Olive Oil Lemon Pound Cake

This tasty dessert is a great addition to your family's Christmas dinner. Easy to make and delicious, it's sure to be your new Christmas tradition.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 and grease loaf pan.

Using a mixer, combine sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl. Add eggs one at a time then add olive oil and milk. Mix until a thin batter is formed, being careful not to overblend.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt with a whisk. In batches, slowly add to liquid ingredients and mix until combined. Pour batter into loaf pan.

Bake for 1 hour until cake has risen and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool before using a knife to loosen edges and remove from pan. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, lemon juice and butter. Drizzle over cake and let harden.

Festive Quinoa Stuffing

This festive dish is a wonderful side dish you can add to your Christmas menu to spice it up a bit! Your whole family will be asking for seconds.

Directions

Cook rice according to package directions and set aside. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook onion until soft and golden brown; season with salt and pepper.  Add garlic and cook an additional 2-3 minutes then stir in  parsley.

In a large bowl combine rice with onion mixture and mix well. Stir in cranberries until evenly combined. Serve warm.

Basil Feta Muffins

If you're looking for a new Christmas breakfast favorite, look no farther than our Basil Feta Muffins.

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 and grease 12 muffin cups or line with muffin liners.

In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. In a small bowl, mix egg, buttermilk and olive oil with a whisk until evenly combined. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix in feta, peppers and basil.

Fill muffin cups ¾ of the way full with the batter and bake for 18- 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Cool before removing from the tins.

Italian Stuffed Mushrooms

If you are planning a holiday party, Italian Stuffed Mushrooms make the perfect hors d'oeuvres. Easy to make and even easier to eat!

Directions

Preheat oven to 375.

Using a spoon or your fingers, pop out mushroom stems and set aside. Finely dice 1/3 cup of reserved mushroom stems.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in sauté pan over medium heat. Add diced mushroom stems, bacon and onion. Cook until soft and lightly brown; add garlic and sauté an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add bread crumbs, Parmesan and wine. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.

Place mushrooms, stem side up in a baking dish. Spoon ricotta inside each mushroom then top with bread crumb mixture. Brush remaining olive oil on top of bread crumb mixture. Bake for 25 minutes until soft and brown.

Alessi Arancini

Alessi Arancini are a traditional favorite with our own Alessi twist. Our favorite Christmas recipe straight from our table to yours.

Directions

Cook rice according to package directions. Fluff, add butter and stir. Let cool.

In a large saucepan, brown sausage in 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Add 1 cup pasta sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on medium heat until heated through.  In a large bowl combine rice and meat mixture and place, covered, in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Pour flour, eggs and bread crumbs into 3 separate shallow dishes. When rice mixture has cooled, begin making arancini.  Coat hands in flour, and then form rice and meat mixture into a 2” balls. (Add more flour to hands as needed). Roll in flour, in eggs, then roll in bread crumbs. Place on a baking sheet.   

Heat a deep skillet with 1-2” of olive oil over medium high heat. Fry arancini in olive oil until brown on all sides. Place on a paper towel to drain excess oil. Serve with remaining pasta sauce as a dipping sauce.