These molasses cookies will surely make an impression during the holidays!

Ingredients

• 1 cup Grove 45 Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• 1- 1/3 cups sugar

• 1 egg

• 1/3 cup molasses

• 2 tbsp dark corn syrup

• 2 tbsp milk

• 4 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp baking soda

• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1-1/2 tsp ground ginger

• 1-1/2 tsp ground cloves

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• Crystal sugar

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees

• In a large bowl, beat together Grove 45 EVOO, 1-1/3 cups of sugar, and egg until light and fluffy

• Beat in molasses, corn syrup and milk until blended

• Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and cloves, beating until well blended

• Shape dough into 1-1/2-inch balls

• Roll balls in sugar

• Place 3 inches apart on uncreased baking sheets

• Bake 12-14 minutes or until golden

• Do not overbake or cookies will not be soft

• Cook 1-2 minutes on baking sheets, then remove to racks to cool completely.

Makes about 40 (3-inch) cookies

A sweet treat for any occasion!

Ingredients

• ¼ cup1-½ cups all-purpose flour

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• ¼ teaspoon baking powder

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon ground allspice

• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• ½ cup granulated sugar

• ½ cup light brown sugar

• ½ cup Grove 45 Special Selection Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• 2 large eggs

• 1 cup pumpkin puree

• Zest of ½ orange

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• ½ cup chopped pecans

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• Zest of ½ orange

• Juice of ½ to 1 orange as needed

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

• Grease a Bundt pan and set aside.

• Place flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices in a bowl and stir well to combine.

  Set aside.

• In a mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, brown sugar and Grove 45 EVOO until well blended.

• Add eggs, pumpkin and vanilla and whisk until thoroughly incorporated.

• Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and, using a wooden spoon, stir until combined.

  Stir in pecans and let batter stand 15 minutes.

• Pour batter into the previously prepared Bundt pan.

• Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

• Remove from oven and transfer to cooling rack.

• Cool in pan for 10 minutes; turn bread out onto the rack to cool completely.

• Prepare glaze by combining powdered sugar, zest of orange and juice until “drizzle” consistency.

• When bread is completely cool, drizzle with glaze as desired. Enjoy!

Crispy, savory pan-fried brussels sprouts perfect for any family dinner!

Ingredients

• ¼ cup Grove 45 Special Selection extra virgin olive oil, plus more for cooking

• ¼ cup Grove 45 18 Year balsamic vinegar

• 1 Tablespoon Clif Family Hot Honey with Cobanero Chili

• 3 shallots, 1 Tablespoon chopped and the balance thinly sliced crosswise into rings

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered

• 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour

• ¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

• ¼ cup dried cranberries

• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

• ½ cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

• Finely grated zest of ½ lemon

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, combine the Grove 45 Special Selection EVOO with the 18 Year balsamic vinegar, honey and 1 tablespoon of the chopped shallots and whisk until smooth. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.

• Heat a frying pan and add enough Grove 45 Special Selection EVOO to coat the pan and add the Brussels sprouts in a single layer, turning them until golden brown and slightly crisp, 7-8 minutes. When done transfer to the bowl with the sauce.

• In a small bowl, toss the sliced shallots with the flour. Using the same frying pan used for the Brussels sprouts add enough Grove 45 Special Selection EVOO to fry the shallots until golden and crispy. Transfer the shallots to a paper towel to drain.

• In the bowl with the sauce and Brussels sprouts, toss with half the chopped parsley, the cranberries, Parmigiano and walnuts. Season to taste with salt and pepper and transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle the Brussels sprouts with the crispy shallots, the remaining parsley and the lemon zest and serve while hot.

Fluffy, light and oh-so-delicious, these olive oil rolls are perfect for your Easter Brunch.

Ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast

• 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons lukewater water

• 3/4 teaspoon honey

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3 tablespoons Grove 45 Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Instructions

• In a small bowl add the water and honey, sprinkle the yeast on top and let sit for 5 minutes. Then stir.

• In the bowl of your stand up mixer whisk together the flour and salt, make a well in the middle and add the yeast mixture and oil. With the hook attachment knead until the dough comes together and forms a ball (about 10-12 minutes, stop halfway and scrape off the dough from the hook and the sides of the bowl).

• Remove the dough to a flat surface and knead into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl (roll in the dough in the bowl), cover and let rise in a warm draft free area for approximately 2 hours, or doubled in bulk.

• Remove the dough from the bowl and punch down, form into 10 - 12 balls** (keep the dough covered while making the balls), place on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet, cover and let rise in a warm area for approximately 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.

• Pre-heat oven to 400F.

• Brush the dough balls with a little olive oil and bake for approximately 10-15 minutes, until golden and when tapped on the bottom there is a hollow sound. Let cool or eat warm. Enjoy!

This recipe comes to us from Epicurious and is the perfect combination of beautiful fresh herbs and bright olive oil.

A healthy dose of olive oil gives this rosemary-infused bread a rich, moist crumb and pale golden hue; it also helps it keep a little better than other breads.

Ingredients

Makes 1 large boule

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, plus more as needed

2 teaspoons instant yeast

2 teaspoons coarse kosher or sea salt

1/3 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves

Step 1

Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a food processor. Turn on the machine and add the olive oil through the feed tube, followed by 3/4 cup water. Process for about 30 seconds, adding more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture forms a ball and is slightly sticky to the touch.

Step 2

Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and, by hand, knead in the rosemary until the dough feels smooth. Put it in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until the dough doubles in size, about 2 hours. (You can cut this rising time as short as 1 hour if you are in a hurry, or you can let the dough rise more slowly, in the refrigerator, for up to 8 hours. At this point, you may also wrap the dough tightly in plastic and freeze for up to a month; defrost in a covered bowl in the refrigerator or at room temperature.)

Step 3

Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Shape the dough into a boule, sprinkling with flour as necessary but keeping it to a minimum. Line a colander or large bowl with a well-floured kitchen towel, set the loaf in the bowl, and cover with another towel (this keeps it from spreading too much). Let the dough rise for at least an hour and preferably longer, up to 2 hours.

Step 4

About 45 minutes before the dough has risen, heat the oven to 425°F. Put an ovenproof skillet (preferably cast iron) on the floor or the lowest rack while the oven heats. If you’re using a baking stone, put it on the rack above the skillet while the oven heats; if not, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 5

Once you’re ready to bake, slide or turn the dough out onto a lightly floured peel or flexible cutting board, seam side down, or just transfer it to the prepared baking sheet. Rub the loaf with a little flour (this helps prevent scorching) and slash the top with a sharp knife or razor blade. Use the peel or cutting board to slide the loaf onto the baking stone or slide the baking sheet into the oven. Partially pull out the rack with the heated skillet and very carefully pour 1 cup hot water into the skillet (it will create a lot of steam). Slide the rack back in and immediately close the oven door

Step 6

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, turning the bread or the baking sheet halfway through, until the crust is golden brown, the bottom sounds hollow when tapped, and the internal temperature reaches 200°F on a quick-read thermometer. If the bread is browning too quickly, lower the temperature to 400°F. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

Elevate a holiday classic with poached pears and pistachios as you wow your friends and family with this beautiful take on a olive oil cake from Bake From Scratch.

Pear-Pistachio Olive Oil Cake

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs (100 grams), room temperature

• 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar

• ½ cup (112 grams) extra-virgin olive oil

• ⅔ cup (64 grams) almond flour

• ⅓ cup (80 grams) whole milk

• 1 tablespoon (15 grams) tightly packed lemon zest

• 1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract

• ¼ teaspoon (1 gram) almond extract

• 1⅓ cups (167 grams) all-purpose flour

• 1½ teaspoons (7.5 grams) baking powder

• ¾ teaspoon (2.25 grams) kosher salt

• 1 large Anjou or Bosc pear (230 grams)

• 2 teaspoons (10 grams) lemon juice

• ½ cup (46 grams) minced pistachios

• Garnish: confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray a 9-inch springform pan with baking spray with flour; line bottom of pan with parchment paper.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat eggs at high speed until uniform in color and foamy, about 1 minute. With mixer on medium speed, gradually add granulated sugar in a slow, steady stream. Increase mixer speed to high, and beat until thick and pale, about 2 minutes. With mixer on low speed, gradually add oil in a slow, steady stream, beating until combined; scrape sides of bowl. Add almond flour, milk, lemon zest, and extracts, and beat at medium speed until combined.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold all-purpose flour mixture into egg mixture just until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.

4. Cut pear in half. Core each half, and cut off top part of pear and stem. Cut pear halves into ⅛-inch-thick slices. Divide slices into groups of 4 to 5. Fan slices, and gently place on top of cake batter. (See Note.) Gently brush lemon juice onto pear slices. Sprinkle pistachio bits around edge of batter and between groups of fanned pears.

5. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs, 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove sides of pan. Serve warm, or let cool completely on base of pan on a wire rack.

6. Before serving, cut a 7-inch circle from parchment paper; place in center of cake. Using a fine-mesh sieve, sift confectioners’ sugar onto edges of cake and sprinkle remaining pistaschio bits.

Notes

It is very difficult to move the pear slices once they’ve been placed on the batter, so be intentional about the placement.

Here is one of our all-time favorites with a holiday season twist.
Fresh orange zest and juice work best, but use what you have!

Ingredients

·        3 heavy tbsp freshly grated orange zest

·        1 1/2 cups white sugar

·        2 3/4 cups flour

·        1 teaspoon baking powder

·        1/2 teaspoon baking soda

·        1/2 teaspoon salt

·        12 ounces cranberries (fresh or frozen, we prefer fresh)

·        3 large eggs room temperature

·        1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

·        1 cup Grove 45 Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Instructions

1.                Preheat oven to 350.

2.                Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside

3.                In a small bowl, combine orange zest with sugar and mix well. 

4.                Beat the eggs together with the sugar and zest.  Beat for a 2-3 minutes and then slowly pour in the orange juice and then the Grove 45 olive oil.

5.               Sowly add in the flour mixture,  leave behind about 1/4 cup of the flour.  Add the cranberries to this 1/4 cup of flour and toss to coat.  Once the flour in the mixing bowl has been well incorporated with the wet ingredients, add in the flour coated cranberries.  Mix only until incorporated; do not over mix because doing so might crush your cranberries.  Alternatively, you can add and mix in the cranberries by hand using a rubber spatula.

6.                Grease a cake or muffin pan with cooking spray or vegetable oil.  Pour in the batter and then use a knife to swirl the batter a bit, in order to help distribute the cranberries.

7.                Bake on the middle rack of your oven for approximately 60 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool almost completely before removing it from the pan.

This is the perfect spring brunch item and there is no better time to whip one up than for Easter.
Made with fresh, seasonal asparagus and local goat cheese, it’s a perenial favorite of the Grove 45 team.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound asparagus

• 1 package of puff pastry (or homemade phyllo dough)

• 1/4 cup cream cheese

• 1/2 cup goat cheese

• 1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

• 2 tbsp Grove 45 Exyra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for drizzling

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Trim down your asparagus, removing the thick, wood-y bottom.

3. Boil a large pot of water and quickly blanch your asparagus, boiling for 2-3 minutes until bright grill.

4. Toss onto grill, or grill pan, to add some char and flavor.

5. In a bowl, combine the three cheeses (Save 2 tbsp parmesan cheese for topping), Grove 45 exra virgin olive oil, garlic, a pinch of sea salt, and a few turns of freshly cracked pepper. Set aside.

6. Roll out puff pastry on a greased pan.

7. Gently spread the cheese mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 2″-wide strip uncovered around the outside edge. Arrange the asparagus spears in a row across the center of the dough.

8. Fold the outside edges of the dough toward the center.

9. Whisk together the egg and 1 teaspoon of water. Brush the crust with the egg wash, and sprinkle the remaining parmesan over the galette.

10. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese filling has started to brown. Remove from the oven and gently set on a cooling rack to keep the bottom crispy.

    Serve and enjoy!

This is another of our favorite olive oil tricks - preserving or pickling!

Garlic is one of our favorite spices and by pickling it, you add another level of flavor and nuance.

A super easy recipe, it will give you a decent supply of pickled garlic that will last in the fridge for a couple months! We use rosemary here but feel free to add chilies, thyme, sage or other herbs.

Ingredients

• 5 heads of garlic peeled, whole or chopped

• Pickling liquid (3 parts vinegar, 2 parts water, 1 part granulated sugar, and 0.3 parts salt)

• 6-8 stalks of fresh rosemary

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

• Bring the pickling liquid to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic cloves to the boiling liquid and "cook" for 30-45 seconds. Do this in two batches, if necessary. Remove the garlic cloves from the pickling liquid and let them dry on a few layers of paper towels.

• Loosely pack your jar of choice with the garlic bulbs.

• Nestle 3-4 stalks of rosemary and one bay leaf (per jar) among the cloves.

• Add enough olive oil to the jars to cover the garlic cloves and herbs. Seal the jars and place them in the refrigerator. The garlic is ready to use after 48 hours. Pickles last up to 3 months.

  NOTE: Step one is NOT optional. Incorrectly pickled foods can lead to food poisoning. Please follow all recipes correctly.

Anyone else get the 3 pm snackies? These olive oil roasted nuts are the perfect healthy snack to keep you going until dinner. They also make a fantastic addition to charcuterie platters, salads and other dishes.

We use almonds for this recipe, however you can use the nut or legume of your choice. Consider walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, etc.

You can also vary the spices used. We loved a good dusting of garlic and chili powder, but you can use cayanne, pepper, onion power - the list goes on.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups whole raw almonds (or other nut)

• 2 tablespoons Grove 45 extra virgin olive oil

• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a bowl, toss together all ingredients until nuts are well coated.

3. Spread into a single layer on a large baking sheet.

4. Roast for 10 minutes , stir, and continue roasting for another 5-8 minutes or until lightly browned. Keep a close eye on them as they can burn rather quickly.

5. Cool completely on baking sheet before snacking. Also, chop and use to garnish salads and side dishes.

6. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.