Here is a cute Valentine’s Day take on Caprese Salad. You will need a small heart shaped cookie cutter to cut out the fresh mozzarella.

What you’ll need:

1/2 lb. to 1 lb. of fresh mozzarella

Tomatoes on the Vine

Pesto sauce

Tradtional Balsamic Vinegar

Fresh basil, sliced

Here’s how:

Slice the tomatoes and lay them in a single layer on a plate. Slice the mozzarella. Then press a heart shaped cookie cutter on to each mozzarella slice. Take the heart slices and lay them on top of each tomato slice. Scoop about a teaspoon of pesto sauce on top of each mozzarella heart. Drizzle the Traditional Balsamic over the entire salad. Then add the fresh basil.

CategoriesAppetizers
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Roasted Red Pepper Feta Dip

This roasted red pepper feta dip is quick and easy to whip up especially when you are short on time. Great for any party or gathering. The Harissa Olive Oil gives this dip a nice kick. Enjoy with crackers, bread or fresh cut veggies.

What you’ll need:

8 oz. package of fresh feta cheese

2 whole roasted red peppers

2 – 3 tablespoons of mild or medium Single Varietal Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 – 3 tablespoons Harissa Olive Oil (depends on how spicy you want it)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Here’s how:

Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Pour into a small

serving bowl. Garnish with paprika. It’s now ready to be served!

CategoriesAppetizers
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Baked Feta Tomato Medley

The baked feta and tomato medley is a fantastic summer dish because it’s a great way to show off the numerous tomato varieties available in the summer. Not only that, it’s a carefree recipe that anyone can make. Rosemary and thyme give it a nice earthy rustic flavor, and a robust extra virgin olive oil help to bring out the flavors. Use any tomato variety; whether it’s from your garden, local farmer’s market, or even the grocery store, it does not matter. You can add more herbs, use less garlic, add more olives, whatever inspires you.

What you’ll need:

1 lb. block of feta, sheep’s milk recommended

6 cups of tomatoes, multiple variety

1/2 cup of green olives, non-oil cured, cut in half

Cloves of one garlic, peeled

3 tablespoons Robust Intensity Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for drizzling

2 tablespoons Traditional Balsamic

3 – 4 rosemary sprigs

5 – 6 fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon sea salt or to taste

Fresh ground pepper

Here’s how:

Preheat oven to 375°.

Cut feta in 1/4 inch slices and lay on large baking sheet, leaving about an inch space between each slice. Slice smaller tomatoes in half, quarter the larger tomatoes, and place in a large bowl. Add olives and garlic cloves to the tomatoes. Remove and roughly chop the leaves from the rosemary and remove thyme leaves by sliding leaves down the stem. Then add rosemary and thyme to the bowl. Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix all the ingredients until well combined. Add the tomato mixture in between and on top of the feta allowing a portion of the feta to remain uncovered.

Place in preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes. It’s done when feta is slightly golden brown on top. Drizzle on some more olive oil and enjoy with a fresh loaf of crusty Italian bread!

Find this recipe on Pinterest!

CategoriesAppetizers
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Avocado Mango Salsa

It’s nice that we have warmer weather and that means an abundance of fresh produce. So I will be featuring plenty of recipes from summer’s harvests. I love to make my own salsa and experiment with different veggies and flavors. I find no need to by salsa in a jar unless I’m absolutely feeling lazy or prohibited with time.

I had some avocado that I needed to quickly use before turning brown. Hence the small brown spots around the edges. 🙂 What I also like about combining mango and avocado is that mango prevents avocado from oxidizing, adding lemon juice is not needed.

I’ve made this avocado mango salsa with Baklouti Green Chili extra virgin olive oil. It truly tastes like fresh chopped peppers so there really isn’t any need to chop any and it’s spicy. Baklouti peppers are grown in Tunisia, and the olive oil is made by pressing these spicy peppers together with early harvest Chemlali olives. The sweet mango and creamy avocado adds a nice balance to the heat that permeates throughout the salsa.This salsa can easily be doubled.

What you’ll need:

2 ripe avocados

1 mango

1/2 small red onion

1 cup grape tomatoes

1/2 cup black beans

2 Tbsp cilantro

1 Tbsp So Olive Baklouti Green Chili Olive Oil

1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste

Here’s how:

1. Peel and dice the avocado and mango. Dice the red onion very fine. Quarter the grape tomatoes. Chop the cilantro.

2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

3. Drizzle the Baklouti chili olive oil over the ingredients. Then sprinkle with salt. Gently mix the ingredients together (I use my hands).

4. Taste. You may add more salt if needed.

5. Serve with tortilla chips.

(Originally published May 18th)