The Spicy Olive’s Beer Braised Sausages and Peppers

BEER-BRAISED SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS
6 Andouille sausages – cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large yellow bell pepper sliced into strips
1 large red bell pepper sliced into stirps
4 celery stalks cut into strips
1 small red onion – sliced
8 smashed garlic cloves
¼ cup of The Spicy Olive’s  Koroneiki EVOO or other Robust EVOO
¼ cup of The Spicy Olive’s Herbes de Provence Infused Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
2 springs of fresh thyme
½ cup of amber beer
Chopped parsley for garnish
Pepper flakes (optional for spice)
Foil
Preheat grill to medium heat. Tear off 4 large sheets of foil. Divide the sausage among the foil sheets and evenly top with bell pepper and celery, red onion and garlic (pepper flakes/optional). Drizzle the EVOO and the Infused Olive Oil and season with salt and pepper. Add 2 thyme sprigs to each and drizzle with beer. Bring two opposite ends of the foil together and fold twice to seal. Fold the other sides and seal, leaving room for heat to circulate. Grill the foil packets, rotating halfway through, until the sausages are charred, and the peppers are crisp-tender (about 20 min) carefully open the packets and sprinkle with parsley.

The Spicy Olive’s Chicken Skewers

 Do you love Chicken Satay  as an appetizer at a restaurant? Need an appetizer for Sunday’s game?

Try chicken skewers !

1 package boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins

bamboo skewers-soak in water so they won’t burn on grill

1/4 cup The Spicy Olive’s Cilantro and Roasted Onion or Garlic olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup Peanut butter

1 Tablespoon The Spicy Olive’s Toasted Sesame oil

1 teaspoon soy sause

1 Tablespoon The Spicy Olive’s Honey Ginger white balsamic

green onion, sliced for garnish

 

Thread chicken tenders onto skewers, brush chicken with Cilantro & Roasted Onion Infused Olive Oil add salt, pepper and grill on both sides. until done (internal temp. of 165)  Serve with Peanut Sauce – mix peanut butter with Cilantro and Roasted Onion or Garlic olive oil (1 Tablespoon ), Sesame Oil, soy sauce, Honey Ginger White Balsamic and top with some green onions….it is a sure crowd pleaser!

The Spicy Olive’s Mushroom Flatbread Pizza

MUSHROOM FLAT BREAD PIZZA
Flat Bread Dough:
2 1/2 cups of AP unbleached flour
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons The Spicy Olive’s Wild Mushroom & Sage Olive Oil
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Mushroom Topping:
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons The Spicy Olive’s Wild Mushroom & Sage Olive Oil
2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms such as Cremini, Shitake, Oyster, Porcnini, Chanterelle, etc.
sea salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste
To make the flat bread dough, mix together the olive oil, warm water, yeast, and sugar. Allow to sit for five minutes to bloom. Blend the salt with the flour and mix with the wet ingredients to form a somewhat moist dough.
Knead the dough for about five minutes adding just a bit of flour if it becomes too sticky, until a smooth dough forms. Divide in to two balls and set aside covered in a warm place to rise until doubled, for about 1 hour.
Meanwhile make the mushroom topping. In a large saute pan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sprinkle with a bit of sea salt to taste. Saute until they just begin to turn a light golden-brown color. Add the sliced shallot and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until the shallot is sweet, soft, and also gently caramelized. Adjust seasoning as desired with salt and pepper, and set aside to cool while the dough rises. Alternatively, you can use your bread machine or stand mixer to mix and knead the dough.
Preheat the oven to 450 F.
To assemble, roll each flat dough ball in to a very thin circle, approximately 8″ in diameter. Place the rolled dough on to a sheet pan or pizza pan either greased with olive oil, lined with parchment, or dusted with cornmeal.
Arrange the caramelized mushroom-shallot mixture evenly over both pieces of dough. Sprinkle each with equal portions of crumbled blue cheese, and another drizzle of Mushroom-Sage Olive Oil, and additional fresh ground pepper (if desired). Slide the flat bread in to the preheated oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and beginning to caramelize and the crust is golden brown and slightly puffed. Rotate the flat bread half way through the cooking process to ensure that each cooks evenly.

The Spicy Olive’s Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

An easy but delicious snack, quick to prepare and healthy when served with vegetable crudite, like celery sticks, carrots, cucumbers and red peppers

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Hummus is a dip made with chick peas & olive oil. You can make many different flavors of hummus by using different flavored olive oils. If you like spicy, you could flavor the hummus with Harissa olive oil, Milanese Gremolata would make a delicious lemon, garlic hummus. The Tuscan Herb olive oil would make a truly Tuscan treat.

The Spicy Olive’s Smoky Roasted Chickpeas

Roasted, crunchy chickpeas are a fiber rich, low fat snack option. Using The Spicy Olive’s Olivewood Smoked olive oil adds a smoky flavor to the roasted chickpeas, making them irresistible!

 

The Spicy Olive’s Spicy Lemon GInger Chicken Wings

The Spicy Olive’s Cayenne Chili pepper olive oil is back and there is no better way to enjoy it then on these delicious chicken wings!

Spicy Olive Candy Cane Caprese Salad

The Spicy Olive Candy Cane Caprese Salad

The Caprese Salad is a popular tomato and cheese salad that is perfect for this holiday change up. Arrange the tomato and cheese slices to make a candy cane shape! Garnish with fresh basil for a festive, red, white and green salad-perfect for any holiday buffet table! This salad can also be made into a wreath shape with lettuce greens underneath for another beautiful holiday salad idea!

The Spicy Olive’s Spinach Artichoke Flatbread

This delicious flatbread pizza is a wonderful appetizer for football games, tailgates, and even for the upcoming holiday season! This recipe is easy to change, giving an easy flatbread template to use for all your entertaining.

Here are some additional ideas to try:

Pesto flatbread- Top the flatbread with our delicious Delizia Pesto (available at The Spicy Olive), spreading a thin layer of pesto across the flatbread. Add mozzarella cheese, grilled chicken and other veggies for a delicious treat.

Italian Flatbread- Spread a thin coating of The Spicy Olive’s  Tuscan Herb olive oil over the flatbread. Top with sauteed mushrooms and onion , crumbled Italian sausage and pizza cheese blend for a flavorful appetizer.

I like to use a purchased Naan bread to use for the flatbread saving the step of making dough. You could also use store bought pizza crusts or dough and pita bread.

 

Easter Ideas from The Spicy Olive on Fox 19!

http://www.fox19.com/video/2019/03/26/spicing-up-deviled-eggs/

Melanie Cedargren, owner of The Spicy Olive, appeared on the Fox 19 Morning Show this week and prepared 2 great recipes for the upcoming Easter holiday. Our Bacon Balsamic Deviled Eggs are a delicious twist on Deviled Eggs but once you try them, you will never make deviled eggs any other way! Our Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake is perfect for Easter Brunch or Dessert. We used our Lemon olive oil to add flavor and a succulent texture.

The Spicy Olive’s Blackberry Ginger Chicken Wings

Ingredients
4 pounds chicken “party” wings
2 tablespoons The Spicy Olive’s Garlic Olive Oil (or olive oil of your choice)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup The Spicy Olive’s  Blackberry Ginger Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce

Directions
Combine soy sauce, balsamic, pepper, olive oil and wings in a large, zip-top bag. Close bag and refrigerate 4 hours to overnight.

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat.

Remove the chicken wings from the marinade and pat dry. Cook the wings on the preheated grill, turning occasionally, until the chicken is well browned and no longer pink, 25 to 30 minutes.

 

Place the reserved marinade in a small sauce pot set over medium-low heat, and gently simmer until reduced by half, approximately 5 minutes.

Place grilled wings in a large bowl. Drizzle with reduced balsamic marinade and toss to coat well.