Chocolate Chip, Almond and Olive Oil Cookies

This cookie recipe replaces butter with olive oil and they taste amazing!  Not that i have anything against butter – I just like to mix things up and with this recipe, you won’t be missing anything.

Ingredients:

• 1 C           all-purpose Flour
• 1/2 tsp   Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp   Salt
• 1/4 C      Lucini Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2/3 C     Brown Sugar (high quality makes a big difference)
• 1              Egg
• 1/2 tsp  Vanilla
• 1/2 C     Chocolate chips
• 1/2 C     Chopped toasted almonds

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with foil, or silicone liners.  

In medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the olive oil and sugar with an electric mixer till creamy, about 3 minutes.  Beat in egg and vanilla until well blended, about 1 minute.

Stir in the flour mixture until just combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips and almonds until well distributed.  Drop by rounded tablespoons onto prepared cookies sheets, about 2 inches apart (makes 24 cookies).  Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until golden around the edges.

Remove from the oven and transfer the cookies onto wire racks to cool.

Every Crown Jewel Deserves a Box

Cheese is my chocolate. Many a late night I have pillaged the fridge looking for some last scrap of my favorite gooey french cheese or tried to shave into thin slices the last bit of Irish cheddar to be laid carefully over Swedish hard bread. My latest sensation is the rare and very hard to find Lucini 36month Parmigiano Reggiano drizzled with my favorite honey from Hawaii.

This cheese is so special it deserves the box it comes in. Each 8oz wedge arrives from Italy pre-cut by the artisan cheesemakers at location (ReggioEmilia D.O.P) to protect its integrity and flavor. Something that took 3 years to carefully craft is owed more respect than a bit of saran wrap.

It is now available for everyone to enjoy thanks to ZABARS in New York who is selling the product online.

Easter: Sicily’s Holiday

Easter in Sicily is like no other holiday: pageants, processions, historic icons, age-old societies, and food food food!

Torta Pasqualina

In a country that relishes its traditions and bountiful harvests, Sicilian tables feature a combination of seasonal and symbolic ingredients that welcome in spring as much as celebrate Easter.

Farfalle Saporite con Asparagi

Tender green vegetables play an important role whether they appear in delicate savory tarts as starters or in the form of sauces or stuffing for first courses. The most classic tart is the Torta Pasqualina, layers of puff pastry covering a ricotta and artichoke mixture with the added surprise of whole eggs baked into the filling. Asparagus – both cultivated and wild – is a favorite in pasta as well as a side dish.

The main course will almost inevitably be lamb, at its most tender and succulent at this time of year.

Agnello Arrosto

Whether it’s the traditional arrosto di agnello (roast leg of lamb marinated in white wine and roasted with rosemary, garlic and extra virgin olive oil), or the impressive corona di carré d’agnello (rack of lamb shaped into a guard of honor),

Corona di Carre' d'agnello

or a mouthwatering casserole with artichokes, lamb provides a delicious highpoint for an extremely important holiday.

Colomba

For dessert you’ll find an assortment of mignon dolce (bite-sized pastries) and Colomba, a delicate dove-shaped sweet cake that originally came from Lombardy. This yeast dough-based dessert is filled with fragrant candied fruit and topped with a crunchy topping of almonds and sugar.

Uova di Pasqua

And please don’t forget the chocolate Easter eggs!

St. Valentine’s – The Chocolate Lover’s Day

The ‘cupid affect’ may come and go, but chocolate is forever – at least for us dedicated chocoholics. Thank goodness for the Mayans and Aztecs!

Chocolate has come to represent everything St. Valentine’s – from overflowing heart-shaped boxes to elegant cocoa nib, chocolate, and citrus dacquoise.

An incredibly elegant finish to a romantic evening.

You may not be in love at the moment, but that doesn’t preclude you from thoroughly enjoying St. Valentine’s evening. Gather a group of your closest friends, rent a thriller (I personally recommend Monte Casino) and settle in to enjoy a great meal. And if you are in love, enjoy it – and the food – to the fullest!

Chocolate Lover’s St. Valentine’s menu

Antipasto

Classic Bruschette – you can also rub fresh garlic on the toasted bread, drizzle extra-virgin olive oil and salt to taste

Bite-sized pieces of Parmigiano Reggiano

Whole Green and Black Olives

Main Course

Cocoa and Spice Slow Roasted Pork (About 5 1/2hrs of long. lazy roasting are required so start it early then relax and enjoy the wonderful aromas!)

Baby Mixed Greens with fresh raspberries and Bold Parmesan and Garlic or Herb Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Herb Vinaigrette

1/4c Lucini Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

2tblsp Lucini Pinot Noir Red Wine Vinager

1 small clove fresh garlic crushed with knife then finely chopped (can substitute 1/4 teasp garlic powder)

1/2 teasp fresh thyme (bruise between fingers to release oils)

1/4 teasp salt (or to taste)

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until well blended. Pour over salad and toss.

Fruit

Fresh Clementines

Fresh Naval Oranges

Dessert

Dark Chocolate-Lime Souffles

Tanginess with a chocolate lover's twist