Rosemary Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ tsp active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water, 110-115˚ F
• 2 tsp white sugar
• 2 tsp fine salt
• 3 Tb SOOC Rosemary Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 ½ cups bread flour
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• Extra EVOO for brushing on top and serving (I used SOOC garlic EVOO)
• Coarse sea salt and dried rosemary for sprinkling on top
• Serve with SOOC  Balsamic Vinegar

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast into 1 cup warm water. Mix in the sugar and salt. Let sit for about 10 minutes or until it foams. Add in Rosemary Olive Oil. Add flour and knead (by hand or mixer) for about 10 minutes. Add black pepper, and oregano. Knead another 5 minutes. Dough should come together well at this point; slightly sticky is fine. Place dough ball in well oiled bowl (I use Garlic EVOO) turning dough a few times so that dough surfaces are protected by oil. Tightly cover owl with cling wrap. Place in warm, draft-free area to rise until dough is doubled, approximately 1 hour, depending on room temp.
2. After dough is doubled, punch it down and shape into a rounded loaf. Using sharp knife, make a criss-cross design on top. Place rounded loaf on greased baking sheet. Cover up loaf with large mixing bowl inverted over it. Make sure bowl is large enough that it gives your loaf room to rise. Let rise until doubled again, approx. 1 hour.
3. After dough has doubled again, gently brush with olive oil, sprinkle with coarse sea salt and a bit of rosemary. Bake at 375F for 25-30 minutes. Bake until top is a nice golden brown, taking care not to over bake.
4. Serve bread fresh and warm, with your favorite SOOC olive oil, ground pepper and SOOC balsamic vinegar.

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Peasant Loaf

Ingredients:

• 4 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup potato flour
• 1 tablespoon sea salt or kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon light amber honey or granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons + 3 tablespoons SOOC Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions:

If using a bread machine, add all of the liquid, honey/sugar, salt, and 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan.  Then add both flours, followed by the yeast last.  Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your bread machine if you intend to bake it in the machine.

If using a stand mixer or mixing kneading by hand, mix and then knead the dough for about 6 minutes.  The dough should be very soft, but not sticky.  Add more flour, in small amounts as needed to keep the dough from sticking.  Allow to rise in a warm spot for about an hour.  Lightly punch the dough down, transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment and gently reshape in to a rustic loaf.  Cover the dough with plastic wrap lightly greased with olive oil.  Allow the dough to rise for 45 additional minutes

Preheat the oven to 375 and adjust the rack to the center of the oven.

Drizzle the loaf with two tablespoons of olive oil, and bake for about 40 minutes, until golden brown. Remove the loaf and immediately drizzle with remaining tablespoon of olive oil.  Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.  Best served warm!

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Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup grated zucchini
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup SOOC lemon olive oil
• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (optional)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare an 8-inch pan by coating the sides and bottom with olive oil.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the grated zucchini, brown sugar, olive oil, yogurt, eggs, and vanilla extract.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and spices. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Fold in the walnuts and lemon zest if using.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 40 to 55 minutes. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
6. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and cool on the rack completely before cutting and serving.

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Gluten Free Banana Bread

One of our employees found this recipe on Pinterest, originally from http://www.bakerbettie.com and modified a few things. Of course we had to add some olive oil to it! This recipe is gluten free and vegan, too!

Ingredients:

– 2 1/2 cups gluten free rolled oats
– 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2-3 bananas)
– 1/2 cup peanut butter
– 1 tbs brown sugar
– 1 tbs honey
– 2 tbs SOOC Butter EVOO
– 1/2 tsp cinnamon
– 2 tsp baking powder
– Almond milk or water (if needed)
– 3/4 cup chocolate chips
– Rice flour to coat pan

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Pulse rolled oats in a food processor or blender until a flour-like consistency.
3. Combine the rest of the ingredients to the blender or mixing bowl, except the chocolate chips. Save one tablespoon of butter EVOO to grease the pan. Blend or mix until consistent and thick. Almond milk or water may be added if the mixture is too dry. The batter should be thick, but not crumbly!
4. Fold chocolate chips into the mixture.
5. Use the remaining tablespoon of butter EVOO to grease a 9×5 pan. Sprinkle rice flour into the pan and shake to coat the pan evenly. Dump out the remaining flour.
6. Pour the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Top with chocolate chips, if desired.
7. Bake for 30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
You can also substitute SOOC Butter EVOO with SOOC Butternut squash seed oil for a richer flavor!

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Homemade Croutons

Ingredients

French Baguette
SOOC Butter
Rosa Maria Dipping Blend
Sea Salt
Garlic Salt

Directions: Preheat oven to 375
1.) Cube up your baguette and place it on cookie sheet with tinfoil.
2.) Drizzle SOOC butter until the cubes are covered.
3.) Sprinkle the Rosa Maria, sea salt and garlic salt lightly.
4.) Place in oven for 5 minutes then pull out and mix around cubes.
Continue to bake until crunchy.
5.) Let it cool and serve

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Banana Bread

Preheat the oven to 350.  Thoroughly grease a standard loaf pan with one teaspoon of SOOC Butter Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

In a large bowl whisk together thoroughly:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

In a separate bowl blend together:
6 tablespoons SOOC Butter Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Fold in until combined:
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (about 2)
1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Combine the wet ingredients in the bowl with the dry ingredients until just incorporated – do not over mix.  Scrape the batter into a pan and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 5 to 10 minutes before taking out of pan to cool completely on the rack.

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Lemon, Olive and Dried Cherry Sauce

Perfect for meats or breads!

1/2 cup Lemon olive oil

2 tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar

2 garlic cloves, ends removed and sliced into very thin slivers

A few sprigs of fresh thyme leaves

2 tablespoons chopped Kalamata olives

2 tablespoons chopped dried cherries

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients in a small glass bowl and mix to combine. Cover and let rest for at least 4 hours so that the flavors have time to meld. Serve with a spoon or pour into small plates for serving with bread. This can be made up to 1 week ahead and covered in an airtight container and kept at room temperature.

Serves 6.

Per serving: 181 calories; 18 g fat (2 g saturated fat; 90 percent calories from fat); 4 g carbohydrates; 0 mg cholesterol; 26 mg sodium; 0 g protein; 0.3 g fiber.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100729/LIFESTYLE05/7290320/1463/LIFESTYLE05/Olive-oil-based-dips-taste-great-with-bread–meats#ixzz0x65CbGLc

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