.
These gluten free mini quiche can be made with just about any ingredients you choose and are really simple to throw together. Perfect for brunch and save though leftovers to be quickly reheated for weekday breakfasts.

Makes about 12-16 muffin sized quiche

Gluten Free Mini Quiche

Ingredients
Egg Mixture:

• 6 large eggs
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped 
• 2 tbsp. Cara Mia Sun Dried Tomatoes 
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• half of a 14.75 oz. jar of Cara Mia Artichoke Hearts In Water

Veggies:

• Feel free to add in whatever veggies you like, or have on hand. We used about 2 cups of package broccoli slaw mix to save time.

Add-ins (optional):

• 1 1/2 cups cheddar, Parmesan, or other cheese, divided
• 1 lb. bacon, sausage, or other meat, fully cooked

Diretions
1.    If using meat, cook it fully first. Set it aside to cool, then cut into small pieces.
2.    Steam your veggies to soften them.  You can do this in the microwave, just put your vegetables into a microwavable bowl with a tablespoon of water. Seal the bowl with plastic wrap, leaving one corner to act as a vent. Heat the vegetables in the microwave for around 5 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool
3.    Preheat oven to 375 degrees F., and thoroughly grease a muffin tin with with non-stick spray.
4.    In a blender, blend together add the ingredients listed in the egg mixture above.
5.   Combine all the veggies with the egg mixture. Stir in half of the cheese, and all of the meat, if using.
6.    Using an 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop the mixture into the prepared muffin pan. Fill to about 1/4 inch from the top, then sprinkle a small amount of reserved cheese over each.
7.    Place in the oven, and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the egg is fully set and the cheese has just started to turn golden on top.
8.    Remove from the oven and let cool for  5-10 minutes before running a butterknife around each muffin to help gently removing them from the pan. Enjoy while warm.

.
Pao de Queijo, is an easy, gluten free, Brazilian Cheese Bread made with tapioca flour.  These rolls are chewy, delicious, and best ate warm out of the oven.  We added Cara Mia Marinated Artichokes for additional flavor.  Warning- highly addictive!

Ingredients

Pao de Queijo - Easy, Gluten Free, Brazilian Cheese Bread

• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup STAR Grapeseed Oil
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups tapioca flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup packed Parmesan, shredded 
• 6.5 oz. jar Cara Mia Marinated Artichoke Hearts, drained

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a muffin or a mini muffin tin.

In a blender, combine the egg, oil, milk, flour, Cara Mia Marinated Artichoke Hearts and salt. Process until the mixture is smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender once or twice. Add the cheese and process for just a short bit, 5-10 seconds or a few short pulses, until the cheese is in small bits all throughout the batter.

Give the batter a good stir to get any solids off the bottom and pour the mixture into the prepared muffin tin filling the cups nearly to the top.

Pao de Queijo - Easy, Gluten Free, Brazilian Cheese Bread

Bake the pao de queijo until very lightly golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Don't let them get too brown on the bottom or they will be too crusty and not as chewy.

Remove them from the oven and let them cool for just a minute or two.

The puffs might fall a bit in the middle, as they cool.

This recipe was inspired by Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

.

Artichoke Salmon Pasta

This pasta dish is easily comes together in the time it takes to boil the pasta!
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 tbsp STAR Extra Virgin Olive Oil
8 oz smoked salmon, flaked
3 cups fresh spinach
1 jar Cara Mia Marinated Artichoke Hearts (drained, reserve marinade)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 pound fusilli pasta (use gluten-free pasta for gluten-free version)

Directions:

Boil pasta according to directions.  For pasta  cooking tips click here.

While pasta is boiling, heat a pan over medium to high heat. Add the STAR Extra Virgin Olive Oil   then quickly add the spinach and cherry tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until the spinach is wilted. Then add the salmon and Cara Mia Marinated Artichoke Hearts, and heat for two more minutes.

Drain pasta and add to plates. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the marinade oil to the pasta, and top with the mixture from the pan. 

 

Mushroom, Gruyère and Caramelized Onion Flatbread

Ingredients:
• 1/2 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon plus 3 teaspoons STAR Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 pound fresh pizza dough
• 2 cloves garlic, minced• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup fresh grated Gruyère cheese
• 1 2.6 ounce jar Cara Mia Marinated Mushrooms, sliced
• Fresh or dried rosemary or thyme (for garnish; optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 
2. Heat 3 teaspoons of the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, stir to coat in the oil, and cook until the onions start to brown. Add a splash of water to the pan if the onions are sticking to deglaze the pan.
3. Continue cooking until caramelized, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. Sprinkle some flour on the counter or flat surface. Roll the pizza dough out with a rolling pin until it is about 1/3-inch thick. 
5. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet. Brush the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the dough along with the minced garlic and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Spread the Gruyère cheese evenly over the top of the dough then sprinkle on the sliced mushrooms and caramelized onions. 
6. Place the baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven. Bake for approximately 10-15 minutes or until the dough is golden. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

.
This tasty meal can be made in under 30 minutes and is sure to become one of your favorites.

Chicken with Artichokes, Tomatoes and Olives

.
These bite sized, ready made appetizers are a definite crowd pleaser. Thanks to www.bakeyourday.net for this deliciousness!

Mediterranean Bruschetta

.

Turkey Artichoke Spinach Meatloaf

This recipe for Turkey Artichoke Spinach Meatloaf is very tasty and the leftovers are great for sandwiches. We substituted oatmeal instead of breadcrumbs in this meatloaf because oatmeal has fewer calories and more nutrition than breadcrumbs.

Ingredients

• 1 lb of ground turkey 
• 3 handfuls of fresh spinach, chopped
• 1 tablespoon STAR Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 14.75 oz can of Cara Mia Artichoke Hearts In Water, drained and chopped
• 1/4 of Italian Parsley, chopped 
• 1 tsp of dried oregano
• 1/2 cup of Parmesan Cheese
• 1 cup of oatmeal, we used quick oats
• 2 egg, beaten
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup Marinara sauce 

Turkey Artichoke Spinach Meatloaf

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Pour the oatmeal into a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds, to break up the oatmeal to a breadcrumb-like consistency.

Heat a large skillet with the STAR Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until spinach is wilted.

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl, except the oatmeal and the marinara sauce.

Add about 3/4 cup of oatmeal to begin with and mix until all of the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout. If the mixture is still sticky or not holding together well, add the remaining oatmeal and mix again.

Form into one large loaf or into individual loaves. Place loaf on to a lightly greased baking dish or loaf pan.

Spoon marinara sauce over the meatloaf and bake in the oven for about 1 hour. Be sure to check the internal temperature to ensure that the meatloaf is 165 degrees and cooked all the way through. Let the meatloaf stand 5-10 minutes.  Slice and serve!

.
A salad with hearty chickpeas, Cara Mia Marinated Artichokes, fresh cucumber, and tomatoes with a simple dressing.

Artichoke, Chickpea and Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:
6.5 oz. jar Cara Mia Marinated Artichoke Hearts, chopped
15 oz. can chickpeas or garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 cucumber, unpeeled and chopped
1 tomatoes, diced
2 tsp. fresh garlic, minced
1 1/2 tbsp. dried parsley
1 tbsp. STAR Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil for Vegetables
2 tbsp. STAR Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt

Directions
In a medium serving bowl, toss together all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Serve and enjoy!

.
This deletable dip is ready in a flash and can be made ahead of time.  It goes great with chips, crackers, vegetables or bread.

Ingredients

Artichoke and Sun Dried Tomato Dip

1/2 cup Cara Mia Marinated Artichokes, drained
1/4 cup Cara Mia Sun Dried Tomatoes, drained
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sour cream
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
hot pepper sauce to taste (optional)


Directions
In a food processor, mix all the ingredients together. Process until well-blended. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Artichoke Gratin

• 1 14.75 oz jar Cara Mia Marinated Artichoke Hearts
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 1 cup freshly grated Gruyere cheese
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon STAR Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil for Vegetables

Artichoke Gratin

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and drizzle one teaspoon of STAR Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil into the bottom of an oven-safe baking dish.

Artichoke Jalapeno Dip

.
Creamy, a little spicy, and delicious. Great served warm or cold.

Serves: 16
Prep time: 10 mins
Total time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 1 (14.75 oz) jar Cara-Mia Artichokes in Water, drained
• 1 (8oz) package cream cheese
• ½ cup mayo
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 clove garlic
•  ½ tsp salt
•  ¼ tsp black pepper
•  1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

Directions
Add the artichokes to the bowl of a food processor. Process until chopped. Add the chopped jalapeno and clove of garlic, and pulse until finely chopped. Add remaining ingredients, and process until well combined.

 Let sit at least an hour before serving.

Serve warm or cold with pita chips, tortilla chips, crackers or veggies


Recipe developed by dinnersdishesanddesserts.com

.
This salad is perfect as a sandwich filling with your favorite bread or mound it on top of cooked slices of eggplant or portobello mushrooms for a breadless treat.

Grilled Artichoke Hearts and Tuna Salad

     
Ingredients:

2 (6-ounce) cans tuna in water, drained
1/2 jar of Cara Mia Grilled Artichoke Hearts
1 onion
2 tablespoons parsley
1 lemon, juiced
6 dashes hot sauce, or to taste

Directions:
Combine onion and artichoke hearts in food processor and chop. Mix with the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Basil Artichoke Vinaigrette

Fresh basil, Cara Mia Artichokes, Cara Mia Sun Dried Tomatoes and a bit of garlic are whirled into a simple fresh vinaigrette in this easy recipe. It's great on salad greens, tomatoes, or grilled meats.

Prep Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 10 minutes  Servings: serves 6

Basil Artichoke Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

• 6.5 oz. jar Cara Mia Marinated Artichokes
• 2 tbsp Cara Mia Sun Dried Tomatoes
• 2 cups basil leaves (about 1 large bunch)
• 1/2 cup STAR California Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/4 cup STAR White Wine Vinegar    
• 1 small clove garlic
•  Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

In a blender or food processor, blend all the ingredients until smooth, about 1 minute. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Italian Chicken with Artichokes and Angel Hair Pasta

This delectable recipe is quick, easy and made with pantry staples.  It is perfect for a Valentine's Day dinner at home and can be easily increased for more people.

25 min
Serves 2*

Ingredients

• Coarse salt and ground pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour or gluten free flour
• 4 thin chicken cutlets (about 3/4 pounds total)
• 2 tablespoons STAR Italian Cuisine Cooking Oil
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 jar (14.75 ounces) Cara Mia Artichoke Hearts packed in water, rinsed, drained, and
• quartered
• 2 tablespoons rinsed and drained STAR Non Pareil Capers 
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 ounces angel-hair pasta
• 1/2 cup parsley leaves for garnish

Grilled Artichoke Hummus

Grilled Artichoke Hummus

1. Roughly chop up a cup of grilled artichoke hearts and add them to the bowl of your food processor, reserve a few tablespoons for garnishing at the end.
2. Next, add in the chickpeas, chopped garlic, Tahini, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil and salt.
3. Pulse until smooth, use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the processor bowl halfway through. If you notice it's a little on the thick side, you can drizzle in some of the reserved chickpea liquid and continue to pulse until smooth.
4. Serve with pita bread or crackers and enjoy!

.
Slow cookers are an easy way to get dinner on the table.  This recipe has some quick prep but then the slow cooker does all the work and this hearty stew is sure to please the whole family.

Ingredients:
2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes

Slow Cooker Beef Stew with Artichokes

1/4 cup STAR Picual Extra Virgin Olive Oil for Beef/Lamb
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (gluten free flour can also be used)
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
4 cups of water
5 potatoes, diced
1 cup baby carrots, cut in half
1 14.75 oz jar of Cara Mia Marinated Artichokes
1 cup frozen peas

Directions:
Dredge meat in flour, then brown meat in STAR Picual Extra Virgin Olive Oil for Beef/Lamb in a pan. Place beef in slow cooker and add all the ingredients above except the frozen peas. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 10 to 12 hours, or on High setting for 4 to 6 hours. 15 min before serving add the peas.

STAR Olive Oil & Cara Mia Artichoke Hearts

.
Want to make your own at home sub that tastes better than if you went out and bought it? Try this recipe that gives a little twist to a classic chicken sub sandwich. Recipe by Miss in the Kitchen

Ingredients:

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3 tablespoons STAR Family Reserve Olive Oil with Roasted Garlic 
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 15.75 oz jar Cara Mia Marinated Artichoke Hearts 
• 6 slices smoked cheese or swiss
• 6 whole wheat hoagie buns
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sweet mustard

                                                                Instructions:

Garlic Chicken & Artichoke Sub Sandwiches

1. Preheat indoor grill or grill pan.
2. Pound chicken breasts flat, to an even thickness. Brush both sides with Roasted Olive Oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Grill chicken breasts about 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Remove from a grill. Slice into 1/2 inch slices.
4. Drain and coarsely chop artichoke hearts.
5. Cut hoagie rolls in half and lightly toast. Set hoagie bun tops aside.
6. Layer chicken, artichokes and then cheese slices over hoagie bun bottoms. Place under the broiler just until cheese is melted.
7. Mix mayonnaise and sweet mustard together and spread on tops of hoagie rolls. Place over sandwiches and serve immediately. Enjoy!

.
You can make an easy salad and dressing with out having to buy lettuce or store brand dressings! Check out this healthy, colorful, and oh so tasty recipe developed by Bake Your Day - www.bakeyourday.net
Prep time:30 mins     Total time:30 mins      Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Greek Vegetable Salad with Homemade Greek Vinaigrette

For the Greek vinaigrette:

• ⅓ cup STAR® California Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ¼ cup STAR® Red Wine Vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tbs. sugar
• 1 Tbs. fresh oregano, chopped
• ½ tsp. ground mustard
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. black pepper

For the vegetables:

• 1½ pounds broccoli florets cut into bite-sized pieces
• ½ pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into small pieces
• 1 jar (14.75 oz.) Cara Mia® Marinated Artichoke Hearts, drained & roughly chopped
• 1 can (5.75 oz.) black olives, halved
• 6 oz. grape tomatoes
• 4 oz. feta cheese crumbles
• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts

Directions:
To make the vinaigrette:

1. Combine all dressing ingredients in a dressing cruet or jar with a lid and mix well.
2.  Adjust salt, pepper and sugar to taste.

                                                                      To prepare the veggies:

Click here to buy!

1. Bring about 3 cups of water to a simmer in a shallow pan. Add the broccoli and asparagus and cook for 60-90 seconds, just until crisp-tender. 
2. Drain and move to an ice bath to stop the cooking. After about 5 minutes, drain from the ice bath and transfer to a large bowl. 
3. Stir in the bell pepper, artichoke hearts, olives, and tomatoes. Stir well until the vegetables are evenly distributed. Add in the feta cheese and stir well.
4. Pour about half of the dressing on and stir well, to distribute the dressing, repeat. Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 
5. Stir in the pine nuts just before serving and enjoy!

.
This recipe makes a great side dish. It can be added to pasta or even used as a chicken or steak topper!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 fennel bulbs, cut into 3/4-inch wedges

Roasted Artichoke Hearts and Fennel

• 1 tbsp fronds reserved for garnish 

• 1 jar of Cara Mia Marinated Artichoke Hearts (14.75 ounces), drained and marinade reserved

• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice 

• 2 tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Put Cara Mia Marinated Artichoke Hearts and fennel in plastic bag with 2 tablespoons of marinade and then shake to coat the artichoke hearts.
2. Arrange fennel and artichokes on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables until caramelized on both sides, about 35 minutes, tossing after 20 minutes.
3. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of remaining marinade and the lemon juice. Add parsley, and toss to combine. Garnish with fennel fronds.