Spicy Steak Fajitas
Sometimes you just want the SIZZLE! Fajitas fit the bill, but be sure everyone at the table knows how HOT that frying pan is! You can put a couple of toppings out or a dozen [...]
Balsamic Glazed Meatloaf
I love comfort; comfortable clothes, comforting comments and most of all, COMFORT FOOD! Ingredients 2 lbs lean ground beef 1 Cup Panko breadcrumbs 1/2 cup milk (2% or whole) 3 Tbsp ketchup, divided 2 Tbsp Neapolitan [...]
Brazilian Shrimp Stew (Moqueca de Camaroes)
My own take on this Brazilian dish, the addition of the sriracha gives it a beautiful 'sweet heat'. Not too much heat for any but the timidest! Ingredients 1 1⁄2 lbs raw shrimp, peeled & [...]
Ceviche de Camarone (Colombian Shrimp Cocktail)
My first experience with ceviche was on Isla Mujeres in Mexico, and it was the beginning of a lasting flavour love affair! My experience involved fresh tomato, onion, chilis, avocado, shrimp and LOTS of lime [...]
Baked Feta, Tomato & Chickpea Casserole
A colourful feast for the eyes as well as your taste buds. The chickpeas DO make a difference, and the baked feta mellows becomes creamy and almost nutty, stir it into the rest and scrape [...]
Curried Tomato Lentil Soup
A delicious 'Raise the bar!' tomato soup. You can make it mild or very spicy, adjust the heat with your choice of curry powder or, more or less red pepper flakes. You can omit the [...]
No-Knead Garlic Focaccia
There is NO NEED to KNEAD! As easy as yeast breadmaking gets, 'FIVE STARS' from the family. Let the dough do its first rise in the fridge overnight it improves the flavour! Be sure to [...]
French Onion Soup
Ingredients 3 Sweet onions, halved & thinly sliced 3 Tbsp SOOC Herbs de Provence Olive Oil, divided Sea salt & black pepper 1/4 C water 3 Tbsp SOOC Lavender Dark Balsamic Vinegar, divided 4 C [...]
SPICY KOREAN CHICKEN WINGS
Prefer homemade to frozen? Still want something quick if you're settling down to watch the big game (or any time you crave wings!)? This is pretty simple, just remember to put some oil on the [...]
Bombay Buns
Bursting with herbal and cheesy flavour, these were a big hit! The buns are made using puff pastry, which I have never made and STILL haven't. Buy it pre-made frozen from the grocery and get [...]
Lemon Zucchini Olive Oil Muffins
Incredibly moist and tender, with a light crumb and fresh lemon flavour. These really do come together easily. They pop right out of my silicone muffin tray and should as well if you oil your [...]
Donna’s Spiced Lentil Soup
Lentil soup is eaten around the world, it is wholesome, inexpensive and easy to make. If you’re looking for a complete meal soup, this one checks all the nutrition boxes. Za'atar is a Middle Eastern [...]
Green Curry Soup
I struggled with the name for this soup... The name may be boring but the soup isn't! It's loaded with 'green goodness', it is dead simple and full of flavour! I use store-bought green curry [...]
Baked Pasta alla Norma
Folklore tells us this classic Sicilian dish was named after the opera 'Norma' by the 19th-century composer, Vincenzo Bellini. Eggplant and tomatoes are the stars here, beautifully complemented by our oil & vinegar. This baked [...]
Pomegranate Balsamic Grilled Rib Eye Steak
Isn't it time for another BBQ! Ingredients 4 Tbsp (60 ml) SOOC Dark Pomegranate Balsamic 4 Tbsp (60 ml) SOOC Gourmet Garlic Olive Oil 1 Tbs. good quality Dijon-style mustard 1 tsp Big Mama’s Kansas [...]
Balsamic Beer Braised Beef Ribs
Mmmm.... Beef short ribs, good ANY time of year! Ingredients 3 lb beef short ribs 2 Tbsp SOOC Gourmet Garlic Olive Oil 1 lg sweet onion, diced 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/3 c SOOC Neapolitan [...]
Blueberry Lemon Corn Muffins
It's been a 'Muffin Morning'! Not overly sweet, it's an easy recipe for some fresh morning muffins. (fresh or frozen blueberries will work) Ingredients 3 Tbsp SOOC Eureka Lemon Olive Oil, + 1 tsp 3/4 [...]
Chupe de Camarones (Peruvian Shrimp Chowder)
Called, by some, the 'National Dish of Peru' but perhaps falling behind Ceviche these days, it is certainly a favoured (and flavoured!) dish of the Arequipa Region of Peru. We, however first encountered it at [...]
Sinai Spicy Chickpea Stew
Thanks to our friend and supplier Laurence over at Sinai Gourmet. Their 'hot sauce coulis' are unmatched in bringing the flavour of fresh chilis to a dish. With no vinegar added and a base of [...]
Roasted Sweet Potato & Quinoa Salad
This is a versatile 'assembled' main dish salad for two or you could make it as a tossed side salad for four. That's just the start of the versatility, you could change the grain, mix [...]
Caribe Spicy Black Bean Soup
A creamy soup with a touch of Caribbean flavour, it showcases our phenomenal Red Cayenne Chili Fused Olive Oil. Inspired by our trip to the beautiful island of Bequia. Callaloo is a Caribbean leafy green [...]
Tuscan Scalloped Potatoes
A Mediterranean twist on a classic holiday side dish using no dairy other than the cheese. Rich with olive oil and very flavourful. Ingredients 4 Tbsp SOOC Tuscan Herb Olive Oil, plus a bit more [...]
A Blue Blue Salad
So I know there are other people out there who love blue cheese (just not in my house!). Put that passion to good use with this 'double blue' salad. You can choose to top it [...]
Gremolata Ricotta Caprese Salad
“There’s nothing in the world like home grown tomatoes.” INGREDIENTS 250 g Ricotta cheese (about half the container) 4 Tbsp (60 ml) SOOC Milanese Gremolata Olive Oil 4 Tbsp (60 ml) SOOC Sicilian Lemon White [...]
Golden (Vegan) Mushroom (Barley) Soup!
Lots of BRACKETS on this one! If you want vegan, use vegetable broth and you're there. Or use other stock if that isn't a concern (I like beef stock with mushrooms & onions). The pearl [...]
Ajiaco* Soup
(*with apologies to Colombia) I first had this soup in La Candelaria (the old town) of Bogota, Colombia. They are proud of it as 'their dish' due to the cold weather associated with being above [...]
Mediterranean Bulgur Salad with Lemon-Dill Dressing
Looking for an easy healthy dinner salad to start off the new year? This one hits all the marks! No need to cook the bulgur on the stove, just boil a kettle and pour it [...]
Moroccan Butternut Squash Slow Cooker Stew
This STEW is perfect on chilly fall evenings. Or after a late afternoon camel ride in the Sahara! Serves 6 INGREDIENTS 2 Tbsp SOOC Blood Orange Olive Oil 1 small onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, [...]
Strawberry Mustard Pork Tenderloin
You can enjoy this on the grill or all winter (as presented here) all year in the oven. Add the suggested potatoes & other root vegetables add a light salad and dinner is done! Note that [...]
Sicilian Quinoa & Chickpea Salad
A great salad for a summer get together or family reunion. No mayo or dairy and comfortably served cold, cool or room/yard temperature. A filling dish as well, that will keep you vegan cousin Willard from getting [...]
Bangin’ Balsamic Wings!
Up your BBQ game to BANGIN' with this great and VERSATILE recipe! If you don't have the garlic oil and blackberry vinegar used below, try it with what you have... Olive Wood Smoked or Whole [...]
Asparagus Salad Niçoise
A French classic from Provence made all the better by FRESH Ontario Asparagus - a perfect springtime dinner! Note that this is a CONSTRUCTED salad, not a tossed salad. You 'build' each serving on the [...]
Harira Spiced Moroccan Vegetable Soup
Harira is a traditional soup in Morocco and comes from the Maghreb region. This is a vegetable soup, but with one egg, so not vegetarian, the egg is required for thickening. Harira is traditionally a [...]
Caramelized Brussels Sprouts and Creminis
INGREDIENTS 1½ lbs small, fresh Brussels sprouts, dried end trimmed, and cut in half ½ lb fresh Cremini mushrooms, sliced in half ¼ C SOOC Gourmet Garlic Olive Oil 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced 2 T [...]
Truffle Deviled Eggs
Ingredients 12 Large Eggs, room temperature 5 T Mayonaise 2 t SOOC Sicilian Lemon White Balsamic 1 T Dijon Mustard 1 T SOOC White Truffle Oil Pinch salt 1 T finely chopped chives Pinch of [...]
Lemon Roasted Chicken with Vegetables
Adding vegetables makes this comfort food an easy all-in-one meal. The chicken has a nice lemony flavour, and the balsamic really makes all the flavours pop. Ingredients 1 3-4 lb whole roasting chicken 8 sprigs [...]
Sesame Pasta Salad
Ingredients 1 lb linguine, broken in half 2 T SOOC Toasted Sesame Oil 3 T SOOC UP EVOO 3 T honey 3 T Soy Sauce 3 T SOOC Honey Ginger White Balsamic ¼ t cayenne [...]
Healthy Garbanzo Hummus
As with any great hummus recipe, this one is easily adaptable to suit your flavour preferences. INGREDIENTS 2 (15.5oz) cans garbanzo beans, drained ⅓ C SOOC Chipotle Olive Oil ⅓ C lemon juice 2 T SOOC [...]
Crunchy Kale Salad
INGREDIENTS Salad: 1 bunch of kale, remove stems and chop ¼ small head of purple cabbage, chopped 1 C nuts, toasted and chopped (cashews, walnuts, sunflower seeds, etc) 2 medium carrots, peeled and grated 1 [...]
Key Lime Whipped Cream
Ingredients 1 C heavy cream ¼ C sugar 1 ½ T SOOC Key Lime White Balsamic Directions Combine all ingredients. Using a hand mixer on medium speed, whisk for about 5 min or until cream [...]
Sub’lime’ Cupcakes
Ingredients 2 C flour 2 ½ t baking powder ½ t salt 1 C low-fat, plain yogurt ⅔ C sugar ½ C SOOC Persian Lime Olive Oil 2 eggs 2 limes~ zest of one, juice [...]
Espresso Flank Steak
Flank steak is a lean, somewhat tough but flavourful cut of beef that benefits from the tenderizing effects of a marinade. Scoring the flank steak with 1/4-inch cuts about an inch apart across the grain [...]
Cheers to Beans
The dark champagne balsamic adds a rich, layered flavour to the beans and the onions get a scrumptious glaze! Ingredients 1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed 8 oz pearl onions ¼ C SOOC Champagne Dark [...]
Beets en Français
INGREDIENTS 3 medium beets, peeled and cut into large cubes 1 large sweet onion, cut into chunks ¼ C SOOC Champagne Dark Balsamic Vinegar ¼ C SOOC Herbs de Provence Olive Oil 2 cloves fresh [...]
Filet Mignon with Black Cherry Cabernet Sauce
INGREDIENTS 2 T unsalted butter 2 T SOOC Mushroom and Sage olive oil 4 filet mignon steaks, room temperature ⅓ C chopped shallots 1 C Cabernet Sauvignon ¼ C SOOC Black Cherry Balsamic Vinegar ⅔ [...]
Balsamic Salmon
This salmon recipe is super quick thanks to using the broil setting on your oven. If you'd rather bake the salmon, extend the cooking time and broil at the end for the crispy effect. If substituting [...]
Mango Shrimp Bites
INGREDIENTS 1/2 lb shrimp, cooked, peeled, deveined, chopped 1/2 mango, finely diced~about 1 cup 1/2 small red onion, finely diced 1/2 red pepper, finely diced 2 T fresh cilantro, chopped 2 T SOOC Persian Lime [...]
Ruby Red Salad
INGREDIENTS Salad: 1 small head of red cabbage, you may save the outer leaves for serving 2 oranges, sliced, peeled, and chopped into bite-size pieces ½ red onion, thinly sliced 1 mango, cubed ¼ C [...]
Easy Goat Cheese Spread with Blackberry Ginger Balsamic and Pecans
With only 4 ingredients in this dip, you can whip it up in 5 minutes and be out the door on your way to the party. Enjoy with crackers or fresh veggies. Ingredients 11 ounces [...]
Shrimp Louis
INGREDIENTS 1/4 cup mayonnaise 2 T purchased chili sauce 1 T Dijon mustard 1 T SOOC Persian Lime Olive Oil 1 T SOOC Sicilian Lemon White Balsamic 4 C mixed baby greens or chopped romaine [...]