- Preheat oven to 425°F. Stir pesto with marinara sauce; set aside. Whisk together olive oil, Italian seasoning blend, garlic, salt and pepper. Brush over both sides of each slice of eggplant. Arrange eggplant on parchment paper–lined baking sheet.
- Roast eggplant, turning once, for about 20 minutes or until browned and tender. Spoon sauce over each slice of eggplant. Toss together mozzarella and Parmesan; scatter over eggplant.
- Roast for about 10 minutes or until warmed through and cheese is melted. Broil for about 3 minutes or until cheese is browned. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.
Tip: Prepare with baby eggplant to create smaller rounds that are perfect for serving as two-bite hors d’oeuvres.
- In large bowl, combine oregano, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, coriander, salt, pepper and cayenne; add chicken, tossing to coat evenly. Heat half of the olive oil in large straight-sided skillet set over medium-high heat; cook chicken, in batches, for about 3 minutes per side or until browned. Transfer to plate.
- Add remaining oil to skillet; cook onion, bell peppers and garlic for about 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in rice until well coated. Add broth and tomatoes; bring to boil. Stir in pesto, and olives (if using). Return chicken and any accumulated juices to pan.
- Cover and cook for about 20 minutes or until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
Tip: Substitute converted whole grain brown rice or quinoa for the white rice if desired.
- Prepare gnocchi according to package directions. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat; sauté gnocchi for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat remaining olive oil in separate large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat; cook mushrooms for 8 to 10 minutes or until browned and tender. Add shallots, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper and hot pepper flakes; cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until softened.
- Add wine; cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits. Simmer until almost completely evaporated. Add broth and cream; simmer for about 10 minutes or until slightly reduced and thickened.
- Stir in pesto. Add kale; cook for about 2 minutes or until wilted. Stir in reserved gnocchi; cook for about 2 minutes or until heated through. Transfer to platter. Serve immediately.
Tip: Try this sauce with any cooked pasta, or served over grilled steak or chicken.
Give your roast beef sandwiches a lift with this flavorful roasted onion and olive medley. A heady horseradish-mustard enhanced mayo adds a nice punch, too.
- Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F.
- On a large rimmed baking sheet, mix the onion, olives, 1/4 cup olive oil, the rosemary, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Spread in the middle of the baking sheet. Dredge both sides of the tomato slices in the rosemary-olive oil, and arrange on the sides of the sheet. Roast on the bottom rack for 10 minutes. Remove the tomatoes and stir the onions. Continue to roast the onions until softened and golden, about 20 minutes.
- Put the halved kaiser rolls on another baking sheet, cut sides up, and bake in the upper third of the oven for 10 minutes, adding 4 piles of 3 slices roast beef each to the roasting pan to warm through for the last 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, put the mustard in a small bowl and slowly whisk in the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil to emulsify. Stir in the horseradish.
- Spread the mustard mixture on the cut sides of the rolls and mound the roast beef on the bottom halves. Season with salt and pepper. Divide the cheese, tomatoes, and onion mixture among the sandwiches and top with the top halves of the rolls. Serve warm.
- In a bowl, combine the olives, oil, capers, oregano, pepper, and red pepper flakes; set aside.
- Slice the loaf in half horizontally; lay the cut sides up on a work surface. Remove some of the bread from center of each half. Drizzle oil from the olive mixture over both sides of the bread.
- Spoon half of the olive salad over one-half of the loaf. Layer the lettuce, peppers, ham, mortadella, salami, and provolone over the top. Top with the remaining olive salad. Cap with the remaining half of the loaf.
- Press down on the loaf; place a heavy skillet or other weight on the loaf. Let stand for 10 minutes; use a serrated knife to cut it into portions.
Tip: You’ll have leftover bread, but you can use it to make breadcrumbs for another dish.
Everything is better with avocado, and a BLT is no exception! To enhance its flavor, we have added a squeeze of lime juice. Brushing the bread with olive oil before toasting makes for a delicious warm sandwich.
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.
- Lay the bacon strips touching side by side on a rack set over a 13×18 rimmed baking sheet and bake until the bacon is browned and crisp, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer the bacon to a plate.
- Put the slices of bread on the same rack and brush with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and toast in the oven until the edges are browned but the bread is still soft, about 8 minutes.
- Remove the bread from the oven and, while still warm, scoop about one-fourth of an avocado on each piece of bread and spread with a knife. Season the avocado with more salt and pepper, and squeeze the lime halves over the avocado. Divide the tomatoes and lettuce leaves, and then the bacon among half of the slices and top with the other halves. Cut the sandwiches in half and serve.
Roasted Leg of Lamb:
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Whisk together olive oil, raspberry balsamic glaze, rosemary and mustard; set aside.
- Make small incisions all over lamb and insert garlic slices. Rub olive oil mixture all over lamb. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer to roasting pan fitted with rack. Add onions; pour 1 cup water into bottom of pan.
- Roast for 80 to 90 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145°F for medium-rare, adding water to pan as needed to avoid scorching and onions from drying out.
Transfer lamb to carving board and tent with foil.
Gravy:
- Place roasting pan on stovetop over medium-high heat; stir in flour. Whisk in wine; boil for 1 to 2 minutes or until reduced by half. Whisk in chicken stock and balsamic glaze. Add rosemary; bring to boil and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with lamb.
Tip: Serve with roasted mini red potatoes and sautéed spinach.
Gnocchi:
- Place potatoes in large saucepan with enough cold water to cover; season with salt. Bring to boil; cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Line baking sheet with tea towel; dust with flour. Set aside.
- While potatoes are still warm, pass through ricer onto lightly floured work surface; stir in pumpkin purée until blended. Mound mixture and make well in center. Place 1 1/2 cups flour, egg, oil, salt, pepper and nutmeg in well. Using fork, stir to incorporate potatoes; knead dough gently, adding enough remaining flour, a bit at a time as needed, to form smooth dough.
- Divide dough into 6 portions. Roll each portion into 1/2-inch thick ropes; cut each rope into twelve 1-inch pieces. Arrange in single layer on prepared baking sheet; transfer to freezer. Freeze for 1 hour or until firm.
- In large pot of boiling salted water, cook gnocchi for about 3 minutes or until gnocchi float to surface. Remove with slotted spoon; transfer to baking sheet.
Assembly:
- Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet set over medium heat; cook hazelnuts and sage for 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and salt. Add gnocchi; toss for 1 or 2 minutes or until coated. Stir in blue cheese; serve immediately.
Tips: Substitute walnuts or pine nuts for hazelnuts if desired.
- Preheat oven to 400˚F. Half and seed squash; brush cut sides with 1 tbsp oil and season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Place on parchment paper–lined baking sheet; bake, cut sides up, for 30 to 35 minutes or until tender.
- Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in large skillet set over medium heat; crumble in sausage and cook for about 5 minutes or until starting to brown. Add onion, apple, garlic, sage, and remaining salt and pepper; cook, stirring, for about 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender and sausage is cooked through. Remove from heat; let cool slightly. Stir in balsamic vinegar.
- Toss bread with sausage mixture, egg, 1/4 cup goat cheese, parsley and 1 tbsp chives (if stuffing seems dry, add a few tablespoons of water; it should be moist but not soggy).
- Spoon filling evenly into squash halves; top with remaining goat cheese and walnuts. Cover each with foil; bake for about 15 minutes or until filling is heated through. Remove foil; bake for about 10 minutes or until top is golden brown.
Tip: Add 1/4 cup dried fruit to stuffing if desired, such as raisins, cranberries, cherries or chopped figs.
