Olive Oil

4 to 6 servings Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in the pot . Add 1 diced onion , 1 minced clove garlic, 1 shredded carrot and 1 finely diced celery rib . Add 5 cups broth and bring to a boil. Add 1/2 pound sliced button mushrooms , 1/2 cup Israeli couscous and a pinch of fresh or dried thyme . Cook for 10 minutes or until the couscous is tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper .

4 to 6 servings Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in the pot . Add 1 diced onion , 1 minced clove garlic and 1/2 ounce finely diced pancetta or 1 strip diced, uncooked bacon . Add one 28-ounce can diced tomatoes and their juice, 2 cups frozen peas , 2 cups water, 1 bay leaf and a generous pinch fresh or dried thyme . Cook for 15 minutes ; season to taste with salt and pepper ...

Ingredients: 8 large tomatoes 2 tbsp. sugar 4 tbsp. olive oil 1 large onion chopped fine 6-8 large garlic cloves chopped fine 1 lb. ground beef or lamb 1 tsp. ground pepper 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. each oregano, thyme and cinnamon 1 cup uncooked rice 1 cup chopped spearmint 1 cup grated parmesan cheese Instructions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice a piece from the top of each tomato. Remove the pulp with a spoon. Save the pulp.

D.C.-based Bread for the City welcomes all contributions but is trying to encourage donors to give foods higher in fiber and lower in sugar and salt. Here are some items they recommend for food drive collections: Brown Rice Whole grain cereal, not heavily sweetened -- examples include plain oatmeal, plain grits, Shredded Wheat, Kashi Heart to Heart, Kashi Go Lean, Cheerios. Dry beans Canned salmon and chicken Low sodium canned beans and vegetables Canned fruit in its own juices Olive oil Monetary contributions for fresh produce Whole grain pasta SOURCE: Bread for the City

· One of the classiest ways to upgrade an end-of-the-meal cheese assortment is with a drizzle of da Rosario Organic White Truffle Acacia Honey . Its intoxicating, earthy mix of the golden nectar and discernible bits of truffle, both imported from Umbria, Italy, is evident the minute you open the jar. The product is part of a line that includes truffle butter, truffle seasoning and truffle-flavored olive oil. At $21 for a 4.25-ounce jar, it is...

Maria Kardamaki Robertson has eight weeks to prove herself. Robertson, founder of Demeter's Pantry, got a big break last month when Costco tapped her line of packaged Greek meals for a two-month trial run at five of its regional stores. "This was a rare opportunity to have daily conversations with people and get a lot of feedback," said Robertson, who lives in Silver Spring, and currently sells meals to area Whole Foods, Balducci's and Roots Market stores. "As a wholesale company, you're kind of isolated from your customers.

MONDAY, Dec. 8 (HealthDay News) -- In older adults at risk for heart disease, a Mediterranean diet plus daily servings of mixed nuts may help manage metabolic syndrome, according to a Spanish study. Metabolic syndrome describes a group of health problems that includes abdominal obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and high glucose levels -- all of which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Previous research suggests that a Mediterranean diet -- which includes lots of cereals, vegetables, fruits and olive oil, moderate consumption of fish and alcohol, and low intake of dairy, meats and sweets -- lowers the risk of metabolic syndrome.

Diane Gross didn't know what kind of veggie sandwich she wanted to sell when she opened Cork Market last month. But she was very clear about what she didn't want: "something tasteless. " Tasteless was the main characteristic of most vegetable sandwiches Gross had eaten. They're an afterthought, she said: "They just throw a bunch of stuff on bread and call it a veggie option. " Gross charged Cork Market chef Kristin Hutter with the task of making one so good that "someone who is not a vegetarian will eat a veggie sandwich.

A Calvert County middle school student took home one of the top prizes in the Junior Chefs Rockfish Cook-Off staged in Ocean City last month during the East Coast Commercial Fisherman's and Aquaculture Trade Exposition. The competition was divided into two age groups -- the children's division for those 7 to 11, and the junior division for those 12 to 17. The Maryland Department of Agriculture's Seafood Marketing Program, along with the Maryland Watermen's Association and the Sea Grant programs of the universities of Maryland and Delaware, sponsored the event.

I strapped on my snowshoes the other day and made my way to a neighbor's to borrow a cast-iron pot. Since we suddenly seem to be living in the Arctic , I'm going back to basics and cooking over a real hardwood fire. For the day's menu, I needed a pot with a lid. The kitchen gods have blessed me with a fireplace, so it has been an easy step from stove to hearth. I grew up in Minnesota and know the importance of a fire in times of chill and darkness. Until recently, though, I'd forgotten it could feed the body as well as the soul.