Italian Dipping Oil

I love to bake bread and one of our favorite toppings on a piping hot fresh loaf of crusty Italian bread is to dip the stay goodness into an Extra Virgin Olive oil that has been flavored with an Italian herb blend.  We also like things a little spicy too so we kick ours up a notch with pepper and crushed red peppers.  If you do not like things spicy hot then you can omit the peppers from your mix.  Friends compliment the dipping oil so I thought I would give them as gifts this year.  Add a little Balsamic vinegar to the oil when serving to make it extra tasty.

Tools and supplies for Italian Dipping oil Hot Italian Blend:

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• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon rosemary
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon sea salt (or according to your taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (omit if you do not want heat)
• 1 teaspoon dried garlic or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil (about 6 oz was enough to fill mini wine bottle)
• Funnel
• Bottles I save the mini wine bottles too.
• Twine
• Ad Tech Hot Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
• Polymer Clay charm ( instructions to make them here)
• Handmade stickers
• Labels for the back.
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Instructions to make Hot Italian Dipping oil:

1.  Clean and sterilize bottles.
2.  Use a funnel to pour in spices and olive oil. Add the cork.
3.  After filling and corking bottles, wash and dry them well.
4.  Apply labels to the front of the bottle.
5.  Wrap twine around the neck of the bottle and adhere with Hot Glue and
6.  Lastly, add a sticker to the front and add another sticker to the back with the name and expiration date.

To prolong the life of the oil, refrigerate the bottles. If you are using fresh herbs and spices make sure you wash and dry them. If you are using dried spices the shelf life is 3 months and fresh herbs 1 month after making. Add a label on the back of each bottle so the recipient knows what they are getting and when to dispose of.