One of the lighter sides of stay-at-home life is social media newsfeeds overflowing with home cooking experiments ranging from bread making experiments to creative kitchen-sink meals that help minimize trips to the store. People cook to feed their families, self-soothe, and otherwise relax and practice self-care. I love it! It’s like a collective conjuring of health and homey good vibes.

That said, as much as I like to cook, I’m not one of the home cooks that has a whole lot of energy for fancy recipes, much as I love to get my inner kitchen witch on. Teaching took a lot out of me which meant my own cooking experiments had to be easy, fun, and all-around low maintenance. All by way of saying, I seriously got into marinating olives.

Little dishes like tapas or Italian apertivo have to be some of my favorite dishes and I’ve been known to make a meal of good cheese, fresh crudités, and olives come summer Saturday nights. Add a delicious cocktail or glass of rose, and I’m in heaven!

Marinating olives has brought my happy hour fun to a whole new level. The trick is to start with a jar of good quality olives. I like Jeff’s Naturals, especially the castelvetrano and kalamata olives, but feel free to experiment with what the brands and olive types that you have on hand. You can also adapt the marinate to whatever portions you desire. Don’t have red wine vinegar? Use white or apple cider vinegar. This isn’t a standard recipe, per see, more like a set of guidelines. Think of this as a kitchen-sink recipe, where you use what you have on hand. I’ve never made the same type of marinade twice and I’ve had lots of fun experimenting with different herbs and spices. A strong citrus flavor tends to be my favorite, but play around and see what works for you.

This is a fun recipe when you want to try something new but don’t want to go full-on homesteader, baking your own sourdough bread or the like. It’s pretty foolproof compared to breadmaking and so utterly delicious. But I warn you, making these include certain side effects. You might find yourself putting on an old jazz record, arranging stray wedges of cheese on a plate, and pouring yourself a glass of wine. You might find, in short, that you want to put the world on hold for a bit and enjoy a lovely happy hour.

Ingredients:

1 jar of olives

1/4 cup vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, sliced

2 organic citrus peels or slices (lemon or orange work really well)

4-6 sprigs of herbs (my favorites include thyme, rosemary, and oregano)

1/2 tsp red chile flakes

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp peppercorns

Add all ingredients except olive into a saucepan and simmer on the stove for ten minutes. Drain olives and place them in bowl. Pour ingredients in saucepan over olives, stir, and let sit on the counter until cool, about half an hour. Serve immediately, or store in a mason jar in the fridge for a few weeks. Enjoy!

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!