Olive Oil: Myths and Facts

Since launching FoodPair we've examined hundreds of thousands of recipes and most of them use olive oil-- either for cooking or creating sauces and dressings. Until now, we never stopped to think about why we use so much olive oil in our cooking, what it does and which types of olive oil are best.

Let's start at the beginning. Olives are a fruit, but they're too bitter to be edible until they've been cured. That makes olive oil a fruit juice (even though it's not as refreshing as apple juice), created by pressing or mashing the olives. All olive oils are not the same, there are various types including extra virgin, virgin, pure and light. "Virgin" olive oils are extracted without chemicals, only mechanical means are used. This doesn't mean the olives are crushed using heavy mill stones, they can be spun in a centrifuge to separate the heavier from the lighter oils. "Extra Virgin" oils are tested to ensure superior taste and clarity. "Pure" and "light" olive oils can be extracted from the olives using chemicals as well as machines.

Now let's examine some of the myths and facts surrounding olive oil. First, you don't have to refrigerate extra virgin olive oil ("EVOO") for it to have a long shelf life. Second, cooking with olive oil does not destroy its health benefits. In fact, olive oils have a relatively high smoke point so they're great for sauteing and frying foods. Third, most "Italian" olive oil is not from Italy. It's often made in Spain then imported to Italy for packaging and distribution.

The good news is that olive oil is good for you. It's considered a good fat because it's high in monounsaturated fat instead of saturated fat. As a result it can help reduce blood pressure and even help you maintain a healthy weight.

To give you good examples of dishes using olive oil, we did what we love to do and used the FoodPair Recipe Search Engine to find delicious dishes using olive oil in unique ways.

Shallot and Grapefruit Dressing
Olive oil can be used to make all kinds of fantastic dressings.
Ingredients: Cilantro, Olive Oil, Shallot, Sugar, Black Pepper, Grapefruit Juice

Chimichurri
Olive oil also helps make tasty marinades and sauces.
Ingredients: Garlic, Olive Oil, Dried Oregano, Parsley, Red Wine Vinegar, Black Pepper, Sea Salt, Red Pepper Flakes

Linguine with Garlic Oil and Pancetta
EVOO can also be flavored with garlic to add magic to pasta dishes.
Ingredients: Olive Oil, Garlic (to infuse the olive oil) Pancetta, Linguine

Olive Oil Gelato with Balsamic Strawberries
Olive oil can also flavor great desserts like gelato or cake.
Ingredients: Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, Egg, Sugar, Heavy Cream, Milk, Strawberries


You probably have plenty of olive oil in your kitchen, so now it's time to start using it in new and delicious ways!

Any other favorite themes, ingredients or dishes you'd like us to highlight? Post them in the comments section! You can also Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter for recipes, tips and more in your news feed.

St. Paddy's Day Recipes

With St. Paddy's Day right around the corner, we thought it was time to don our favorite green shirts, pants, socks & hats and assemble a delicious menu for your St. Patrick's Day celebration. How did we do it? By focusing on traditional Irish dishes like Corned Beef, Cabbage and Potatoes.

Our favorite Irish discovery is Colcannon, a traditional dish with mashed potatoes that incorporates veggies like kale or cabbage. It's also a good use for leftover corned beef and bacon. Speaking of leftover corned beef, we love saving some for the next morning's corned beef hash, one of our favorite breakfast dishes.

For an amazing array of Irish and St. Patrick's Day recipes, use the FoodPair Recipe Search Engine search for key ingredients like cabbage, kale and corned beef and use our filters for course, diet, number of ingredients and more. Share your favorite recipes in the comments!

Corned Beef and Cabbage
This St. Paddy's classic is versatile and tasty.
Ingredients: Garlic, Olive Oil, Cabbage, Clove, Brown Sugar, Salt, Onion, Corned Beef, Honey Mustard

Colcannon
A traditional Irish dish with mashed potatoes and cabbage or kale.
Ingredients: Bacon, Potato, Scallion, Butter, Cabbage, Parsley, Pepper, Milk

Corned Beef Hash
Leftover corned beef? Make a tasty hash!
Ingredients: Potato, Butter, Parsley, Chive, Red Bell Pepper, Salt, Oil, Milk, Onion, Corned Beef

St Patrick's Day Zucchini-Oatmeal Cookies
Good news- these festive cookies have healthy green zucchini.
Ingredients: Egg, Zucchini, Butter, Sugar, Oats, Flour, Vanilla Extract, Baking Soda, Cinnamon, Chocolate Chips, Granola

Peppermint Patties
We love the refreshing peppermint in these cookies.
Ingredients: Sugar, Sweetened Condensed Milk, Peppermint Extract, Chocolate Chips, Shortening


Happy St. Paddy's Day!

Any other favorite themes, ingredients or dishes you'd like us to highlight? Post them in the comments section! You can also Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter for recipes, tips and more in your news feed.

Seasonal Spotlight: Asparagus for Springtime

Even though the official start of spring is still two weeks away, it already feels like spring is in the air. To celebrate, we're cooking with fresh spring ingredients like asparagus. We love asparagus- it's tasty, healthy and versatile. Plus, it can be used in nearly every course from breakfast to lunch to dinner. Feel free to experiment with different asparagus preparations- we've had tasty dishes where it's grilled, stir-fried, steamed and even bacon-wrapped.

On the health front, check out these great stats: Asparagus is low in calories and sodium. It's a good source of vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium and zinc. Plus, it's high in dietary fiber, protein and vitamins A, C, E and K. It even has chromium, a trace mineral that improves the delivery of glucose into cells.

For an amazing array of asparagus recipes, use the FoodPair Recipe Search Engine to do an ingredient search for asparagus and then customize away using our filters for course, diet, number of ingredients and more. Share your favorite recipes in the comments!

Asparagus Frittata
This is a great way to add asparagus to your brunch menu.
Ingredients: Olive Oil, Egg, Asparagus, Onion, Salt, Gruyere cheese

Asparagus with Poached Eggs & Hollandaise Sauce
Try this (slightly) lighter version of Eggs Benedict.
Ingredients: Egg, Asparagus, Butter, Lemon Juice, Tarragon, Cayenne Pepper, White Pepper, Baguette

Asparagus Soup with Parmesan Custards
This soup is elegant and delicious.
Ingredients: Egg, Shallot, Asparagus, Leek, Heavy Cream, Salt, Black Pepper, Milk, White Pepper, Chicken Broth

Asparagus, Beet & Goat Cheese Salad
Here's a salad loaded with hearty and healthy vegetables.
Ingredients: Goat Cheese, Olive Oil, Shallot, Asparagus, Lemon Juice, Beet, Parsley, Chive, Chervil, Salt, Orange Juice

Spring Vegetable Tart
Welcome spring with this fantastic tart.
Ingredients: Egg, Asparagus, Leek, Salt, Milk, Fontina cheese, Puff Pastry Dough


Now get out there and start enjoying the spring weather and food!

Any other favorite themes, ingredients or dishes you'd like us to highlight? Post them in the comments section! You can also Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter for recipes, tips and more in your news feed.

How to Make Leftovers Delicious Again

People always seem to have leftovers lying around. We used to look at them and shrug, knowing our dish wouldn't taste as exciting the second time around. But, after talking to a couple kitchen experts we learned some great tips for making leftovers delicious again.

Question 1: What are we supposed to do with that last bit of Dijon mustard left in the jar?
Answer: Turn it into a mustard vinaigrette to dress your salads and veggies. The best part is that you can create and store the dressing in the jar so there aren't any extra dishes to do. That's also a great way to take it to work or school for lunch.

Dijon-Lemon Vinaigrette
Now you can make a dressing from the last drop of mustard.
Ingredients: Dijon Mustard, Garlic, Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, Red Wine Vinegar, Worcestershire Sauce, Salt & Pepper


Question 2: What are we supposed to do with extra mashed potatoes?
Answer: Make crispy mashed potato pancakes. Then, top them with sour cream & chives or your favorite sauce.

Mashed Potato Pancakes
Crispy mashed potato pancakes are a great side dish or appetizer.
Ingredients: Leftover Mashed Potatoes, Parmesan Cheese, Egg, Vegetable Oil, Salt & Pepper


Question 3: What are we supposed to do with extra rice?
Answer: Make fried rice. You can also add leftover meat, like ham or chicken.

Egg Fried Rice
Fried rice is easy to cook and customize any way you like.
Ingredients: Egg, Scallion, Salt, Peanut Oil, Asian Sesame Oil, Leftover Rice


Question 4: What are we supposed to do with leftover meats?
Answer: Make a delicious quesadilla. Heat a tortilla with meat and cheese until it's hot & delicious, then top with salsa.

Southwest Chicken Quesadillas
These are delicious and easy to make.
Ingredients: Chicken, Sour Cream, Salsa, Chili Powder, Tortilla, Monterey Jack, Cooking Spray, Salt & Pepper


For even more recipes to make your leftovers sing, use the FoodPair Recipe Search Engine to find dishes using any ingredient in your kitchen.

Any other favorite themes, ingredients or dishes you'd like us to highlight? Post them in the comments section or on our Facebook page! And while you're at it, Like us on Facebook for recipes, tips and more in your news feed.

The Great Tastes of New Orleans

Another Mardi Gras has arrived, so as the French say, "Laissez les bons temps rouler." Let the good times roll!

While we missed our chance to see all the Mardi Gras madness firsthand (sounds like a great road trip for people in their early 20's), that doesn't mean we can't partake in all the great pageantry and food New Orleans has to offer. The traditional colors of Mardi Gras are green, gold and purple so we plan to dress up in our most festive attire and decorate a King Cake as best we can. The King Cake is a Mardi Gras tradition- it's basically a giant cinnamon roll with colorful icing and a toy hidden inside or underneath. Whoever finds the toy gets good luck (and has to host the next party).

For our New Orleans feast we turned to the FoodPair Recipe Search Engine to find our favorite examples of classic dishes from Beignets in the morning, to Po' Boys for lunch and finally Etouffe and Jambalaya for dinner.

FoodPair has thousands of New Orelans-themed dishes, so make sure to use our powerful filters to customize your search for your family's tastes and diet.

Buttermilk Beignets
The best NOLA mornings start with beignets and chicory coffee.
Ingredients: Sugar, Buttermilk, Salt, Baking Soda, Milk, Peanut Oil, Active Dry Yeast, Bread Flour

Cajun Crawfish and Shrimp Etouffe
New Orleans is famous for its delicious crawfish and shrimp dishes.
Ingredients: Shrimp, Green Bell Pepper, Onion, Celery, Crawfish, Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Flour, Vegetable Oil, Hot Sauce, Fish Stock

Fish Po' Boys
This classic sando is loaded with great ingredients on french bread.
Ingredients: Tomato, Lettuce, Salt, Black Pepper, Cornmeal, Canola Oil, Tartar Sauce, Baguette, Flounder

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
This dish is fun to say, eat and cook. Jambalaya!
Ingredients: Bacon, Bell Pepper, Onion, Celery, Cayenne, Chicken, Andouille, Beef Broth, Smoked Ham, Green Onion, Spices, Rice

Mardi Gras King Cake
The person who gets a toy in their slice hosts the next party!
Ingredients: Egg, Butter, Pecan, Sugar, Nutmeg, Raisin, Salt, Flour, Milk, Cinnamon, Active Dry Yeast


Have a great Mardi Gras meal celebrating the great food of New Orleans!

Any other favorite themes, ingredients or dishes you'd like us to highlight? Post them in the comments section or on our Facebook page! And while you're at it, Like us on Facebook for recipes, tips and more in your news feed.

Delicious Valentine's Day Treats

Happy Valentine's Day! With the big red day here you have two options- run out to buy an expensive box of chocolates or make delicious treats for your Valentine in the comfort of your kitchen. (Can you tell which way we're leaning on this one?) We're firm believers that your homemade Valentine's treats will get the best reception from your loved ones because they show that you're willing to go the extra mile for love.

This year, we like personalized messages atop baked goodies. So, you can start the day with Valentine's pancakes and then move on to a heart-shaped pizza for lunch or dinner. Finish it all off with great treats like chocolate cupcakes with loving white chocolate messages, a Valentine's cheesecake and a luscious chocolate fondue.

To make your Valentine sing, use the FoodPair Recipe Search Engine to find great desserts with your sweetie's favorite dessert ingredients (chocolate, chocolate and maybe white chocolate) or use the keyword "Valentine" to find clever recipes from the top food sites on the web.

To help you get started, we are proud to present our 5 favorite recipes for a great Valentine's Day.

Valentine Pancakes
These pancakes look like Valentine's romance!
Ingredients: Egg, Butter, Sugar, Buttermilk, Salt, Flour, Vanilla Extract, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Cooking Spray, Chocolate Chips

Valentine's Pizza
This lovely pizza has a flavorful rosemary crust.
Ingredients: Tomato, Mozzarella, Olive Oil, Rosemary, Zucchini, Pepperoni, Black Olive, Active Dry Yeast, Flour, Pizza Sauce

Chocolate Fondue
Valentine's is the perfect day to fire up the fondue pot.
Ingredients: Apple, Banana, Cream, Strawberry, Dark Chocolate, Salt, Candied Ginger, Dried Apricot

Handwritten Valentine Cupcakes with Chocolate Glaze
Personalize these cupcakes with romantic messages.
Ingredients: Chocolate Cupcakes, Chocolate Glaze, White Chocolate

Ghirardelli Chocolate Cheesecake Valentine Hearts
It's hard to beat these beautiful mini cheesecakes.
Ingredients: Chocolate, Almond, Egg, Butter, Sugar, Raspberry, Heavy Cream, White Chocolate, Cream Cheese, Graham Crackers


Have a great Valentine's Day and don't forget to sign the card!

Any other favorite themes, ingredients or dishes you'd like us to highlight? Post them in the comments section or on our Facebook page! And while you're at it, Like us on Facebook for recipes, tips and more in your news feed.

How to Cook Winter Vegetables

With winter in full swing, it's time to learn how to make great use of all those winter vegetables. In case you hadn't noticed, winter is here and according to the most accurate weatherman (Punxsutawney Phil, of course), it's going to be around for a while. So, what's a winter vegetable? Kale and Mushrooms are in-season in California right now. On top of that, now's the perfect time to use Root Vegetables like Beets, Cabbage, Carrots, Salsify and Yams.

How can FoodPair help? We offer free access to nearly a million recipes, so pick a winter vegetable that you already have at home or one you'd like to cook with and enter it into the FoodPair Recipe Search Engine. After that, use our powerful filters to narrow your results by course, diet, your favorite food sites or more.

Without further ado, here are 5 great recipes for using winter vegetables.

Warm Cabbage Salad
This salad is a great option as a starter or side dish.
Ingredients: Olive Oil, Shallot, Cabbage, Parsley, Caraway Seed, Salt, White Wine Vinegar, Green Apple

Roasted Carrots & Beets with the Juiciest Pork Chops
Roasting is a great way to bring out the flavor of veggies.
Ingredients: Garlic, Lemon, Balsamic Vinegar, Rosemary, Beet, Thyme, Sage, Pork Chops, Orange Juice, Carrots

Salmon with Salsify & Celery Root Puree
This elegant dish includes a great puree of root vegetables.
Ingredients: Garlic, Olive Oil, Bacon, Salmon, Shallot, Butter, Celery, Thyme, Sage, Pepper, Salsify

Kale, Mushroom & Tomato Saute with Polenta
Everyone will love this hearty and flavorful vegetarian dish.
Ingredients: Garlic, Olive Oil, Parmesan Cheese, Sun Dried Tomato, Mushrooms, Kale, Polenta, Salt, Black Pepper

Baked Yams with Ginger Molasses Butter
Yams (aka Sweet Potatoes) are incredibly flavorful when baked.
Ingredients: Sweet Potato, Ginger, Brown Sugar, Crystallized Ginger, Molasses, Ground Clove


Now you have all the recipes you need to cook delicious dishes with winter vegetables. Enjoy!

Any other favorite themes, ingredients or dishes you'd like us to highlight? Post them in the comments section or on our Facebook page! And while you're at it, Like us on Facebook for helpful updates in your news feed.