Chili flakes are one of my very favorite things to cook with, if you haven't already noticed. This appetizer is a classic in my family, and it even made my husband, the olive-hater, love and appreciate this little Mediterranean fruit. You don't need much for this recipe, and measurements are not the important thing here, so feel free to play around a little bit. What's important is that you Read more

I recently read Peggy Knickerbocker's mouthwatering book Olive Oil: From Tree to Table, and I was completely blown away by all of the things I learned about my very favorite ingredient. As it turns out, there is so much that goes into the processing of olive oil, and we should be rather selective in choosing our oils. Here are a few interesting facts: Olive trees thrive in Mediterranean Read more

If you're tired of the same old boring salad, I highly recommend you give this recipe a try. It combines pan-seared pork tenderloin with a hearty, delicious, and flavorful mixture of arugula, avocados, tomatoes, and olives. Feta cheese gives it a creamy texture and tangy saltiness. This dish comes together quickly, which is crucial for weeknight meals. While the meat cooks, put together the Read more

Hoping to still make it a Meatless Monday over the holidays? For some inspiration, check out what OnSugar blog Cooking in Pajamas is making: zucchini and olive pizza. Yum! Homemade pizza! If you are starting with ready-made dough (and why wouldn't you?), it is quicker, healthier, cheaper and tastier to make your own. It is . . . really! Even if your favorite pizza is a standard variety tomato Read more

Entertaining this holiday season? Here's a tip: when serving nuts that require shelling or olives with pits, don't forget to place a trash bowl nearby. Before guests arrive, eat a couple of nuts or olives and discard the shells or pits in the designated trash bowl. That way your friends will know exactly where to throw away their trash. Do you have a holiday entertaining tip? Please share with Read more

I never turn down an invitation to a holiday party. Too often, it's the same for the food, cocktails, and treats that often accompany them. To make sure I'm snacking smart at the soirees' snack stands, I've checked out two popular items that tend to find their ways onto many a hostess's serving tray — olives and almonds. Ready to see the side-by-side breakdown? Read more

When there's not a lot of time to prepare a healthy, home-cooked meal, fish is my go-to dinner dish. Why? Because on top of being high in protein and low in saturated fat, its fillets also cook quickly and evenly. Tonight, I'll be making the most of leftover striped bass fillets by pan-sautéing them, then serving a Mediterranean olive-almond relish alongside the table. The result is a wholesome Read more

For an elegant but relaxed approach to tonight's dinner, serve grilled steaks with a sauce vierge. This light and pungent sauce, which literally translates to "virgin sauce," is the Frenchman's rendition of Italy's salsa verde. Although the traditional elements, like capers, parsley, olive oil, and garlic still play a starring role, so do Provençal ingredients such as cornichons and Dijon Read more

I've always wanted to cure my own olives, but it's not every day that I spot fresh olives at the store. So I was thrilled to discover one sunny Saturday that the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market was selling bags of small, black Coratinas for $5, along with a recipe for curing olives. To make bitter and astringent fresh olives edible, there are two ways of preparing them: dry-curing them in salt, or Read more