Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Sun dried Tomatoes in Herbed Olive Oil-and a Giveaway!

With Thanksgiving around the corner, all I have to offer at this last couple days, is my sun dried tomatoes, and herbs with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, fresh basil leaves and a teaspoon of my own mixed dry herbs for flavor, packed into a 16 oz. sterilized mason jar, and  refrigerated. Will keep fresh for up to one month, if it's going to last you that long. I always have a case of mason jars, 8 or 16 ozs. on hand, knowing that I will use them for something ie. pesto, herbed olives, jam, or even leftover soup, or sauces.

Sun dried Tomatoes in Herbed Olive Oil


1/2 lb. sun dried tomatoes, just plain-not in olive oil
(can be purchased in your supermarket, or specialty market)
3 cloves garlic cut in half
extra virgin olive oil to fill the jar
1 teaspoon of mixed dry herbs
(I mixed dry pepper flakes, dried oregano, and parsley, along with black pepper,
 and a dash of garlic powder, to make a batch, or use your favorite mix herbs.)
3 large basil leaves torn in half

In a medium saucepan, place the sun dried tomatoes, and the garlic halves, fill with water, just enough to cover the tomatoes, bring to a boil, and turn it off immediately. Let it sit for about 10 minutes off heat, strain all the water, pack the jar with all the listed ingredients, fill to the top with extra virgin olive oil, and refrigerate when it cools completely. You can use it for many uses, as in pasta, pizza topping, or for any recipe that calls for sun dried tomatoes in oil. It's a lot less expensive to make your own, and will taste so exquisite. It also makes a special gourmet gift for someone for the holidays. Just cut a scrap of a holiday paper, or cloth, wrap a pretty bow or holiday string around it, and make someone "happy"...smiles guaranteed!


As I mentioned previously, I found this wonderful coffee cake book at Goodwill last week,and could not imagine anyone dropping this great book off, when it looked brand new, and such good recipes of coffee cakes with beuatiful photos of it inside. Also savory cakes as well. The paperback books at my local Goodwill store cost $.79 cents, sometimes more, as much as $2.49, regarding the type and size of a book.
This book retails at $18.95, and it's a 2006 edition.

99% of the time the books that are donated there are in "mint", new condition. Such bargains are so amazing to find. I am going to start more giveaways, because all I've been doing with some of these books by re-donating it back or forcing my daughter to take them, when she herself has so many books. As I googled about the author of this book, and found another really good recipe from one year ago....@happygomarni.com.
 http://www.happygomarni.com/2009/11/milk-chocolate-walnut-coffee-cake.html




To enter the giveaway:

1) Please follow foodandthrift on Twitter...sorry, I don't have an account on Facebook. If you already do so,  please see number 3. If you are doing so for the first time, please let me know that you are now following me on Twitter, so I could add you to the giveaway.

2) Leave a comment on this post! You are encouraged to share a comment about coffee cakes, other books or any other thoughts.

3). If you RT or post on your Twitter page this giveaway post link, you get an additional entry. Please drop me an additional comment on this post saying that you did so.

4) To get an additional chance in the giveaway, become a "follower" of  food and thrift find's  blog.

5) Drawing will be done randomly from all comments recorded by Sunday, Nov. 28, at 11 PM (EST) and one lucky winner will announced.

6) Please note: Shipping only in the US. I apologize to my International friends.

Happy Thanksgiving picture

34 comments:

Debbie B. said...

I LOVE giveaways, always so much fun!

Debbie B. said...

P.S. I tweeted the giveaway :)

Heather Lynne said...

My favorite coffee cake is actually made in my school cafeteria-they make the BEST blueberry coffee cake, it's out of this world!

Mrs K said...

Hey Elizabeth,this is such an exciting giveaway.The sundried tomatos have already brought a smile to my face & they sure will light up the lucky winner's face as well. Nothing beats home-made :) I will have to check my goodwill store for good bargains on coffee cakes :) I do not tweet:( Happy Thanksgiving to you & yours Elizabeth !!!

Elisabeth said...

Thank you Debbie, Heather Lynne, and Kavita...you are in the drawing. You will really love this book and future other books that I will be giving away. It's ashame, not to. I pick up the best books...ever, just because! Now I have a reason to put them to good use.

aipi said...

I love the veggies in herbed oil... the peppers, tomatoes and most others.. I usually pick one large jar when I am at Costco and use it many different ways. Unfortunately I don't have an account on twitter but the giveaway sounds fun.
Happy Thanksgiving to n your family Elisabeth!

US Masala

Pacheco Patty said...

Thanks for commenting on my blog:). I'm following you on Twitter and enjoyed checking out your blog. The sun dried tomatoes look wonderful. Happy Thanksgiving;)

Chow and Chatter said...

nice simple preserve love it came over from Chef Dennis's blog have a great thanksgiving Rebecca

♥Sugar♥Plum♥Fairy♥ said...

I love all u shared about Goodwill and loved this post here too!
Lovely!
Those sun dried tomatoes look so good!
Wish they were@giveaway too!
Thannx for the giveaway and this delicious book ,if i win i will send it to a pal in the US as a gift for the holidays:-)
Sure do follow u on twitter!

♥Sugar♥Plum♥Fairy♥ said...

Ahh , coffee cakes ,my first ever exprnce with coffee cakes was with a KAF recipe , and it was d best recipe or cake i had baked!
It was last year and i didn blog then!
It was a cinnamon struessal coffee cake , also a first for me was the struessal!!
An absolutely gorgeous coffee cake that was and lovedd it!!!
Mus make some coffee cake cupcakes sometime!

♥Sugar♥Plum♥Fairy♥ said...

Ok , i follow ur blog too:-)
wish u were on FB,im more active on FB than twitter!

♥Sugar♥Plum♥Fairy♥ said...

Bdw, wanted to tell u , hopped by Marni blog and that coffee cake is delicious!!
M gng to leave her some love and this link too!

Priya said...

SUch a flavourful olive oil, i would like to drizzle over my pasta or over my pizza...fabulous preserve..

Lizzy said...

Your sun dried tomatoes look fabulous!!!

I am now following you on Twitter :)

Wishing you a super Thanksgiving, Lizzie...I have a feeling you'll be cooking up a storm! Thanks so much for finding me on Foodbuzz...I'm so happy to have a new foodie friend to be thankful for this year :)

Pegasuslegend said...

not here for the giveaway! I just love this oil and dried herbs, will diffinitely spread the word for you and tweet this! Happy Thanksgiving, this is awesome! Oh and I do love coffeecakes!

Biren said...

I've never tried preserving with olive oil. I'll have to do it soon as I love sun dried tomatoes.

Lovely giveaway! That is such a find :)

Kim Kelly said...

Elisabeth, I LOVE the tomatoes! I have never made them myself like that before, but I have recently become a really big fan of sun dried tomatoes and just can't get enough of them.
Lovely cookbook you are offering! Oh how I wish I had that store near me! Or maybe it's a good thing I don't...!

♥Sugar♥Plum♥Fairy♥ said...

I tweeted ur giveaway:-)
How many chances for a twit every day?

Elisabeth said...

Mia-@SugarPlumFairy-You can tweet as many times as you want, and it will be all accounted for when it's tallied up at the end. The more you tweet, the more chances you have to win. This is an automated randomly picked drawing...I have no way of knowing who is going to be the winner, only at the end of the drawing.

Elisabeth said...

Kim-It's so much tastier to make your own sun dried tomatoes in oil, because you know it's so fresh. I learned how to make this in Sicily from a family member, a few years ago...did not realized how easily it's done.
I feel so fortunate to have this special Goodwill store so close to me, and almost feel guilty at times for these bargains, but then again, I donate a lot of good stuff too!

Elisabeth said...

Lizzy-I'm so grateful to have such a wonderful foodie friend with the same "nick" name as me, but with a different spelling.
I'm also grateful for all my Foodbuzz friends...I never would have imagined to have met so many friends from all over the globe.
We are having dinner with 4 other families, and their children and everyone is contributing something.
I, myslef will be cooking a 20lb stuffed turkey to bring, along with trimmings + there will be an additional turkey, ham, seafood pasta, and all kinds of homemade pastries from my daughter.

Lisa {Authentic Suburban Gourmet } said...

Anything marinated in a jar catches my eye! This is a must make! As far as coffee cakes, the more crumble topping the better. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday!!

Monet said...

What a lovely gift these sun-dried tomatoes would make! I would love to receive a jar of these beauties. They would make my everyday sandwiches just amazing! As for coffee cakes? I love them. I'm thinking about waking up early tomorrow to make one! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, love!

Angie's Recipes said...

That's a lovely recipe! Bet it would make a great holiday gift.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Angie

jane deere said...

Happy Thanksgiving, Elisabeth!

Magic of Spice said...

Hi Elizabeth, love these sun-dried tomatoes with the herbed olive oil...They would make beautiful gifts. And nice giveaway :)
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Kimberly Peterson said...

This looks great!! Enjoy your Thanksgiving, and as an International friend who never gets to participate in giveaways I seriously feel like I should move to the U.S. hahahahahaha.

GreenGirl said...

I like sun dried tomatoes in my salad by always paid $5-6 for them, thanks to you I know how to make my own now
Hope you had a wonderful day

Carolyn said...

I love that you picked this book up for a steal. A sharp, thrifty bargain hunter, you!
The tomatoes look wonderful, too.

Wendy said...

This would be a GREAT Christmas gift for family! Saving this...and I have a little present for you at my blog, so swing by!

Chef Dennis said...

what a great way to preserve sun dried tomatoes, I do love sun drieds, unfortunately my wife does not, so we don't have them often!
Thanks for a great post!
Dennis

Elisabeth said...

Thank you everyone for your kind comments...the winner will be announced Monday morning, since this Sunday will be the deadline at 11PM.
I just read Wendy' comment and will head on over to her blog, for my present. Wow, what a wonderful surprise...thank you Wendy!
Chef Dennis...you are listed in the giveaway too, and appreciate your sweet comments, as always.
Thanks again, my wonderful friends!

Norma said...

Just joined your blog and looking forward to all your posts. I found you through LUNA.

lena said...

looks like it isnt any difficult to make this sun dried tomatoes, yes i do agree with you that this will be good gifts for friends. You know, i happened to have this coffee book, a book that a group of bakers are currently baking from this book, just tried a few recipes, not bad. I just got it i think somewhere early this year and yeah, it got it around that usd 20!