November, 2014 | Jeff's Garden Foods

Call it a hunch, but we have a sneaking suspicion that you have a lot on your plate these days. It can be easy to get overwhelmed this time of year between holiday gatherings, shopping, overnight guests, school getting out, etc.

While we can’t help with everything, we CAN help uncomplicate holiday entertaining for you! From handstuffing olives with feta, blue cheese or locally grown garlic to roasting red peppers, we have already have done much the work for you right here in Napa Valley.

All you have to do is pick up a your favorite Jeff’s Naturals products at your local food store (or order online), crack open a jar and get creative by pairing our olives and peppers with your favorite appetizers and dishes.

You can also follow some of these simple ideas to make a statement at your holiday gathering:

1. Serve Spicy Italian Olive Antipasto with feta cheese, hummus and warm pita triangles.

2. Mix Diced Tamed™ Jalapeños with fresh cilantro and garlic. Blend with a stick of softened butter and spread it on crusty bread for a delicious snack!

3. Cube your favorite cheese and serve with a combination of Castelvetrano Olives, Organic Pitted Whole Greek Kalamata Olives, Feta Cheese Stuffed Olives, olive oil and a few shavings of citrus peel for an easy party appetizer.

4. Arrange sliced Roasted Bell Pepper Strips on a serving plate with sliced fresh mozzarella and julienned fresh basil. Drizzle with olive oil and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

5. Roughly chop Organic Sliced Greek Kalamata Olives and toss with olive oil and capers. Spoon mixture over a block goat cheese and serve with pita chips.

6. Combine Garlic Stuffed Olives in a food processor with anchovy filets, Capers, lemon juice and olive oil for a terrific tapenade. Spread it on fish or chicken or serve it as an appetizer.

7. Chop Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives and/or Feta Cheese Stuffed Olives and sprinkle on hummus. Use as a dip for crudité.

8. Make an olive tapenade by putting Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives and/or Feta Cheese Stuffed Olives into a food processor with some of the olive brine and olive oil.

9. Serve Castelvetrano Olives as a quick and addictive snack by themselves or alongside Spanish Marcona almonds and Manchego cheese.

10. Create an antipasto platter using Garlic Stuffed Olives and Marinated Artichoke Hearts, Roasted Red Bell Peppers and assorted meats and cheeses.

We’ve added new appetizers, cocktails and side dish recipes to our recipe page for your enjoyment like Creamy Jalapeño Dip Supreme Artichoke Dip , Deep Dish Party Pizzas and more.

November is National “Capsicum annum” month, or as most of us call it, National Pepper Month! With their sweet, robust flavor and bright colors, roasted bell peppers are common ingredients in Mediterranean dishes, pizzas, salads, sauces and appetizers.

Over the years we have worked with local family farms in Northern California to bring our consumers the freshest bell pepper products available. Our locally grown peppers are roasted and packed in water with sea salt for a light smoky flavor within twenty-four hours of harvest.

Here are some fun facts* about red bell peppers you may not have known!

Red bell peppers are simply green bell peppers that have been left on the vine to continue to ripen.
Peppers are actually fruits because they are produced from a flowering plant and contain seeds-most people think of them as vegetables.
Red bell peppers are sweeter than green ones because bell peppers sweeten as they ripen.
Red bell peppers have more than twice the vitamin C of a green pepper.
Bell peppers are a good source of Vitamin A.
The scientific name for bell peppers is Capsicum annum.
Peppers were named by Spanish explorers searching for peppercorn plants to produce black pepper.
Capsicums are what peppers are called in Australia.

Next time you pick up a jar of Jeff’s Naturals Roasted Bell Pepper Strips, try

Making a delicious Greek omelet with diced Jeff’s Naturals Roasted Bell Pepper Strips, sliced Kalamata Olives and feta cheese.

-OR-

Layering Jeff’s Naturals Roasted Bell Pepper Strips, Grilled Artichoke Hearts, fresh mozzarella, and arugula on rustic Italian bread for an amazing panini.

-OR-

Puree Jeff’s Naturals Roasted Bell Pepper Strips with fresh basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, olive oil and pine nuts for a smoky-sweet roasted red pepper pesto.

You can also try adding drained jar of Jeff’s Naturals Roasted Bell Peppers & Caramelized Onions to fajita-style beef or chicken and serve with flour tortillas, spicy salsa and fresh guacamole.

The possibilities are endless!

*Source: http://fns.dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/fns/pdf/ffvp_fs_bp.pdf

photo credit: smohundro via photopin cc

Monthly Archives: November 2014

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