To anyone who knows me, it’s no big secret that I carve out time on Wednesday nights to watch Top Chef. I’ve been addicted to that program since the very first season. This season - my favorite to win is Trey. I think he is a really talented chef!

I do like Howie, though - but I think I like him more for his no-nonesense approach to things. The guy is there to win - he makes no bones about it. And he’s not about to let personalities get in the way of his goal. I’m uninspired by his cooking, though.

I was happy to see Joey go last week. The guy is a hot head and overly emotional. Check out his departure scene:

I’m pinning this one on Trey - I think he’s going to be this seasons Top Chef.

Here are a few very simple ways to incorporate olive oil into your diet. They are real quick side dishes/salad that will ensure you get some of that good, healthy olive oil in your weekly diet:

Simple Spinach Salad:

Place baby spinach in a bowl
Slice some fresh tomatos and toss them in
Chop up some chives, basil and red onion, if you’d like.
Drizzle olive oil over top then drizzle some balsamic vinegar on top of that.

Toss and serve. Makes a yummy side salad to just about ANY meal!

Roasted Cauliflower:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Slice up some fresh cauliflower so that one side of the cauliflower is flat.
In a shallow baking pan, cover the bottom with olive oil.
Lay the caulliflower in the bottom of the pan.
Drizzle a little olive oil over top.
Season with pepper and salt, if desired.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until bottoms of cauliflower are golden brown. GOOD stuff!

I always make a big deal about olive oil. I just love the stuff and use it in almost everything I prepare, from fish to chicken and dressings and marinade. I always have at least 4 bottles in my pantry, not counting the one that is ever present on my kitchen counter. The brand I use is Lucini Extra Virgin Olive Oil and it runs about $27 per bottle. My mind is not closed off to the idea of trying a new brand, if anyone (who happens to drop by here… doubtful, but possible!).. has a suggestion or a favorite!

A common myth I hear often is that premium extra virgin olive oil shouldn’t be used in cooking and should only be reserved for dips, sauces and marinades - - and nothing could be further from the truth! Gourmet olive oil has such an wonderful flavor - it will enhance whatever you happen to be cooking at the time from grilled burgers to the most delicate white fish.

Aside from its taste and flavor enhancement of any meal - the BEST thing about olive oil is that it is NOT fattening, and is actually very heart healthy. I love Mediterranean cooking - and olive oil is an essential part of a Mediterranean diet, and its really no wonder those Mediterranean folks are healthy. extra virgin olive oil contains high levels of the energy-producing monounsaturated fatty acids, but extremely low levels of the fat-producing polyunsaturated fatty acids. In plain English, this means that extra virgin olive oil is a healthy addition to anyone’s diet. It has even been shown to stimulate bone growth and cell rejuvenation, and to help control cholesterol levels and prevent cardio-vascular problems.

Jean Fischer of “What’s for Dinner” did a great article on this called Health Benefits of Olive Oil. Give it a read if it interests you. In the article she discusses the different benefits of olive oil, including:

• Studies show olive oil inhibits cancer
• Olive oil is a blood sugar controller
• Olive oil has anti-inflammatory properties
• Olive oil is GOOD fat and can actually help you LOSE fat
• Plus some important and interesting information on buying and storing olive oil

Interesting stuff!

My favorite and VERY quick thing to do with olive oil?

Drizzle some on a small plate just to give it a thin coat. Cut up some fresh tomatoes, red onion and cucumbers and drop them on the plate of olive oil. Drizzle balsamic vinegar over the top, followed by another good drizzling of olive oil.

Instant salad. Very tasty and very good for you!

Getting some introductory stuff out of the way - welcome to my blog!

I started this blog because I love to cook. It doesn’t get much easier than that, does it?

I am a big fan of wine. I consider my wine education to still be a work in process, however I think it’s really fun to discover new wines and explore how to bring out the essence of the wine with different foods, spices, herbs and tastes.

I’m also a big fan of Tuscan and Mediterranean style cooking. I’m an olive oil FREAK! I use olive oil in everything and you will probably see that reflected in many of my posts here on this blog. I don’t skimp on cost when it comes to olive oil, either. Only the BEST Extra-Virgin will do in my kitchen!

I’m also a crazy nut for kitchen appliances, cookery, utensils and any other type of kitchen gadget I can get my grubby little hands on. I have at LEAST three of everything. I simply drool over Williams & Sonoma stores and books!

One of the things I’m working on currently is food plating. I just love when food is presented well - - it just makes it seem to taste better, doesn’t it?

I’m an addict of shows like “Top Chef” on BravoTV and absolutely ANYthing on the Food Network.

Big, HUGE thanks go out to Lisa Sabin-Wilson of E.Webscapes Design Studio and Blogs About Hosting! That girl has got IT going on - that AND a bag-o-chips! She put together this very nice design for my new home, and helped me get started with domain registration, hosting and WordPress. She’s real good - - she literally wrote the book on this stuff! (WordPress for Dummies). . so, really, how could I go wrong with someone like her?

Phenomenal!

I hope you enjoy my blog - - it’s a hobby blog, at best. I’m no professional over here, just someone who really loves cooking!