Citrus Body Butter

I started researching recipes for lotion, lip balm, and the like after cooking with Sciabica's flavored oils.  They smell so delicious!  I’m so glad I followed through with this idea because wow, making this body butter today was such a treat.  When you whip the ingredients together it’s an aroma therapy session!

Meet Kate!

Hello!  My name is Kate, and I live in the beautiful, bold city of Boulder, Colorado.  I'm a freelance writer, specializing in fiction, features for magazines and newspapers, and food.  It's a job that has no traditional benefits, but does allow me to start pizza dough for dinner at 2 in the afternoon or go grocery shopping when there are no crowds, and those are bennies that count, in my opinion.

In terms of food, I've blogged at www.localdish.net for more than five years, ghost-written cookbooks and served as restaurant critic for the second largest newspaper in Colorado (The Colorado Springs Gazette).  I also enjoy yoga, motorcycling, reading, hiking and taking way too many pictures of my beloved dog, but most often you can find me:

1. In the kitchen

2. Connected to the Internet

3. In the kitchen connected to the Internet

Sciabica Italian Focaccia Bread

I have made the original recipe for this bread several times and it is so good.  When I received my Sciabica Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (which tastes and smells incredible, by the way), I knew it was the perfect thing to use in place of regular olive oil.

Sciabica Italian Focaccia Bread

by Susan Whempner

adapted from Easy Italian Favorites

2 1/2 to 3 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 package regular or quick acting dry yeast (I used quick acting)

1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon Sciabica Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

1 cup very warm water (between 120 and 130 degrees)

2 teaspoons dried Italian herb blend

2 Tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tablespoons finely diced onion

Creamy Lavender Sauce served over Bow-tie Pasta

Creamy Lavender Sauce served over Bow-tie Pasta
by Rachael Tanis
adapted from Copykat.com's Dining Out at Home Cookbook

2 cups dry bow-tie pasta, cooked according to package directions
2 Tablespoons butter

3 Tablespoons Sciabica's Lavender Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white table wine
3/4 cup half and half
1/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup finely grated mild Asiago cheese
1 Tablespoon dried Lavender buds

Crab Cakes with Sciabica's Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Crab Cakes with Sciabica's Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

by Christine

1 pound crab meat, drained and checked for cartilage

1 Tablespoon Sciabica's Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 egg

2 Tablespoons red pepper, chopped fine

1/3 cup green onion, sliced thin

1 Tablespoon parsley, chopped

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon dry mustard

3 Tablespoons mayonnaise

1 cup Ritz cracker, crushed

flour for dredging

1/4 cup Sciabica's Manzanillo Variety Fall Harvest Olive Oil, for frying

Lemon Basil Hummus with Basil Fried Flatbread

As the weather is heating up down here in Texas, it’s time to cool things down in the kitchen. I decided to try some new twists on some old favorites, and hummus was one of the first treats that came to mind. This version is bright and fresh, mainly relying on lemon and basil to give it a nice sparkle. The creaminess of the hummus pairs really well with the crispness of flatbread. And the Sciabica Basil Olive Oil brings it together nicely!