Winter Menu

Your great-aunt’s candied yams. The infamous Jell-O fruit salad. Grandma’s fruitcake. Long-standing traditions aside, holiday meals often feature special dishes for the sake of nostalgia and not necessarily taste. Thankfully, we’ve got friends in the flavor business—Melanie Cedargren of The Spicy Olive and Stephanie Amlung of A Charmingly Sweet Life. They hook us up with recipes for a seasonal salad and bread combo that’s fit to elevate any holiday feast. 

Melanie Cedargren: The Spicy Olive

Melanie Cedargren founded her own local specialty stores after visiting Italy and realizing olive oils back in the States were lacking in flavor, freshness and natural health benefits. Now, home cooks and aficionados alike can shop her tasting emporiums for fine oils and vinegars, recipes and more. Jazz up that ho-hum side dish with this fresh, tasty take on a seasonal salad that’s merry and bright.

The Spicy Olive’s Montmorency Cherry Salad

ingredients

• 1 package mixed greens

• 1 package fresh arugula

• 1/3 cup dried tart cherries

• 1/3 cup crumbled feta (or gorgonzola or goat cheese)

• 1 apple, thinly sliced

• 1/3 cup toasted pecans or walnuts

• 1 tbsp The Spicy Olive’s Champagne and Roasted Garlic Mustard

• ¼  cup The Spicy Olive’s Montmorency Cherry Rosé White Balsamic Vinegar

• ¼  cup The Spicy Olive’s Persian Lime Olive Oil

instructions

1. Mix salad greens and arugula in a large bowl. 

2. Top with dried cherries, crumbled cheese, apple slices and nuts. 

3. In a small bowl, whisk the mustard into the Cherry Rosé White Balsamic Vinegar. 

4. Drizzle in the Persian Lime Olive Oil while whisking to incorporate. 

5. Pour dressing over salad; toss well to evenly coat. 

6. Enjoy!

TheSpicyOlive.com | 7671 Cox Lane, West Chester | 513.847.4397

Stephanie Amlung: A Charmingly Sweet Life 

Stephanie Amlung creates delicious and beautifully presented baked goods to make each day charmingly sweet through her Mason home bakery business, A Charmingly Sweet Life. Her decorative focaccia bread recipe is one of her favorites to share at holiday gatherings. 

A Charmingly Sweet Life’s Decorating Tips

• Be creative and have fun designing your bread.

• Good vegetable choices to make flower designs include sliced purple onions; red, yellow and orange peppers; sliced carrot rounds and grape tomatoes. Arrange red peppers to resemble holiday poinsettias.

• Green onions sliced longways, chives and asparagus make great flower stems. 

ACharminglySweetLife.com | Instagram: @Charmingly-Sweet-Life

Festive Focaccia Bread

ingredients

• 16 ounces warm water (110ºF), divided into 2 bowls

• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

• 7 grams of active dry yeast

• 2 ounces olive oil, for dough

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

• 24 ounces bread flour

• 4 ounces olive oil, for pan, hands + drizzling (Try The Spicy Olive’s Wild Rosemary or Tuscan Herb Olive Oil)

• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped

• Vegetables, herbs + meats for decorative design

instructions

1. Mix 1 cup of warm water with yeast and sugar. Set aside for about 5 minutes or until the yeast bubbles.

2. Place mix in a stand mixer with the dough hook attached.

3. Add in about 1 cup of flour; mix on low until combined.

4. Add in the rest of the water, olive oil, salt and half of the remaining flour. Mix on low until combined.

5. Mix on low, slowly adding flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. 

6. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes or until it bounces back when lightly pressed.

7. Place the dough into a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 1-2 hours or until it has doubled in size.

8. Coat an entire 12" x 17" sheet pan with enough olive oil to make a thin layer.

9. Put some olive oil on your hands to prevent sticking and pull the loose dough out of the bowl. Lay it in the pan and stretch it. If it shrinks back, wait for about 15 minutes to let the gluten relax before you stretch again. 

10. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to develop the best flavor.

11. When you're ready to bake your bread, take it out of the fridge and let it warm up for about 30 minutes. Dimple the surface with oiled fingers to create some areas where the olive oil can collect. Drizzle a good amount of olive oil onto the top of the bread until each dimple has a little oil in it. Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top. 

12. After your focaccia has rested for 30 minutes, decorate the top any way you like with veggies, herbs and meats. Brush your veggies and herbs with more olive oil to prevent burning.

13. Bake in a preheated 450ºF oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden. 

14. Enjoy!