olive oil health benefits

Technorati Tags: olive oil health benefits

You could also sauté small pieces of bacon and then add the vinegar giving yourself a wonderful warm bacon dressing for a spinach salad. While people are making their own twist, it should only truly be called a vinaigrette if the flavors are combined equally. No one entity should dominate the dressing. The usual ratio for a proper vinaigrette 3 parts oil to 1 part acid. You will find that when using substitutes for the vinegar, such as orange juice, you can lessen the oil ratio to 2:1 to equal out the flavors. Vinaigrettes are much more than just dressing though. They are ideal for marinades for any type of meat, poultry or fish. The acid allows the flavors to penetrate leading to a wonderful flavor upon cooking. One thing you do want to remember though is that if you do choose to use your vinaigrette as a marinade, you should never remove the meat and then use it as a dressing. It will be loaded with harmful bacteria so you should just make up a fresh batch if being used as a dressing or heat it to a boil if you are going to use it as a sauce so you can kill of the raw bacteria that may have transferred from your meat dish.

Making a vinaigrette is extremely easy and modifiable. You can taste it as you go and continue to adjust the ratio’s to get the desired flavor. As you are adding components, you may find that you now have too much on your hands. Not to worry, this dressing will keep for a week or so in a sealed container. Something that frustrates a lot of people when they are making a vinaigrette for the first time is the fact that is separates so easily. To avoid this, it will have to be whisked or shaken briskly before serving. The natural components keep them separate unless this is done. Something you can do to combat this is adding a little Dijon mustard, it will act as an emulsifying agent. To add a new twist to your vinaigrette, try adding things like fresh fruit, herbs cheeses and other spices. You will be pleasantly surprised.

vinaigrette dressing, homemade vinaigrette

Technorati Tags: vinaigrette dressing, homemade vinaigrette

No one is sure where the use of olive oil began, but the use of cultured olives goes back more than 6,000 years. Stories were told by the ancient Romans and Greeks that the gods created olives instead of people. In Roman mythology is it said that the birth of olives originated when Hercules hit the earth causing an olive tree to grow.

The Greeks said that olives were created by the Greek goddess Athena. She was well respected and it was believed that only pure men and virgins could care for the olive groves. Olives were considered scarce and beloved food.

Some of the first documentation of olives were inventory catalogues found on old trading ships, that carried olive oil on the sea routes in the Mediterranean. When olives arrived in Greece they were adored for use as beauty treatment, oils in lamps, as well as food.

At the time of the Roman Empire civilization traveled and the growth of olive groves in southeast Europe. While olive oil was important to the Empires southeast parts, they arranged near the oil provinces. When the fall of the Roman Empire occurred olives groves would not flourish and for many years would only survive in very few places in the large hills of Tuscany.

Olive groves came back around in about 1100 AD when Tuscany became a acclaimed place of agriculture of olive trees. Some strict laws which are still followed today include regulating the cultivation of olives and the business of oil. Italy offered a great oil that appeared in renaissance restaurants in Europe, and soon became the top producer of olive oil on the continent. Because of taxation activities, the production of olive oil staggered, but still proceeded to grow as civilization increased throughout the world. During the 1700’s the first olive trees were brought to the new world by Franciscan missionaries. A century later, olive oil first appeared in North and South America when Greek and Italian immigrants started requesting it be brought over from Europe. Soon after this occurred olive oil was accepted by the American chefs.

Olive oil will continue to become more popular in the 21st century as it is a vital part of cuisine around the world. Now 800 million olive trees grow in the world today, while more will be planted daily.

olive oil information

Technorati Tags: olive oil information

Food and cooking has and always will be a passion for the people of Italy and bread will never be absent in their cuisine. Their love for cooking springs the motto ‘a love of simple foods prepared with care and with fresh baked bread of course.” In Italy, masterpieces are made from simple, homegrown ingredients that are prepared and presented in a special way. In anything that they cook – whether it be pasta, fish, meat, or vegetables – there is always bread to accompany every meal.

Just like olive oil, which a fundamental part of Italian cooking, bread has always been a staple in any meal. These two items can be found on every kitchen and dining table in Italy. Though simple and modest, this component of Italian cooking is found to be served in a variety of ways and is used in so many different things. Bread may be dipped in fresh herbs and spices, drizzled with oil, or as an accompaniment to pasta. There is bread for stuffing, bread as appetizers, bread for making breadcrumbs, and bread for toasting. One of their most famous appetizers or snacks combines two of Italy’s most fundamental ingredients: bread dipped in extra virgin olive oil.

It is no doubt that bread dipped in olive oil is one of the most scrumptious things one will ever taste on this planet, and it is amazing how such a simple things can bring so much pleasure. Supermarket breads never do authentic Italian baking any justice, and you would do well to select a good quality bread in order to enjoy this snack to the fullest. Be creative when making your olive oil bread dips and experiment with different ingredients to enhance the flavor of your olive oil.

There are a lot of options out there to choose from, and specialty breads are abundant. The common and highly popular French loaf is a long baguette dusted with sesame seeds on top. The Panelle, which is a Sicilian favorite, is a bread with a crusty outer layer yet soft and delicious on the inside, offers you that real brick oven taste. The wide selection of baguettes, French, Panelle, ciabata, or Tuscan bread all give you a chance to enjoy what real bread in Italy would be like.
bread dipping, Italian Bread dipping, dip olive oil

Technorati Tags: bread dipping, Italian Bread dipping, dip olive oil

According to the American Heart Association, olive oil has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and heart attacks. It is because of this that olive oil has become such a popular condiment, and it is used widely in cooking and meals. One very popular way of enjoying olive oil, though, is by using it as a dip.

Olive oil dipping is very simple in that it just involves dipping flat Italian bread or steamed vegetables in pure extra virgin olive oil. This dip and snack has become a very popular healthy alternative to appetizers and the like, and is a versatile snack for any occasion. Olive oil dipping sauces are great and can be incorporated with a number of different flavoring ingredients to create unique and varying tastes. Try adding lemon juice, sun dried tomatoes, cracked black pepper, or basil and other herbs to your oil and let it stand for fifteen minutes, or heat it in a microwave for about ten seconds in order to allow the tastes to blend together. The possibilities with olive oil dips are endless and you are free to add anything you desire to meet your personal taste preferences.

One of the great things about olive oil dips is that they are not exclusively for dipping only. They can also be used as marinades for meat, or bases for salads, or as pasta dressings. These dips are also sometimes drizzled over grilled or steamed vegetables and the flavors they create are just magic. When using pure olive oil for dipping, no other oil should be used except extra virgin olive oil. This oil will cost a little more than the average olive oil, but its intense flavors and aroma make it worth the extra spending. What’s more is that extra virgin olive oil can be used straight out of the bottle with no other flavoring added. This first press oil has flavor that is able and strong enough to stand on its own. Good quality extra virgin olive oil can be served as is with flat bread or vegetable sticks.

There are other ways of incorporating your olive oil dip into your food. If you wish to carry on the flavors of your dip onto your main course, go ahead and drizzle some of your dip onto your main dish, or use it as a marinade. The flavors from your dip will carry over to your entrée and bring more interesting flavors.

So for your next party or gathering, consider using olive oil dips as your appetizer or serve it as the snack. This quick, easy, and healthy alternative is sure to please anyone who is looking for new ways of eating healthy and right.
olive oil dip, drizzle olive oil, olive oil appetizer

Technorati Tags: olive oil dip, drizzle olive oil, olive oil appetizer

Pesto comes from the Italian word meaning “to pound,” and is a simple puree of garlic cheese, fresh basil and fine olive oil. Do not use just any olive oil in your pesto, however; it must be a fine, quality version. You’ll also want to drizzle olive oil over the surface of the pesto if you must store it, to prevent discoloration. If you rinse the basil, be sure and dry it thoroughly before using.

Italian Pesto

Ingredients
4 cups basil leaves, fresh
10 cloves garlic, peeled
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
5 tablespoons fresh Romano cheese, grated
½ cup pine nuts

Blend basil leaves and garlic cloves at medium speed in a blender or food processor, slowly pouring in ½ cup of olive oil while blending. Occasionally pause to scrape off basil on the sides.
After the basil mixture has been finely pureed, spoon into a mixing bowl. Fold in softened butter, add grated cheeses and blend well. Now add the remaining olive oil, and stir pine nuts into the blend.

You do not cook pesto. You may use one or two tablespoons of hot water to thin it when serving over pasta or fish.
pesto, Italian pesto

Technorati Tags: pesto, Italian pesto

Chicken is a delicately flavored, tender meat, but it lends itself well to frying. it is one of the few meats that does not completely change character and flavor when it is fried. Through frying in the true sense of the word means to cook in deep fat/oil, in the case of chicken cookery we are using sautéing to mean
frying, too.

When selecting a chicken for frying, always watch the package label carefully. The label should read “broiler” or “fryer.” If you inadvertently get a stewing hen, no amount of frying will turn it into a very palatable dish.

Broilers or fryers are usually tender enough to need only 30 to 40 minutes of cooking. They should never be overdone, for then you get too much of the fried taste and not enough of the delicate chicken flavor.
Broilers or fryers can be skillet fried, French fried or oven fried. 

Pretzel Fried Chicken

Ingredients:
2  two to three lb broilers, cut up into portion-sized pieces
2 eggs, beaten until lemon yellow
½ cup milk
3 cups finely crushed pretzels crumbs made from the cocktail type pretzels
Vegetable oil or shortening for deep frying 

Method:
Dry the pieces of chicken with paper toweling. Mix the eggs and the milk thoroughly. Place the finely crushed pretzels in a paper sack. Dip each piece of chicken in the egg-milk mixture; then place in the crushed pretzels and shake sack until thoroughly coated. Drop into 350° F. oven for an additional 35 minutes. Serve piping hot. Serves 6.

fried chicken 

Technorati Tags: fried chicken

5 lb  roasting chicken
1 teaspoon Accent
1 Tablespoon olive oil
½ cup butter
½ cup onion, chopped fine
¼ cup parsley, chopped fine
6 cups day-old bread, cubed in 1/2 – inch pieces
½ teaspoon pulverized sage
¼ teaspoon marjoram
¼ teaspoon thyme
1 ½ teaspoons celery seed
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup additional melted butter (for outside of the chicken)
3 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon paprikaMethod:

Sprinkle the cavity of the chicken with Accent and set aside. Place the giblets in 1 cup of water in a saucepan and cook on top of the stove until they are tender. Chop them coarsely. Reserve the liquid until later. Melt the butter in a large skillet; add the onion and cook until it becomes glazed. Add the parsley, bread cubes, giblets, sage, marjoram, thyme, celery seed, salt and pepper and cook over low heat, mixing well while cooking. The bread cubes should be warmed through. Add ½ cup of the giblet broth, then mix until it is well distributed.

Spoon the filling into the neck cavity and into the large cavity with a light touch. Using skewers and string, close both openings securely. Place the chicken in a roasting pan. Mix the melted butter, flour and paprika and brush this over the outside skin of the chicken. Drizzle olive oil over chicken before placing the chicken in a 350°F. oven for approximately 3 hours. When it is done, the thickest portion of the breast should pierce easily with a fork.

Remove the chicken from the roasting pan to a hot platter. Return the warm oven while you make the gravy, as follows; Place the roasting pan over low heat and add the remainder of the giblet water. This should be about ½ cup. Add an additional ¾ cup of water. Using a slotted spoon, cook and stir until you have loosened all the browned juice from the bottom of the pan. There should be sufficient thickening left from the flour that you spread from the outside of the chicken with the butter and paprika. If not, mix 2 table spoons of flour with the water before you add it to the pan drippings. Cook until thickened stirring all the while. Serve piping hot with the chicken. Serves 4 – 6.

roast chicken with stuffing, roasted chicken recipe

Technorati Tags: roast chicken with stuffing, roasted chicken recipe

Ingredients:

4 chicken breast skin removed
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium sweet onion chopped fine
1 clove garlic peeled and pressed through a garlic press
14 1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes 
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup Greek olives pitted and sliced, Kalamata olives will work
1 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped fine

Method:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet and brown chicken using medium heat. Add pressed garlic and chopped onions. Cook for about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, cinnamon, cayenne, sea salt, black pepper and olives. Simmer in covered skillet for 15 minutes. Turn chicken over and cook another 10-15 minutes, until cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm. Bring tomato mixture to a boil, add lemon juice and parsley to pan, and simmer until slightly thickened. Pour sauce over chicken and serve with pasta or rice. A Greek salad goes well with this recipe as well. greek chicken recipe

Technorati Tags: greek chicken recipe

1   3.5-lb Fryer, cut up into portion size pieces
one half cup olive oil
one half cup coarsely chopped onion
three cloves garlic thinly sliced
1   3-ounce can tomato paste
1 cup water
1   2-lb can Italian style tomatoes
1 cup mushrooms stems and pieces 
one half teaspoon oregano
one half teaspoon salt
one quarter teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and then sauté the pieces of chicken until they are golden brown. Remove the chicken from the oil and set aside. Cook the onions and garlic in the remaining hot olive oil until the onions are transparent. Drain off any excess olive oil. Add the tomato paste, water, tomatoes with juice, mushrooms, oregano, salt, pepper and sugar. Bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. Now add the chicken, cover and cook for 30 minutes at a simmer. Serve with boiled spaghetti or broad egg noodles. As a variation, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serves four.

Chicken Cacciatore recipe

Technorati Tags: Chicken Cacciatore recipe