Rosemary Infused Olive Oil

This weekend in Asheville, we dined at a restaurant (I believe named The Market Place) and they had the most awesome olive oil served with bread...infused with Rosemary.  Ahhh, now I know what to do with my abundance of Rosemary.

I googled a few recipes and it is simple enough:

Wash and dry a few sprigs of Rosemary to your taste, then bruise them with a knife not quite cutting all the way through.  Add them to a clean container where you will infuse.  I used a clean wine bottle with a screw on cap.  I always try to repurpose when I can.

I added some peppercorns and red pepper flakes for a little zest (optional).

Heat up a few cups of olive oil (depending on the size of your storage bottle.  You just want to warm it up; not too hot.  After it cools just a tad, add it to the bottle with the Rosemary and store in a dark, cool place for one week.  Then strain and it is ready to use.  Shelf life is a few months...if it lasts that long.

I made some extra for Jess Woods.

Enjoy

PS...I'll report back next week how it tastes.  Can't wait...

Tazo Tea Tin Project

I strive to live a pretty green lifestyle. So, the first time I bought a tin of Tazo tea, I knew I needed to to find a way to re-purpose those perfect tins.  It is quite a challenge to remove the label and the guys at the shop where I work used some citrus smelling, industrial-strength remover but you be your own guide and find your own way (preferrably environmentally friendly).  Trust me, it wasn't easy.  Remove as much as the label as you can and moving slowly works the best.  Labels are my arch enemy! (or maybe its the residue?)

Once the tin is cleaned up it is ready to have a new label.  I chose the Martha Stewart Chalkboard Labels (with removable adhesive, thank you).  You can find them at Staples in a variety of sizes.  For the tins, you'll  need the 2-1/2" x 3-3/4".  Of course, you'll need some chalk.  Enjoy!