APRIL NEWSLETTER FROM THE
Paducah Olive Oil Co.
Spring is here at the Paducah Olive Oil Co.! We have a few new items to tell you about that have recently arrived. Among these things are new flavors of our popular Seattle Chocolate Bars. Mexican Hot Chocolate is back and is joined by San Juan Sea Salt, Rainier Cherry Nut and Peanut Butter Crunch. Yum!
Two new kinds of Tea balls have joined the scissors varieties that we usually stock. These make infusing your teas so much easier. We also have many, many varieties of bulk teas as well as those that are boxed. A new flavor, Dandy Blend, is now available. It features all the goodness of dandelions. Did you know that dandelions are loaded with antioxidants? They are also known to help with blood pressure and blood sugar and can help you manage your inflammation. Who would have guessed that those weeds in the yard were so good for you!
This month’s featured spice is ALLSPICE. Here are a few facts about Allspice that I didn’t know and you may not, either.
Allspice is the dried, unripe berries of Pimenta dioica, a plant that belongs to the Myrtaceae family. It’s native to Jamaica, the tropical forests of South and Central America, and Southern Mexico, but it’s commercially grown in Honduras, Cuba, and Trinidad as well. However, the name “allspice” comes from the British, who said that its flavor resembles that of cloves, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg combined.
Today, allspice is mostly used as a seasoning for meats, desserts, and even liqueurs. Nevertheless, it has a history of use as a home remedy for colds, menstrual cramps, indigestion, headache, fatigue, and nasal congestion.
Allspice is the dried berries of the Pimenta dioica plant. Despite being a single spice, it tastes like cloves, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg combined. Allspice is mostly used as a condiment, yet it has multiple uses in folk medicine.
We are sharing a few recipes with you that feature Allspice.
Spicy Ethiopian Lentil Stew
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil (Available at the Paducah Olive Oil Co.)
- 1 medium Diced Onion
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tsp Fresh Grated Ginger
- 1 tbsp Berbere Spice (Available at the Paducah Olive Oil Co.)
- 4 cups Vegetable Broth
- 1 1/2 cups Dried Split Red Lentils
- 1 14 oz can Diced Tomatoes
- 3 medium Red Potatoes, diced
- 3 cups Fresh Spinach Leaves, lightly packed
- Cayenne Pepper, to taste (Available at the Paducah Olive Oil Co.)
- Salt and Pepper, to taste (Available at the Paducah Olive Oil Co.)
Instructions
- Coat bottom of large pot with oil and place over medium heat.
- Add garlic, ginger, berbere, and cayenne and cook 1 min.
- Add broth, lentils, tomatoes, and potatoes. Stir occasionally, cooking until lentils are soft and potatoes are tender.
- Stir in spinach and cook until wilted. Remove from heat and season to taste. Serve!
Chocolate allspice dessert nachos
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp white sugar
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground allspice
- 6 flour tortillas 8 inch rounds
- 1/2 cup butter unsalted, melted
- 1/2 cup peanut butter melted
- 1/2 cup caramel syrup
- 1/2 cup chocolate syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F)
- Mix sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and allspice together
- Coat tortillas in butter on both sides. Cut tortillas into quarters (I do this first) Sprinkle to side of each quarter with sugar mixture.
- Bake in oven until golden and crispy (usually 12 - 16 min.)
- Arrange pieces on a platter closely together so drizzling with remaining ingredients is easy and stays on quarters. Enjoy!
Bourbon molasses cookies
Ingredients
- 4 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 pinch finely ground black pepper if desired
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 12 ounces unsalted butter room temp.
- 2 1/4 cups light brown sugar packed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp orange zest finely grated
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup molasses not black strap
- 3 tbsp bourbon
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar for rolling cookie dough
Instructions
- Whisk flour, soda, spices in a medium bowl and set aside
- using a mixer, beat together the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. (about 2 min.) Add the vanilla and orange zest. add eggs one at a time. add bourbon and molasses. Gradually add in dry ingredients and beat until smooth.
- Cover bowl and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 3 days.
- Preheat oven to 350 (F) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll dough into 2 inch balls and roll each ball in an small bowl with the granulated sugar and place on baking sheets.
- Bake one tray at a time for 8 to 10 min. until cookies have puffed up and started to crack on top.
- Remove from oven and cool for 5 min before transferring to a plate.
- Cookies are great served warm and may be stored up to 4 days in a container. Cookies may also be frozen in an airtight freezer container for up to 3 months.
I know this is a really long newsletter, but we have just found so many good recipes to share! Here are a few Easter dishes that we hope perk up your Easter Dinner table during this blesses time of the year. Enjoy!
Easy Root Vegetable Gratin
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter unsalted at room temp
- 1 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 3 large parsnips peeled and sliced diagonally, thinly
- 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 large beets peeled and thinly sliced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 oz parmesan grated
- 2 cloves pressed garlic
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F and butter a 3 quart baking dish. Pour 1/4 cup of the heavy cream in the bottom of the dish
- Layer the vegetables in the dish, season with salt and pepper and top with cheese. Stir together garlic and remaining cream. Pour over vegetables and cover the dish with foil or a lid.
- Bake covered for 30 minutes. Then, uncover, and bake until vegetables are tender and golden brown. Let stand for 10 min. prior to serving
Classic hearty squash casserole recipe
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp butter more for pan (can substitute butter olive oil)
- 10 medium yellow squash about 2 1/2 pounds, sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 10 1/2 oz can cream of mushroom soup
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 8 oz cheddar cheese grated (about 2 cups)
- 1 egg beaten
- 2 cups butter crackers crumbled (such as ritz)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Melt 4 tbsp butter in a large pot over medium. Add squash, onion, and garlic. Season as desired and cook, just until tender. Drain and chop.
- Add milk and soup to mixture and cook till warm. Add cheese, 1/2 cup at a time and stir in whipped egg and rest of squash mixture. Pour in baking dish.
- Melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and add crushed crackers to coat. Sprinkle over casserole and bake until golden brown and bubbly. Approximately 35 to 40 min.
Olive oil cake with citrus compote
Ingredients
- 1 cup olive oil plus more for pan extra virgin available at Paducah Olive Oil Co.
- 2 cups flour leveled and little extra for pan.
- 1 tsp kosher salt available at Paducah Olive Oil Co.
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3 large eggs room temp
- 2 tsp orange zest
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 3 whole oranges
- 1 1/2 cups sugar plus 2 tsps divided
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk room temp
- 1 tbsp agave
- 1 tsp grand marnier
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly oil and flour a 9 x 2 cake pan. Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and soda in a bowl.
- Beat eggs, zest, and 1 1/2 cups sugar with mixer on high until fluffly. Reduce speed and slowly drizzle in oil. Beat milk and orange juice until combined. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Pour into pan, smooth top and sprinkle with remaining sugar.
- Bake 50 - 55 minutes or until skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool pan on rack. Run knife around edges of pan and turn out cake, top side up to cool completely.
- In meantime, peel oranges and pith from oranges. Cut into rounds along with juice. Add agave and Grand Marnier and toss to combine. Serve cake warm with compote.
Have a blessed Easter season and we hope to see each of you soon. Remember to look for news about how to organize your spices and register for our Easter basket to be given away.