Caprese Stuffed Balsamic Chicken

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts, Salt and pepper to taste; 1 teaspoon each of dried oregano and dried basil
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (Flavor infused or not)
1/4 cup sun dried tomato strips in oil–4 mozzarella cheese slices (or cheese of choice); 1-4 cloves garlic minced
3-5 Basil leaves -1/3 cup balsamic vinegar (such as Pomegranate, Blackberry Ginger, Black Cherry); ¼ cup of Local Raw Honey or try our SABA!!! On Sale 30 % Off to get you guys to try it. Details on this small batch artisanal Balsamic on our Fusti tag!!!!
Instructions:
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut a pocket about 3/4 quarter of the way through on the thickest side of each breast, being careful not to cut all the way.
  • Season chicken with salt, pepper, and dried herbs. Pour 1 teaspoon of olive oil over each breast, rubbing some of the seasoning inside the pockets.
  • Fill each with 2 slices fresh tomato, 2 teaspoons sun dried tomato strips, one slice mozzarella cheese and basil leaves.
  • Seal with 3-4 toothpicks diagonally to keep the filling inside while cooking.
  • Heat 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil in a skillet or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and fry for 2 minutes on each side until golden.  While the chicken is cooking, mix together the garlic, honey & balsamic vinegar.  Pour the mixture into the pan around the chicken; bring to a simmer while stirring occasionally, until the glaze has slightly thickened (about 2-3 minutes).
  • Transfer pan to the preheated oven and continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese has melted.  Remove toothpicks and drizzle with pan juices.

 

         

Cheesy Chicken Tender Casserole

 

Calls for the same recipe as Green Bean casserole at the Holidays, but, add broccoli, green beans, carrots, peppers, onions & lots of Cheese!!
(Hack #1 after drizzling with EVOO, toast your diced chicken tenders first and top them on the casserole with minimal incorporation into the sauce). Bake at °375 30-40 min.
Fun way to get the kids to eat their veggies!!

Flank Steak with Koroneki EVOO

40 min instapot dinner for four: Rub down a Flank steak w/ Koroneki EVOO, then a Steak seasoning rub (both sides); add a little Espresso balsamic after poking a few times & let it marinate while quartering all your root veggies: Sweet potatoes, onion, 4 garlic cloves, potatoes, carrots & yellow golden beets.
Add in 1/2 cup beef broth & 1/2 cup red wine (pinot noir), steak, onions & garlic into your instapot & put on meat setting 20 min. After you let off the steam, add in all your seasoned root veggies (tossed with salt, pepper, paprika & butter OO). Re-set your instapot for the meat setting one more time, but reduce time to 20 min.
Plate, garnish & enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

Trying our hand at spaghetti squash to avoid some of those wonderful pasta carbs.
Attached are deconstructed photos using our smokey Chipotle OO & building it up like You would a layered lasagna (e.g. marinara sauce, crushed tomatoes, onions & herbs, lemon infused ricotta (lemon OO), pepperoni, salami, soppressata, aged cheddars & parmesan reggiano cheeses.
Include in the baking dish all your unused pantry staples (leftover Brussels sprouts, Asparagus & Peppers); drizzle w/OO of choice, salt & pepper to taste;
Cut the spaghetti squash in half, scrap out the seeds & excess fibers (the guts); bake on 400° for 15min. Let cool & scrap all around the insides. Viola spaghetti! Bake on 400° for 15-20 min until cheeses bubbly!

Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

After marinating 1/2 the day, we are ready for Bacon wrapped pork tenderloin roasting in the oven for 35-40 min. on 375°Hint:
* marinating in Evoo & Balsamic vinegar cuts the time down by 8-10 min.* here we used Rosemary OO, Lemon & Neapolitan balsamic with Italian herbs. Add in your root veggies: potatoes, onions carrots, golden beets & celery! Let them all cook in their own juices! If you do bread, perfect time to dip! Yummy!!

Best Collards in the South

Ingredients:
6 batches of collards, de-stemmed and hand pulled- not chopped (makes approx. 2- ¾ gallon size freezer bags); not enough..
Pack 3 batches down (because you have three more to go)
Smoked Turkey wings in the meat section. Use one drum or two wings. Place at the bottom with the chicken broth
Chicken broth in the box low sodium ½ cup per batch; unless you have homemade broth (better)
All the following ingredients are on top: Seasonello sea-salt w/herbs (2 heavy dashes)
2 tablespoons Garlic OO
Same 25 yr. Aged Sherry vinegar
2 grinds of Peppercorns
Top off each serving with a balsamic vinegar of choice or a spicy EVOO👌
Instapot setting for “meat” 45 min. turn off & Let it rest in the pot 15 min.(steam releases on its own).

Rachel’s Smoked Salmon Nicoise Salad

3 cups organic baby spinach
1 small head of organic romaine, trimmed, leaves left whole
4 large eggs, hard boiled, cooled, peeled, halved
1 English or hot house cucumber
2 large heirloom tomatoes cut into large slices (or 2 cups cherry tomatoes)
1/2 pound washed, trimmed fresh green beans, par boiled and cooled
2 pounds new potatoes boiled in salt water until just fork tender, and cooled
2 teaspoons capers
1/2 small red onion sliced thinly (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup lemon stuffed manzanilla olives
fresh chopped Italian parsley leaves for garnish (optional)
fresh ground pepper to taste

1 pound of cooked and cooled meat/protein of choice such as smoked, poached or grilled salmon, poached or grilled chicken, grilled steak, seared tuna, fried or baked tofu, etc. (there are no wrong answers here)

Dressing

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon grainy mustard
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 anchovy fillet (optional)
2 medium garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup of UP or infused olive oil of choice (I used Hojiblanca here but dill, garlic, lemon, orange, lime, picual, etc. would all be great here)

Add the vinegar, lemon juice, anchovy fillet, mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, and cheese to the jar of a blender or food processor bowl. Pulse to combine well. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil until thickened.

Assembly

In a large bowl, toss the cooked and cooled baby potatoes with two tablespoons of the dressing. On a large platter just before serving, arrange a bed of baby spinach topped with the whole Romaine lettuce leaves. Arrange the various components around the platter with the meat, fish or protein showcased in the center. Add a grind of fresh black pepper and serve the platter with the dressing on the side.

Serves 6 as a meal or up to 10 as a starter.

Israeli Couscous (Lemony Pearls)

Wow what a great Saturday (even with the deluge of rainfall). Thank you “Devoted Tasters”. Have a nice Sunday everyone.
Israeli Couscous (Lemony Pearls)
1 tablespoon of butter olive oil1 shallot and the zest of half a lemon;Over medium heat, let the butter olive oil get infused with the flavors of the shallot and the lemon zest. Give this about 3 minutes.  You are sweating the aromatics not browning them.
Throw  in a cup of your Israel couscous and toss everything together, ensuring your couscous is covered by the shallot and butter mixture.  Using our Seasonello herb infused Sea Salt & pepper to taste, toast the Couscous for about 2 minutes;
Pour in 1 and 1/4 cups of chicken broth or stock. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Optional: add parmesan cheese & chives. Great as a side or the next day, toss with assorted vegetables, nut crumbs (spicy, Italian or coconut curry) & raisins.

OPEN FACE BUTTERED ENGLISH MUFFIN CRAB CAKES

Ingredients:
For the Crab Cakes
1 large egg
2-1/2 teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil. (2 Tuscan and ½ Blood Orange)
1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
1/4 teaspoon pepper & garlic powder or 2 garlic cloves
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons finely chopped onion & celery
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 pound lump crab meat (16 oz. cup)
½ stick of herbed cream cheese
¼ cup panko bread crumbs
Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking

Instructions:
For the Crab Cakes
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Combine the egg, extra virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, Old Bay, pepper, garlic, onion, celery, and parsley in a large bowl and mix well. Add the crab meat (be sure to check the meat for any hard and sharp cartilage) and panko; gently fold mixture together until just combined, being careful not to shred the crab meat. Shape into 9 crab cakes (about ½ cup each or a flattened golf ball size) and place on prepared baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 min.

Preheat a large nonstick pan to medium heat and coat with extra virgin olive oil. When oil is med/hot, place crab cakes in pan and cook until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes per side. Serve immediately with tomatoes, cucumbers and spinach salad.

OR, toast English muffins with our butter infused olive oil and place toasted crab cakes on top for an open faced crab cake sandwich.