Tag Archives: Melissa’s Produce

Temecula Olive Oil Tasting Room, Seal Beach Feb. Cooking Demo

Temecula Olive Oil Tasting Room

Seal Beach

Thur. Feb. 4th  Sold Out!! Repeat class available Thur. Feb 18th, don’t miss out!

6:30 – 8:30, approximately

Also presenting this Valentine Day menu in the

Temecula Olive Oil, Temecula Tasting Room in Old Town

Sat. Feb. 13th, 12-2 Still some spots available

See below for reservations

Beef Wellington Tarts with Mushroom Blue Cheese Sauce 800 2765

Panzanella Salad with Ca. Avocado

            A classic Italian salad with Toasted Bread Cubes

Creamy Ca. Avocado & Blood Orange Olive Oil Vinaigrette

Individual Puff Pastry Filet Mignon Tarts

with Caramelized Onion-Mushroom & Blue Cheese Sauce

Grilled Asparagus with Lemon Gremolata

            Spring asparagus with a Garlic-Lemon Dust

Strawberry Brownie Bites 

For Seal Beach Reservations please call:

562-296-5421

For Temecula Reservations please call:
951-693-0607

Holiday Gift Giving

Here are some of my favorite gifts for anyone!

….’If you want to learn about food…COOK…and Chef Debbi has created a guideline that taps into the practical and encourages the intuitive cook inside us all!’

Helene Kennan, Former Getty Ex. Chef

What's In Your Pantry

 

My specially designed gift basket, hand picked ‘Pantry Items’ from the best, Melissa’s produce. Included is a copy of my ‘What’s In Your Pantry’ book guiding you through the basics of stocking your kitchen from knives and cookware to seasonal recipes. And an exceptional selection of dried herbs, mushrooms, spices and more from Melissa’s Produce. Give the experts at Melissa’s a call for your special delivery! 800-588-0151

Chef Debbi basket

A sampling of other tasty gift baskets from our friends at Melissa’s!

Exotic Fruit BasketParty Basket

Chestnut-Apple Dressing

Love the taste of chestnuts in your dressing? It’s easy with Peeled & Steamed Chestnuts! I find them at Gelsons, Bristol Farms, Lazy Acres or you can order them direct from Melissas. Here’s my favorite recipe…

chestnuts

Chestnut-Apple Dressing

Print
  • 1 loaf artisan bread -- cut into cubes, toasted until lightly browned
  • 1 box cornbread mix -- baked and cut into pieces (Trader Joes has an excellent brand)
  • 1 onion -- diced
  • 4 ribs celery -- diced
  • 3 tablespoons minced fresh sage leaves
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 stick unsalted butter -- (1/2 cup)
  • 1 pound fresh chestnuts -- shelled and peeled, chopped coarse, or 1pkg. vacuum-packed whole chestnuts, chopped
  • 2 small apples (organic) -- golden delicious, cut into 1" pieces with skin
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 1 egg -- lightly beaten
  • 1 cup turkey stock -- or chicken stock, as needed

Fresh chestnuts in shell:

With a sharp knife cut an X on the round side of each chestnut. Spread the chestnuts in one layer on a baking sheet and bake the chestnuts in a preheated 450 oven for 10 minutes, or until the shells open. Remove the chestnuts, a handful at a time, and shell and peel them while they are still hot.

Preheat the oven to 350°

For dressing:

In a large pan, sauté the onions, celery, sage, thyme in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, add apples and the chestnuts, and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the vegetable mixture to the bread pieces, tossing the mixture well, stir in the parsley and salt and pepper to taste, and let the stuffing cool completely. Add the egg and enough of the stock to just bring the dressing together.

Bake for 20 minutes covered; uncover and continue baking 15 minutes or until lightly toasted on top.

Book Signing & Wine Tasting

Saturday & Sunday, Nov. 21 ~ 22 Events!

logo-2

DON’T MISS THIS WEEKEND
IN TEMECULA!
Mary Platis, Author of Cooking Techniques & Recipes with Olive Oil &
Chef Debbi, Author of ‘What’s In Your Pantry’
are teaming up to bring you
Cooking From The Pantry Series!

Book Covercover-award

First stop
Temecula Olive Oil Co.
Temecula tasting Room
Cooking Class Demo-Wine Tasting & Book Signing
Sat. Nov. 21st
12 – 2 $45.00

Menu
Mediterranean Vegetables in Olive Oil
Fresh Tomato Risotto
Baby Beets and Brussels sprouts Salad
Turkey Rollatini with White Wine, Porcini Mushroom Pan Sauce
Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake with Vanilla & Fig Balsamic Compote

For Temecula Reservations please call:
951-693-0607

Second stop

Sunday, Nov 22nd
Book Signing and Wine Tasting 12 ~ 2

Sponsored by

Holiday Gifts to Make
Sat. Nov. 7th
10 – 11 a.m. Free

How to Make Gifts from the Garden

Chef Debbi will also have some seasonal spices and holiday botanicals
Pick up a copy of ‘What’s In Your Pantry’ for holiday gift giving
A great hostess gift!

Join us for some conversation and a tasty bite!

The Plant Stand 
2972-A Century Place
(In the back)
Costa Mesa, Ca
(714) 966-0797

Pumpkin Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake

Aquarium Event

I served this last night at The Aquarium of the Pacific’s Sea Fare fund raising event and it was declared by the President of the Aquarium ‘the best food at the event’. Now that was very nice of him but there was some really tasty food there from local restaurants. It was a wonderful event with music, food and wine and lots of grateful fishes. Thanks to everyone who came out and those who stopped by my booth, I’m happy you enjoyed the cake! And you can learn how to make this cake and more at my cooking classes here in Seal Beach at Temecula Olive Oil‘s tasting room, click on Nov. for the upcoming menu!

pumpkin bundt cake

Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake

Print

Try different flavored olive oils for this cake. Orange, lemon or a lightly flavored olive oil, don’t use a big heavy tasting oil as it will overpower the pumpkin and spice in the cake.
You could make this cake into a sheet cake, round cakes or even cupcakes; just remember to adjust the cooking time.

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin (or 2 cups freshly roasted sugar pumpkin)
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 package cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 splash of vanilla, optional

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a medium-sized bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cloves.

Combine sugar and oil in a large bowl with a rubber spatula until blended.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add flour mixture to egg mixture alternately with pumpkin in three batches, beating

well after each addition.

Transfer to a greased Bundt cake pan.

Bake 60-65 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cool for approximately 10-15 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack.

Remove pan carefully from cake and cool completely.

Easy Cream Cheese Frosting

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, and beat at low speed until sugar is incorporated.

Increase speed to medium high and beat until frosting is light and whipped, about 3 to 4 minutes. Use to top cookies, cupcakes, or cakes

 

Cooking Class

Temecula Olive Oil Co., Seal Beach

November Class

Thur. Nov. 12th
6:30-8:30 (approximately)
Braciole

 

Smoked Trout Canapés with Pickled Onions and Mascarpone

Pomegranate, Bacon and Brussels Sprouts Salad

Braciole

Italian Stuffed Beef Rolls

Mushroom Bolognese

Chocolate Raspberry Linzertorte

 

10 – 20% off on all purchases the night of the class

 

 

Class Sponsored by

1logo 2004

NOW TAKING RESERVATIONS!

Seal Beach Tasting Room By Reservation only, call: 562-296-5421

Classes are $45; Pre Paid Reservations only

Feel free to BYOB

DKB-12

Apple Recipes

Apple, Pomegranate & Gorgonzola Salad

Print
  • 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 apple, tart
  • 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
  • 2 ounces Gorgonzola cheese
  • Pomegranate seeds
  • Salad greens

Whisk the vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper in a small bowl.

Slice the apple into matchsticks.

Crumble the Gorgonzola cheese into small pieces.

Place your salad greens in a large bowl and toss with the seeds, pine nuts, cheese and apples, reserving a few of all the add-ins. Adjust the seasoning to your liking. Drizzle a little of the dressing onto the greens and toss gently. Drizzle just enough dressing onto the salad to lightly coat the leaves - not too much. Add additional salt and pepper if you like and scatter the reserved toppings over the salad.

Applesauce

Print
  • 3 pounds apples, Gala, Honeycrisp or Jonagold
  • 2/3 cup apple juice, orange juice or water
  • 8 tablespoons sugar
  • 3 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Core, peel and cut the apples into medium sized pieces. Place all ingredients into a saucepan with lid and simmer over low heat until apples are very tender, about 45 minutes. Put through a food mill to create a soft creamy applesauce or use a potato masher and serve chunky, best served warm.

Making an Herbal Wreath

herb wreath, garden therapy

Herb Wreath Directions

Print
  • Supplies Needed:
  • Wreath frame
  • Floral wire
  • Rubber bands
  • Twist ties
  • Herb stems, leaves and flowers

Gather your supplies and choose an herb to become the base of your wreath. I chose rosemary. Using twist ties and/or floral wire begin covering your wreath base. Be patient with this process. It takes longer to do than one would think.

Here are a few different techniques. Select 2-3 different herbs and create small bunches using rubber bands. Then add each bunch to the wreath, using floral wire to secure it. Or, simply poke individual sprigs into the wreath and securing them again with floral wire.

Directions and photo’s edited from Garden Therapy

Herb wreath #1Herb Wreath #2

Simple Cold Pasta Salad

On these dog days of summer, even here at the beach, this is one of my favorite go-to recipes. It’s quick and easy, you don’t have to turn on any heat, even to cook the pasta, and you can use bits and pieces of left overs from your refrigerator pantry.

Some of my typical summer refrigerator pantry items are, cheese, olives, tomatoes (home grown, of course), cucumbers, peppers and the like. Most often there will be some lemon chicken left over as well. All are perfect additions to this salad. First the pasta, no need to boil a big pot of water, we’ll use the microwave!

Summer Pasta Salad

Pour your dry pasta, something curly is best to hold all the wonderful dressing in it’s little nooks, into a microwave safe bowl. Cover with cool water by 1″, make sure the container is big enough that the water and pasta won’t boil over. You’ll want to cook your pasta for about 5 minutes longer than the directions guide you on the box. Test the pasta for doneness and cook a little longer if necessary. Drain well and rinse quickly with cool water. Do not add dressing to the warm pasta as it will just soak it all up and be mushy. Stir the pasta occasionally as it cools to keep it from sticking together. You could cook the pasta ahead of time and chill it before you  make the salad. If this is the case, toss the cooled pasta with a little olive oil before refrigerating. Now you’re ready to proceed with the salad.

In actuality, from this point on you could chop and dice almost anything you find in you refrigerator but here’s my stand by recipe.

Summer Pasta Salad

Print
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup olive oil, approximately
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoon fresh basil, torn
  • 1/2 cup diced cucumber
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
  • 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
  • 1/4 cup sliced black olives
  • 1/2 cup crumbled or diced cheese, mozzarella, chedderella, goat cheese or any you prefer
  • 1 ½ cup cooked pasta

For dressing, mix together vinegar, Dijon, salt, pepper, and garlic powder and whisk until it comes together. While continually whisking slowly add olive oil to taste. Set aside.

Mix together remaining ingredients and toss with dressing. Serve cold.

Pan-Seared Scallops with Champagne Grapes and Almonds

Champagne grapes and scallops

Print
  • 16 large sea scallops, side muscles removed
  • 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1-1/2 Tablespoons minced shallots
  • 2/3 cup Champagne grapes (4 ounces) or black grapes, halved
  • 1-1/2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup slivered or sliced almonds, toasted
  • 1-1/2 Tablespoons chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
  • Salt and pepper

Melt 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the butter until it is browned, about 2 minutes. Salt and pepper your scallops before adding them to the pan. Cook 2 minutes on each side and transfer to a dish, covering to keep warm.

Melt the remaining 2 Tablespoons of unsalted butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and grapes; sauce until the shallots are golden brown, about one minute. Stir in fresh lemon juice and any accumulated scallop juice from the plate of cooked scallops. Bring to a boil and season with salt and pepper. Stir in almonds and parsley.

Place scallops on individual plates and spoon the sauce over them. Serve immediately

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