1 whole head of garlic, diced or mashed (this amount is MY personal preference, need not use so much!)

1 yellow onion (good sized onion)

6 T. Carothers’ Olive Oil

8 oz. fresh mushrooms, wiped clean and cut up into large pieces

2 oz. fresh basil, leaves only, cut up

Salt and pepper

Small can of tomato paste

In a good sized fry pan put in olive oil and heat on medium heat. Then add diced onions, garlic and mushrooms. Let simmer/cook until onions begin to turn clear and then add cut up tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook at med/low heat for 20 minutes and the tomatoes will slowly just break down and as you stir everything will mix together well. Then add the basil and cook for another 10 minutes. Add tomato paste to thicken and again salt and pepper to taste.

This is so very easy and so very yummy…and so very inexpensive! Lots of leftovers to freeze also! Play with the recipe to your own likes and favorites. I have added cooked bacon and or sausage to this also. I am actually fine without the meat in this but my hubby much prefers the meat.   ENJOY!

**Helpful Hint**

1 1/2 cups unbleached white or whole wheat flour, your choice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup Carothers’ Olive Oil

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, fresh ground preferred (!)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

You can substitute pumpkin pie spice for the nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice. You can also add a cup of cranberries, dried, cherries or raisins for variety.

Preheat oven to 350* and generously coat the inside of a 9″x5″x3″ loaf pan with your preferred cooking spray or oil. Use a non-stick pan if you have one.

Sift together flour, salt, sugar and baking soda. Set aside your dry ingredients.

Mix the pumpkin, oil, eggs, water and spices thoroughly. Combine your wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, mix lightly. Fold in the nuts and berries and pour the batter into your prepared pan

Bake the bread for 50-6- minutes until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. If the loaf is browning too quickly on tip, you can cover it with foil for the last ten to 15 minutes of baking.

Turn your pumpkin bread out of the pan and let it cool on a wire rack. Quick breads taste great warm but will crumble badly when you cut them too soon, before completely cooling. This bread will taste best after sitting for several hours or overnight, allowing flavors to “marry”.

Prep: 25 minutes; Cook: 17 minutes; Bake: 25 minutes; Cool: 5 minutes

Makes 8-10 Servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups sugar, divided

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and quartered. (We use red delicious apples which also works, much milder)

5 large eggs, separated

3/4 cup Carothers Olive Oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup cake flour

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, preferably Himalayan salt

Garnishes 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt and lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Preparation:

1. Place oven rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 350*. Melt butter over low heat in a 10 inch (2 inch deep) cast iron skillet. Stir in 3/4 cup sugar, combining well. Arrange apple quarters in a circular pattern around the outside of the skillet and fill the center with additional quarters. Increase heat to medium and cook, without stirring, 15 to 20 minutes or until sugar turns golden.

2. Beat egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed about 3 minutes or until thick and pale. Reduce speed to medium and slowly add olive oil and vanilla until well combined. Remove from mixer, and stir in flout just to combine.

3. Place egg whiters and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a separate large bowl of and electric mixer and beat at medium speed until frothy, Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue beating just until soft peaks form.

4. Fold one-third of the egg whites gently into the yolk mixture.Fold in remaining whites being careful not to over-mix. Pour batter into skillet with apples.Bake at 350* for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean.

5. Cool cake about 5 minutes, then run a knife around edges to loosen.Invert onto large platter, and, if desired, sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt over the apples and caramel. Serve warm with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup walnuts

1/4 cup pine nuts

3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)

5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground balck pepper

1 1/2 cups Carothers’ Olive Oil

1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Place the walnuts, pine nuts and garlic in the bowl of the food precessor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leavesm salt and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feeding tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the parmesan cheese and puree for 1 minute.   Use right away or store pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.

To clean basil, remove leaves from plant, swirl them in a bowl of water and then spin them very dry in a salad spiunner (if you have one, if not, pat dry thoroughly between towels).  Store them in a closed ziploc bag with a slightly damp paper towl until ready to use. They should remain fresh for about a week. Use as soon as you can!

*Note* Air is and enemy of pesto. For freezing, pack it in containers with a film of oil or plastic on top with the air pressed out.

]]> http://www.carothersoliveoil.com/2011/07/recipes/feed/ 0 http://www.carothersoliveoil.com/2011/04/more-health-benefits/ http://www.carothersoliveoil.com/2011/04/more-health-benefits/#comments Sun, 24 Apr 2011 17:17:24 +0000 Olive Lady http://www.carothersoliveoil.com/?p=246 Continue reading →]]> Anti-Inflammatory Properties

The body uses the healthy fats in olive oil to produce natural anti-inflammatory agents. These anti-inflammatory agents can help reduce the severity of both arthritis and asthma. Uninflamed cell membranes are more fluid and better able to move waste products out. A lower incidence of osteoporosis and dementia is found in areas where people consume large quantities of olive oil.

A Fat That Helps You Lose Fat

Sounds impossible, right? A study conducted on eight over-weight men published in the September 2003 issue of the British Journal of Nutrition yielded results that indicate a significant loss of body weight and fat mass can be acheived without increasing physical activity and making only one change in eating habits: the substitution of olive oil for saturated fats!

The eight men were divided into two groups and for four weeks ate similar foods with the exception that the first group ate more saturated than unsaturated fats. The second group, the fats were mostly monounsaturated fats (olive oil). At the end of four weeks, the men from the second group were lighter and had a lower body-fat index than the men who ate the saturated fats.

Olive Oil and Digestion

Olive oil is very well tolerated by the stomach. In fact, olive oils protective function has a beneficial effect on ulcers and gastritis. Olive oil activates the secretion of the bile and pancreatic hormones much more naturally than prescribed drugs. Consequently, it lowers the incidence of gallstone formation too!