Winter 2003
By Meryl Bennan
 So
here we are again at the local rec center, me and my one
year old side-kick Eloise when that little runny-nosed tot
who just a few days before seemed like such a perfect potential
playmate crawls towards us. In my friendliest high-pitched,
sing-song mommy voice I hear myself chime, "toss ball-y
to baby". But really, I'm thinking, "Chuck it to
her and head for the building blocks...Let's ditch this little
blondie before she spreads those germs our way!"
"Been there, didn't
have to do that..."
Recipe
Contest Winner
Contest: Making Sense of
Garlic
Enough is enough. Go over the limit and no one
will eat it. Just the right amount and garlic can
send your dish to smash hit status. So let's see
what kind of garlic sense you've got...Send
us your favorite garlic and California Ripe Olive
recipes. From soups and starters to entrees
and snacks, we'll taste 'em and test 'em until we've
found the one that we think is right on the money.
The winner will receive a free
California Ripe Olive apron, a case of
California Black Ripe Olives, and some on-site
recognition. Yes, the winning recipe will be posted
on the California Ripe Olive web-site for
all to see and vampires to avoid!! Ahhh, the sweet
smell of recipe success!
Top |
|
I've never been a fanatic about these things, but I've also
never been more aware of the cold and flu season then I am
now. Yep, I'm a mom alright... Surrounded by crumpled tissues
and drippy-nosed toddlers, I'm on a mission to get through
this season with the fewest casualties possible and I'm taking
my family with me. If one of us is down, we all are-and no
one feels worse about it than me!
Taking matters into my own hands (which have been washed
with hot soapy water), I'm not going to let those nasty ol'
germs ruin our fun. That means getting them, BEFORE they get
us! Of course, I'm talking about providing a healthy balanced
diet and getting plenty of rest (I'm a new mom, not a moron
right?), but there's even more to my plan...extra heavy doses
of Vitamins A, C and E, garlic up to our eyeballs and lots
of monounsaturated fats from California Ripe Olives, nuts
and avocados to help our bodies absorb all of the good stuff.
Now that's what I call a happy, healthy new year!
Go deeper into the trenches in your own battle with the bug.
Here's what
chefs are reading about fighting the flu and common cold with
good food.
Orange Glazed Chicken with Olives
Ingredients
|
| 3 Tablespoons Unsalted
butter |
| 1 1/2 pounds Chicken breast,
sliced into 1 1/2-inch chunks |
| 2 teaspoons Chopped rosemary |
| Salt and pepper to taste |
| 1 1/4 cups Orange juice |
| 1/4 cup Dijon mustard |
| 1 cup California Ripe
Olives |
| 1/2 cup Chopped sundried
tomatoes |
Directions
Heat 1 Tablespoon of butter in a large
sauté pan over medium-high heat.
Season chicken with rosemary, salt and pepper
and place in pan. Cook over medium-high
heat for 2-4 minutes, stirring occasionally
until browned on all sides. Stir in orange
juice and mustard and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
Toss in California Ripe Olives and sundried
tomatoes and remove from heat. Whisk in
remaining butter and serve over rice, pasta
or greens.
Serves 4.
Top
|
|
|
C is for Citrus, that's good enough for me
Oh, do I wish that cookies could fight colds. It would be
really easy to get my family to eat their ounce in prevention
every day. BUT since that's not going to happen, reality tells
me to try a different more proven source...The ol' reliable
orange. Sure, the grapefruit, tangerine and other varieties
work as well. The point is find one you like, serve it up
and you too will keep those germs at bay.
For some, a glass of juice is the way to go, but I get a
little bored with that. Instead, I prefer to incorporate citrus
into my meals. The sweetness and acidity of these fruits can
add complexity and flavor to poultry and pork dishes. And
the more flavorful the food, the more my family (even my one-year
old) will lap it up! Try this recipe on the right and see
for yourself. Combined with salty, meaty ingredients like
California Ripe Olives, oranges effortlessly brighten even
the simplest chicken sauté. Now, you'll really blow
those germs away!
Get your boost from a bulb
Garlic
has been touted for its natural healing and immune-system
boosting properties in Eastern medicine for centuries. Now,
at the turn of the century, we American's finally seem to
have caught on. And just like Starbuck's, now that we're into
it, it's everywhere from mashed potatoes, to salsas to French
fries and more...
 The
thing about garlic is this, it's delicious and good for you,
what's not to love? Funny you should ask. Garlic is tasty
when it's used correctly and balanced with other flavors,
but when it's overused or undercooked in any one dish it can
ruin the whole meal. And, as we all know a meal that's not
eaten doesn't help anyone!
Stirred into a neutral base like mashed potatoes or married
with other snappy ingredients like California Ripe Olives,
garlic adds zip and zing in all the right ways. Check out
these next two recipes for yourself and your family, either
way you look at it, garlic and California Ripe Olives
make a great team...And that's nothing to sneeze at!
Garlic Olive Stuffing
Ingredients
|
| 2 teaspoons Olive oil |
| 4 cloves Garlic, thinly
sliced |
| 3/4 cup Low-sodium chicken
broth |
| 4 cups Stale or lightly
toasted cubed white bread |
| 1 (2.25 ounce) can Sliced
California Ripe Olives |
| 1/4 cup Sliced almonds,
lightly toasted |
| 1 Tablespoon Chopped thyme |
| 1 teaspoon Chopped lemon
zest |
| Salt and pepper to taste |
Directions
Heat olive oil in a small sauté
pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and
cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes until
golden. Remove from heat and pour in chicken
broth.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine
garlic mixture with bread cubes, California
Ripe Olives, almonds, thyme and zest. Season
to taste with salt and pepper.
Pour into a 11-inch by 7-inch baking dish
and cover. Bake in a 375 degree oven for
20 minutes. Remove cover and continue baking
for 5-8 minutes. Serve with roasted chicken
or pork.
Serves 4.
Top
|
|
|
Stuffed Garlic Olives
You can pop the portable little snacks anytime, anywhere.
And, believe it or not, according to Eloise they're
kid-friendly (as long as I quarter them for her before
she tosses them back). We'll be toting them along to
our playgroup at the rec center. You can bet, even if
those germs don't stay away on their own, at least those
sniffly little tykes carrying them will back off!
Ingredients
|
| 10 cloves Roasted garlic*,
peeled and pureed |
| 1/4 cup Prepared mashed
potatoes |
| 1 (6 ounce) can California
Ripe Olives |
Directions
Combine roasted garlic puree and mashed
potatoes until smooth. Place into a pastry
bag. (If you don't have a pastry bag, fill
a plastic zip-lock baggie with mixture,
then cut off one of the tips at the bottom
to improvise). Pipe mixture into olives
one at a time.
Serves 4-6.
*If you can't find roasted garlic
in your stores, it's simple to make. Just
cut 1/4-inch of the butt end off of a garlic
bulb. Brush with olive oil and place on
a baking sheet cut side down. Roast for
45-50 minutes in a 375-degree oven until
soft. Then break apart into cloves and peel.
Top
|
|
|
|
