Something Extra – Cooking with Carolyn

My girlfriend Carolyn invited me over to help with holiday baking and she also had another project for us to tackle. Carolyn was invited to participate in the Something Extra Try-It program, an opportunity to try great products and services available at Raley’s (for free) and to share her opinions about them through their website and social media. No problem… Cooking, photos, twitter, facebook and blogging, I’m in.

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We started off the afternoon with recipes from Raley’s ‘Tis the Season to Party! Something Extra booklet.

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First up was Artichoke Olive Spread. Carolyn had already gone grocery shopping and the ingredients were ready to go.

Ingredients:
3 Pouches Christopher Ranch Roasted Garlic Cloves
2 (6.5-oz.) jars Raley’s Marinated Artichoke Hearts, drained
1 (7-oz.) jar Mezzetta Pitted Bistro Blend Olives, drained
1 Cup Nob Hill Trading Company Roasted Peppers, drained
1 Cup California Sun-Dry Julienne Cut Sun-Dried Tomatoes, drained
¼ Cup Fresh Rosemary Leaves
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
Crackers or Baguette Slices

Our first mistake was not using roasted garlic – wow… that was a huge mistake, LOL… next time, roasted for sure. We substituted black olives for the bistro blend and that worked out just fine. We also substituted the brand of the roasted peppers.

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Another small mistake – I should have minced the rosemary into smaller pieces. I guess I thought they would continue to mince in the food processor. Not so much.

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We placed all ingredients in the food processor (minus the crackers)

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Carolyn pulsed on and off until the ingredients were chopped.

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We served the spread with crackers, but baguette slices would be another great option. We ended up garnishing them with some of the roasted peppers to brighten up the photos and overall appearance.

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Carolyn’s Raley’s “Try Something” kit included some fun printed waxed paper for serving. We ended up using them for the second recipe.

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Carolyn thought small mason jars of the spread and fresh baguette would be a great alternative to baked goods for neighbor holiday gifts. I would have to agree. Beyond the strong garlic taste (our mistake) – the spread was really tasty.

Next up was Creamy Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms – super easy and less than 5 ingredients – stay tuned for the next post.

Thanks Carolyn for letting me help you with your project and for providing a fabulous lunch with the deli tray, fun drinks and other goodies you shared.

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