Now that we’ve completed our harvest – our largest on record – I can look forward to Christmas. My colleagues and I love to use our olive oil to prepare everything from appetizers to dessert for our holiday meals. And this year we’ve assembled a variety of recipes that let you reinvent holiday classics – like prime rib and turkey, as well as dessert. Feel free to pick and choose – or take one of these main course and dessert recipes and put your own spin on it.

Olive Oil Cake with Grand Marnier

This cake - in the photo above - would provide and sophisticated and impressive end to any holiday meal. “This cake is light and airy due to the four eggs added and is infused with citrus extracts and a hint of Grand Marnier that makes it aromatic and refreshing,” food blogger Dina Foglio Crowell – of Buttercream Bakehouse – says of the dessert she created. “It’s not overly sweet and the olive oil is subtle and gives great moistness to the cake,” she adds, noting: “Cakes made with olive oil are moister and tender with a more refined crumb than cakes made with butter.”  (Click here to see recipe.)

Chocolate Pecan Cranberry Cake

You don't have to be vegan to crave a slice of this lovely cake, which is studded with cranberries and pecans. It appears in vegan pastry chef Fran Costigan's new book: Vegan Chocolate: Unapologetically Luscious and Decadent Dairy-Free Desserts. The cake includes a crumb topping and interior layer made from dried cranberries, pecans, rolled oats, olive oil and vegan chocolate chips. The chocolate-infused cake itself also is made from olive oil. Make it with  our Everyday Fresh or Arbosana. The latter pairs particularly well with chocolate. (Click here to get recipe.)

Blood Orange Cardamom Olive Oil Cake

This cake - and the syrup drizzled on it - are made from the juice and zest of the blood orange, which is in season. Greek yogurt and fruity olive oil - like our Arbequina - contribute to a soft, delicate crumb. Cardamom provides yet another wonderful layer of flavor. The recipe is courtesy of Food52. (Click here to get the recipe.)

Herb-Crusted Standing Rib Roast

For a show-stopping entrée, go no further than this standing rib roast, which was developed by chefs Marge Perry and David Bonom for Anolon Gourmet Cookware. The herb crust features olive oil, mustard, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Use our Everyday Fresh oil to make the initial herb paste. (Click here to see recipe.)

Cranberry Quinoa-Stuffed Turkey with Olive Oil Herb Pesto Rub

This succulent turkey - from our friends at Alter Eco Foods - gets rubbed with a pesto-like paste made from olive oil, parsley, celery, basil, thyme, lemon zest, and lemon juice. The bird is stuffed with a flavorful, festive quinoa combining cranberries, pecans and parsley. Our Everyday Fresh would be perfect for this dish. Drizzle the sliced turkey with our fruity Arbequina for added flavor. (Click here to see recipe.)Bon appétit,California Olive Ranch Master Miller Bob Singletary