Even as Summer draws to an end, there are still some fantastic and light dishes perfect for summer or anytime of the year that are not only kind on the pallet but good for the heart.

Tassos® Greek Salad is easy to make and is a great compliment to any meal. In fact, it can be a meal unto itself! Enjoy.

Ingredients:

• 2/3 pound tomatoes, seeded, diced (approximately 2 cups)
• 1/4 cup Tassos® Sundried Tomatoes, diced
• 2 cups diced seeded peeled cucumber (from about 1 large)
• 1 cup Tassos® Florinas Sweet Red Peppers, diced
• 1/4 cup Tassos® Pitted Kalamata Olives, halved
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 3 tablespoons Tassos® Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar brine from Tassos® Pitted Kalamata Olives
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 2 ounces)

Directions:

Toss fresh tomatoes, Tassos® Sundried Tomatoes, cucumber, Tassos® Florinas Sweet Red Peppers, Tassos® Pitted Kalamata Olives, onion, parsley, Tassos® Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and red wine vinegar brine from Tassos® Pitted Kalamata Olives in medium bowl to blend. Gently mix in cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

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Simple and delicious, Tassos® Spicy Sundried Tomato Cream Sauce is a quick recipe that requires  no preparation and basic staple ingredients. It pairs well with Chicken and a glass of Pinot Noir wine.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon Tassos® Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 cup Tassos® Sundried Tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 Tassos® Florinas Sweet Red Peppers, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 pound penne pasta
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Heat Tassos® Extra Virgin Olive Oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté – approximately 1 minute. Add Tassos® Sundried Tomatoes, cream, Tassos® Florinas Sweet Red Peppers and crushed red pepper. Simmer over medium heat – approximately 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup basil and simmer– approximately 1 minute.

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and keep 3/4 cup pasta cooking water. Return pasta to pot. Add sauce, cheese and 1/2 cup basil and toss. Add portion of reserved cooking water (if necessary for consistency) to pasta.

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Love pizza? After trying this recipe you’ll find it difficult to order out pizza ever again.

If time is an issue, the crust for this pizza can be made the night before and left to rise in the refrigerator. Or, if you’re really looking for a quick yet delicious meal, buy a pre-made crust from your local grocer and top it as directed in this recipe. You won’t be disappointed!

Ingredients:

Crust:
3/4 cup warm water
1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
1 tablespoon Tassos® Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups (about) unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Topping:
2 teaspoons Tassos® Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can artichoke hearts, drained
3 sliced Tassos® Sundried Tomatoes
2-1/2 ounces soft goat cheese, sliced or crumbled
1/4 cup Tassos® Pitted Kalamata Olives, halved

Directions:

Crust:
Pour 3/4 cup water into large bowl. Stir to blend yeast, letting stand 10 minutes to until dissolved. Add Tassos® Extra Virgin Olive Oil, salt, and herbs, then 1 1/2 cups flour. Stir until well blended. Turn dough out onto generously floured surface and knead until smooth. Add just enough flour to prevent dough from sticking – approximately 5 minutes. Shape dough into ball and place it in large oiled bowl. Turn to coat. Cover bowl with kitchen towel. Let dough rise at cool room temperature until doubled – approximately 2 hours. Punch dough and re-form into ball. Return to bowl. Cover with towel and let rise again until doubled – approximately 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Punch down dough and form into ball. Place dough on a floured work surface. Cover with kitchen towel. Let rest 30 more minutes. Sprinkle baking sheet with cornmeal. Roll out dough on floured surface. Transfer to baking sheet.

Mix Tassos® Extra Virgin Olive Oil, rosemary, and garlic in small bowl, and set aside.

Bake crust for 5-7 minutes or until just set. Remove from oven and brush 2 tablespoons garlic oil evenly over crust. Sprinkle with artichoke hearts, Tassos® Pitted Kalamata Olives, Tassos® Sundried Tomatoes, and crumbled goat cheese. Drizzle pizza evenly with remaining garlic oil.

Bake pizza until crust is crisp and cheese begins to brown – approximately 15-20 minutes. Cut as desired and serve warm.

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There are few that can resist a good bowl of heart healthy vegetable soup. This veggie soup is healthy, fun & easy to make and is absolutely delicious.

This recipe features delicious Tassos® Florinas Sweet Red Peppers, Eggplant and an assortment of fresh herbs and spices. Please do enjoy and tell us what you think.

Ingredients

• 2 eggplants, halved
• 8 Tassos® Florinas Sweet Red Peppers
• 1/4 cup Tassos® Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 medium leek, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise (white and pale green parts only – approximately 2 cups)
• 6 large garlic cloves, minced
• 8 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Parmesan cheese shavings

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Pierce eggplants all over with fork. Transfer, cut side down, to baking sheet. Roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Cool slightly. Remove peel and discard. Cut eggplants into large pieces. Rinse eggplant pieces under running water. Drain well and set aside.

Coarsely chop Tassos® Florinas Sweet Red Peppers.

Heat Tassos® Extra Virgin Olive Oil in large pot over medium-high heat, add onion and leek and sauté until tender – approximately 5 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in eggplant, Tassos® Florinas Sweet Red Peppers, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered until vegetables are tender – approximately 45 minutes. Stir in basil and thyme.

Puree soup in blender until smooth. Return soup to pot. Season with salt and pepper. Add butter and lemon juice. Stir over low heat until soup is heated through – approximately 5 minutes. Upon plating, garnish with Parmesan.

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Tassos® Florinas Sweet Pepper cream sauce is fantastic on just about any pasta you can think of. Be it Ravioli, Tortellini, or simply spaghetti, Tassos® Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce is easy to make and is sure to become a new family favorite.

Ingredients

• 3 Tassos® Florinas Sweet Peppers
• 3 tablespoons Tassos® Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1/4 cup fresh basil
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
• 4 tablespoons butter

Directions

In a skillet, cook garlic, basil, and Tassos® Florinas Sweet Peppers in Tassos® Extra Virgin Olive Oil over medium heat. Cook for approximately 10 minutes.

Place mixture in blender, and puree to smooth consistency. Return Tassos® Florinas Sweet Peppers puree to skillet, and reheat to a boil. Stir in the half-and-half and the Romano cheese; cook and stir until the cheese is melted. Add the butter, and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.

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Much has been made about the health benefits of a heart healthy Mediterranean diet. Studies have documented that a Mediterranean diet flush with vegetables and seafood can decreasing risks of stroke or even Alzheimer’s.

For centuries, Europeans living around the Mediterranean have experienced longer life expectancies than their American and Northern European counterparts due to a healthier diet containing lower levels of fat and higher intake of vegetables. So, when looking for your next meal, why not turn to a dish that is healthy and packed with nutrients?

This recipe, featuring Sea Bass and Tassos® Florinas Sweet Peppers, is one that is easy to make, delicious and pairs well with a Chardonnay or Pino Gris.

Ingredients

• 3 Tassos® Florinas Sweet Peppers
• 2 tablespoons Tassos® Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 3 cups whole milk
• 2 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup polenta (coarse cornmeal)
• 2 tablespoons whipping cream
• 6 sea bass fillets
• 6 tablespoons Tassos® Mediterranean Bruschetta

Directions

Cut Tassos® Florinas Sweet Peppers into 1/2-inch strips and set aside.

Bring milk, water, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon thyme to simmer in large saucepan. Cover and remove from heat. Let steep for approximately 15 minutes.

Slowly whisk polenta into milk mixture. Whisking constantly, simmer over medium-low heat. Continue cooking until thick and creamy, stirring often for approximately 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Mix in cream.

While prepping, preheat broiler. Heat 2 tablespoons Tassos® Extra Virgin Olive Oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle bass with salt and pepper. Add to skillet; cook to desired doneness. Remove from heat. Spread 1 tablespoon Tassos® Mediterranean Bruschetta over each fillet. Broil Tassos® Florinas Sweet Peppers in pan until heated through, approximately 2 minutes.

Spoon polenta onto 6 plates. Top with fish and Tassos® Florinas Sweet Peppers.

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On hot summer days, there is nothing better than a delicious and simple egg salad sandwich.

As is the case when adding Tassos® premium ingredients to any meal,  the addition of  Tassos® Sundried Tomatoes and Tassos® Pitted Kalamata Olives transforms egg salad from the ordinary to the extraordinary. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• Dozen eggs
• 1/4 cup chopped Tassos® Sundried Tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped, Tassos® Pitted Kalamata
• 3/4–1 cup mayonnaise
• Salt and ground pepper
• 12 slices toasted bread
• 6 leaves romaine lettuce

Directions

Over high heat, bring lightly salted water to a boil in a large saucepan. Carefully add eggs into the water and cover the pan. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 7-8 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain eggs and immerse in cold water. When cooled, peel the eggs and chop coarsely. In a bowl, combine chopped eggs, Tassos® Sundried Tomatoes, Tassos® Pitted Kalamata, and just enough mayonnaise to bind the ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.

Spread the egg salad on toast and top with a leaf of lettuce.

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No celebratory event is complete in Greece or among Greek families without lamb. This delicious and rich recipe requires some time to make but is relatively simplistic and is sure to please anyone that enjoys a good rack of lamb from time-to-time.

Ingredients

Sauce

• 2 pounds meaty lamb neck and shoulder stew bones
• 1/4 cup Tassos® Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 large leek (white green portions only), chopped (approximately 1 1/4 cups)
• 1 large carrot, peeled & chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 5-7 Tassos® Sundried Tomatoes
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 6 garlic cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/4 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 4 cups water

Lamb

• 4 tablespoons Tassos® Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 large shallots, minced (approximately 3/4 cup)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs made from French bread
• 8 ounces Tassos® Pitted Kalamata Olives finely chopped (approximately 1 cup)
• 3 trimmed racks of lamb (each approximately 1 1/4 pounds)
• 4 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Directions

Sauce

Season lamb and bones with salt and pepper. Heat Tassos® Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add lamb bones and sauté until brown – approximately 20 minutes. Transfer lamb bones into a large bowl. Add leek, carrot, and onion into one pot. Sauté until golden brown – approximately 10 minutes. Add tomato, red wine, garlic, bay leaves, and rosemary. Bring to boil, preserving browned remains. Add 4 cups water and lamb bones with juices. Bring to boil. Partially cover, reduce to medium-low heat and simmer until reduced and thickened, approximately two hours. Discard lamb bones. Press vegetables and liquid through sieve into large bowl. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Sauce can be made one day ahead. Refrigerate until cool, cover and keep refrigerated.

Lamb

Heat 3 tablespoons Tassos® Extra Virgin Olive Oil in large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and rosemary. Sauté until soft, approximately three minutes. Add breadcrumbs and sauté until golden, approximately five minutes. Add Tassos® Pitted Kalamata Olives and stir until moist clumps form, adding additional breadcrumbs if mixture is loose. Season topping with salt and pepper. Let cool.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of Tassos® Extra Virgin Olive Oil in large heavy skillet over high heat. Add batches of lamb racks to skillet, rounded side down. Sear until brown – approximately five minutes. Transfer to large baking sheet, seared rounded side up. Spread 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard over each. Add crumb topping into mustard. Roast lamb to desired doneness, approximately 25 minutes for medium.

Rewarm sauce over low heat, stirring occasionally. Cut lamb between bones and serve with sauce.

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Chicken breast often gets a bum rap as a dry and tasteless protein but its low cost and low fat content have made it a staple of a healthy diet.

If you’re looking for a delicious, moist and healthy alternative to dry chicken breast, look no further than Tassos® Olive Stuffed Chicken with Almonds.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless chicken breast halves with skin (approximately 2 pounds total)
• 1 cup chopped Tassos® Almond Stuffed Olives
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Tassos® Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/5 cup whole almonds
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Directions
Pat chicken breasts dry with a paper towel. Cut 2-inch-long horizontal slit in the thickest part of each breast. Stuff each breast with 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped Tassos® Almond Stuffed Olives. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat 2 ¼ teaspoons Tassos® Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a nonstick skillet over moderate heat. Toast almonds in butter, stirring often, until slightly darker – approximately 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer almonds with a slotted spoon to a cutting board to cool. Do not clean the skillet.

Increase heat to medium-high. Add chicken breasts, skin down, to Tassos® Extra Virgin Olive Oil remaining in skillet and add remaining chopped Tassos® Almond Stuffed Olives. Sauté chicken breasts until skins are golden – approximately 10 minutes. Turn chicken breasts over, cover and cook over moderate heat until cooked through – approximately 7 minutes. Transfer breasts to plates.

While the chicken breasts are cooking, chop toasted almonds.

Add remaining 2 ¼ teaspoons Tassos® Extra Virgin Olive Oil and 3 tablespoons water to skillet and heat. Stir in almonds, parsley, and pepper to taste. Drizzle the sauce over chicken and serve.

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This recipe may not be the easiest but it’ a desert that is sure to please anyone with a sweet tooth. Few things go better with Tassos® Thyme Honey than chocolate. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Cake:

• 1/2 cup Tassos® Thyme Honey
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, fragmented into pieces
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups soft light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 sticks of softened butter
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda (baking soda)
• 1 tablespoon cocoa
• 1 cup boiling water

Honey Glaze:

• 1/2 cup Tassos® Thyme Honey
• 1/4 cup water
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

Directions

Cake:

Melt 4 ounces semisweet chocolate in a large bowl by heating it in the microwave or suspended over a pan of simmering water. Set aside to cool slightly.

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and butter a 9-inch springform tin.

Beat together the sugar and soft butter until airy and creamy, and then add the Tassos® Thyme Honey.

Beat one egg with a tablespoon of flour. Add another egg with another tablespoon of flour. Fold in the melted chocolate, and remaining flour. Add baking soda. Through a tea strainer, add cocoa trying to prevent lumps. Add boiling water and continue beating. Mix well to make a smooth batter. Pour batter into the prepared tin. Cook for approximately 1 1/2 hours, checking the cake after 45 minutes. If the cake is getting too dark, cover the top with aluminum foil, checking every 15 minutes.

Cool cake completely in the tin on a pie rack.

Tassos® Honey Glaze:

To make the glaze, bring the water and Tassos® Thyme Honey to a boil in a saucepan. Turn off heat and add the finely chopped chocolate, stir and melt in the hot liquid. Let stand for 2-5 minutes, then whisk together. Add the sugar through a sieve and whisk until smooth.

Plate the cake. Pour Tassos® Honey Glaze over the cold cake. Chill cake one hour before serving.

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