Leccino EVOO and Blackberry Roasted Pepper Balsamic Broccoli Salad

The weather is turning from raining cold cloudy to a beautiful sunny day. I sit here today, writing while my little 16 month old lays sleeping in her crib.  I hope she sleeps through so that I may be able to write this fantastic recipe!
We had some family over for Memorial Day weekend and let me tell you we had some great food! I love broccoli salads but I don't like all the fat used, so I came up with a guilty free version of broccoli salad, yum! Have seconds or thirds and don't worry your arteries will be thanking you!! The Leccino EVOO gives this salad a bit of a cinnamon taste that lingers on and the Blackberry Roasted Pepper is sure to please the taste buds.


Leccino EVOO and Blackberry Roasted Pepper Balsamic Broccoli Salad

1-2 crowns of broccoli, washed, trim into florets, and coarsely chopped
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 apple peeled, cored, and chopped
optional: raisons or currants, roasted slivered almonds


Sauce:

2 heaping spoons sour cream
1-2 tablespoons orange juice or lemon juice
1 tablespoon Leccino EVOO
2 teaspoons or to taste Blackberry  Roasted Pepper balsamic
1 teaspoon Dessert Pollen
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

Combine broccoli, onions, and apples. In separate bowl make your sauce. Make sure you taste test and add more ingredients if you need to. Pour sauce over broccoli mixture and combine. Refrigerate for a couple hours before serving. You can even make this a day before.

This salad is a delight! The Leccino EVOO, Blackberry Roasted Pepper balsamic, and dessert pollen combine wonderfully and make this dish so good! Enjoy!

Leccino EVOO and Blackberry Red Pepper vinegar Roasted carrots with the dessert pollen

I never thought I would ever like cooked carrots! But, I have managed to surprise myself by this latest recipe. The combination of the Leccino EVOO, Blackberry Red Pepper vinegar, and the dessert pollen is spectacular with the carrots. I had about three helping and for me to say that is a big feat! Enjoy!

Marinade

1/4 cup Leccino EVOO

3 tablespoons Blackberry Red Pepper vinegar

2 teaspoons Dessert Pollen

Roasted Carrots:

3 cups or so of baby carrots

marinade

Preheat oven to 400*

Place carrots in a shallow baking dish. Pour marinade over carrots and stir to combine. Place foil over dish and roast for about 1 hour. 

Leccino EVOO and Blackberry Red Pepper Grill Corn on the Cob

Well we are definitely heading into corn season! I am so excited for summer to begin. At the local farmers market we picked up some corn, and I cannot imagine what better to pair with the corn than the Blackberry Red Pepper vinegar, of course the Hog heaven pollen is wonderful in this too!

Marinade for corn:

1/4 cup Leccino EVOO
3 tablespoons Blackberry Red Pepper vinegar
2 teaspoons Hog heaven pollen

Mix marinade and brush over corn. Grill until done. Enjoy!

Leccino EVOO Roast

Who likes a good roast? I know we do! This dish was so very yummy, the kids ate all and wanted seconds and even thirds!

Ingredients:
3-5 lb roast
2 tablespoons Leccino EVOO
1 cup red wine
2 cans petite diced tomatoes with garlic
1/2 cup baby carrots
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, quartered
5 basil leafs chopped
2 bay leafs
salt and pepper to taste


Using stock pot, place over medium high heat. Pour Leccino EVOO into pot, sear roast on all sides, make sure it is browned. Add tomatoes and wine to pot. Add vegetables and spices around roast. Cook for about 3 hours on low basting roast every 1/2 hours. This roast just melt in your mouth and all the flavors come together. Truly spectacular! Serve with roasted red potatoes and roasted carrots along with a green salad.

Leccino EVOO and Blackberry Red Pepper Balsamic Taco Meat

My daughters LOVE taco night! I have to admit I do too, tacos are so easy and taste so good! The Blackberry Roasted Pepper Balsamic goes wonderfully with this recipe. I love the red pepper undertones as well as the sweet kick you get from the Blackberry. We had absolutely NO leftovers after this meal. If you do not want to serve this with tortillas, make a crunchy green salad and serve the ground meat on top, it is delicious!

Update: Our extra virgin olive oils are seasonal and we rotate our fustis based on availability and quality. We recommend Bobcat Ridge in place of Leccino EVOO.

Leccino EVOO Blackberry Red Pepper Balsamic Taco Meat


1 lb ground meat, or turkey
2 tablespoons Leccino EVOO
2 tablespoons Blackberry Roasted Pepper Balsamic
salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons chili powder


Heat saute pan on medium. Add Leccino EVOO to pan along with meat. Add chili powder, salt and pepper, and Blackberry Red Pepper Balsamic. Cook meat until done. I had to add a little more Blackberry Red Pepper to this to make it a bit sweeter, just add a little at a time and taste to see if it is the right sweetness. For a bit spicier version, try adding Jalapeno EVOO over top!

Leccino EVOO whole wheat pizza crust with Dessert Pollen

I posted a recipe awhile back for whole wheat pizza crust, this time I tried some Leccino EVOO and the Dessert Pollen and what do you know we had a great pizza!

Whole Wheat Pizza dough

3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 1/2 tablespoons yeast
2 cups warm water
1/2 cup Quail and Olive honey
2 teaspoons Dessert Pollen
1 Tablespoon Leccino EVOO
1/4 cup thinly sliced onions
2 garlic cloves thinly sliced


For Dough:


Place warm water in bowl. Add yeast and honey. Stir with fork and let sit for about 5 minutes. Using dough hook, slowly add flour and Dessert Pollen. If you need more liquids add more warm water. Knead dough for about 10 minutes. Set dough on warm surface and let stand for 45 minutes to rise. Preheat oven to 400*
This recipe is enough for two pizzas. Shape dough and place on pizza stone. Next, spread Leccino EVOO over dough. Add onions and garlic evenly over pizza crust. Bake in oven for 15 minutes. Top your pizza with your sauce and topping and bake for another 25 minutes. Enjoy!

Leccino EVOO roasted Pork Shoulder in Crock pot

Well hello bloggers! It has been a very long time since I last posted anything, so sorry. I just received a bountiful package from Quail and Olive, so I have lots of new recipes to share with you! Quail and Olive's newest olive oil is Leccino EVOO, some call it the "backbone" of Tuscan EVOO. The Leccino EVOO is quite fruity and mild with a slight minty and cinnamon taste that lingers on. I have had lots of fun with this oil. Last night we prepared a slow roasted Pork Shoulder in the crock pot using the Leccino EVOO and 2 teaspoons of Hog Heaven pollen. The pollen spices are so wonderful and enhance all the flavors in a dish! If you have not tried one you will have to make a trip to Quail and Olive or order some online, these are truely spectacular spices! Without further ado, here is the recipe! Enjoy.


Leccino EVOO roasted pork shoulder

Ingredients:

3lb pork shoulder
2 tsp Hog Heaven Pollen
2 tablespoons Leccino EVOO
1/2 cup carrots

That is it! Just place the pork shoulder in the crock pot, add your carrots, sprinkle the Hog Heaven over the pork and pour your Leccino EVOO on top. So easy and such a great recipe, your whole house will be smelling so good! Place on warm for 8-10 hours.