Recipe Dish Type: Appetizer & Snack

Chocolate, Cherry and Walnut Biscotti

  • In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
  • Using electric mixer, beat 1/2 cup olive oil with sugar until smooth and light. Add eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating until smooth. Add milk and vinegar; beat until smooth. On low speed, gradually add flour mixture, beating just until combined. Stir in walnuts, cherries and chocolate morsels using a large spoon. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat 2 large baking sheets with 1/2 tbsp olive oil each. On lightly floured surface, turn out dough. Using pastry scraper, divide into quarters; roll each piece of dough into log, 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Place logs, separated, on prepared baking sheets; bake for about 30 minutes or until golden and set. Transfer to rack; let cool for 10 minutes.
  • Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. On cutting board and using serrated knife, cut each log into 3/4-inch-wide slices diagonally. Place slices, cut side down, on baking sheets. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until toasted. Transfer to racks; let cool.

 

Recipe Provided by Chef Sharon Sanders

Blueberry-Melon Fruit Salad with Thyme Dressing

Thyme Dressing: In small saucepan, combine honey, orange juice, lemon zest, lemon juice and thyme sprigs; bring to low simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool. Strain dressing into mixing bowl and whisk in olive oil.

 

Salad: Gently toss together melon, blueberries, and 1/3 cup dressing in serving bowl. Spoon into individual ramekins or glasses and garnish with thyme sprigs. Serve immediately, with extra dressing on the side.

 

Provided by Chef Jim Coleman

Applesauce Spice Cake

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease 9-inch square pan with olive oil. In bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
  • Using electric mixer at medium speed, mix brown sugar with olive oil until blended. Add applesauce; mix well. Add flour mixture all at once; beat on low speed until well blended. Stir in raisins and walnuts. Spoon batter into prepared baking pan.
  • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool completely on rack; cut into squares.

Tip: If you like, dust the cake with icing sugar or frost with whipped cream.

Apple-Orange-Raisin Fruit Salad

  • In bowl, combine olive oil, apples, oranges and raisins. Press some oranges with the back of a spoon to release juice.
  • Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes; toss and serve.

 

Recipe Provided by Chef Sharon Sanders

Apple Pie Oatmeal Muffins

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Place oats in large bowl; pour buttermilk over top. Stir together; let stand for 30 minutes.
  • Stir in sugar, olive oil, egg and apple.
  • Sift together whole wheat and all-purpose flours, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt; add to oats mixture.
  • Spray nonstick muffin pans with olive oil and fill each muffin cup with 1/2 cup of the batter.
  • Bake for 25 minutes or until set and springy to the touch. Serve warm.

Almond Brunch Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch spring-form pan with oil. In bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • In food processor fitted with metal blade, process almond paste until finely ground. Add sugar and almond extract; process until combined. With machine running, drizzle oil through feed tube; process until smooth. Add eggs; process until smooth.
  • Add flour mixture in three additions and milk in two additions, starting and ending with flour mixture, pulsing just to combine after each addition. Pour batter into prepared pan.
  • Bake for about 35 minutes or until the cake is lightly browned and tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Transfer to rack; let cool. Sprinkle with icing sugar; serve warm or at room temperature.

Tip:

• Serve the cake with lightly sugared seasonal cut fruit.
• Almond paste, a stiff mixture of ground almonds and sugar, is sold in the baking section of supermarkets. Do not replace it with almond filling, which is a much softer, sweeter mixture.

Recipe Provided by Chef Sharon Sanders

All-Cheese Pizza

  • Grease 12-inch round pizza pan with oil; sprinkle with cornmeal. Set aside.
  • Punch down dough; let stand on lightly floured work surface for 5 minutes. With lightly floured hands or rolling pin, pat or roll into 13-inch round. Transfer to prepared pan; fold edges over slightly to make rounded border. Cover with plastic wrap; let stand for 15 minutes or until slightly risen.
  • Preheat oven to 450°F. In small microwaveable bowl, place garlic and oil; cover with waxed paper. Microwave on high for about 90 seconds or until bubbly. Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
  • Drizzle some of the garlic oil over crust, spreading with back of spoon. Mix remaining garlic oil with ricotta; dollop over crust, spreading with back of spoon. Sprinkle evenly with Gruyère and Parmesan.
  • Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheeses are golden and bubbly. Transfer to rack; let cool for 5 minutes.

 

Tip: To save time, substitute one pound of thawed frozen commercial bread dough for the pizza dough.

 

Recipe Provided by Chef Sharon Sanders

Caramelized Onion Frittata

  • Heat oil in large ovenproof skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat; add onions and 1/2 tsp salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes or until well browned.
  • Meanwhile, preheat broiler. In bowl, beat together eggs, water and remaining salt; pour over onions in skillet. Increase heat to medium; cook for 4 minutes, lifting edges of the eggs as they set to let uncooked egg run underneath until bottom is set. Transfer skillet to broiler; broil for 3 minutes or until frittata is puffed and golden.

 

Recipe Provided by Chef Sharon Sanders

Best Blueberry Muffins

  • Preheat oven to 425°F.
  • In bowl, beat together sugar, eggs, olive oil and orange extract.
  • Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to egg mixture, in two additions alternating with buttermilk.
  • Fold in blueberries.
  • Line muffin cups with paper cups; fill cups three-quarters full of batter.
  • Combine lemon zest with sugar; sprinkle over each muffin.
  • Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

 

Recipe provided by Chef Mary Ann Esposito

Asian Crab Cakes

  • Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in sauté pan set over medium heat; sauté onion and garlic for 3 to 4 minutes or until softened but not browned.
  • In large bowl, gently fold together onion mixture, crab meat, cilantro, fish sauce, chili garlic sauce and salt. Gently fold in rice, egg and 1 tbsp remaining olive oil until well blended.
  • Divide mixture into 4 portions and form into patties. Place bread crumbs on plate; coat each patty.
  • Heat remaining olive oil in large sauté pan over medium-high heat; sauté crab cakes, turning once, for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until cooked through.

 

Tip: If bread crumbs brown too quickly, remove crab cakes from pan and place on foil-lined baking sheet. Bake in 350ºF oven or until cooked through.

 

Recipe provided by Chef Jim Coleman