California Olives and Googly-Eyed Crudites

When the good people at California Ripe Olives asked if they could send me a Halloween kit to make something spooky with olives, I thought, “I like free stuff.” So yes, please. I got a big box covered with spiders, eek! (Even my delivery guy was curious.) Inside, I found cans of California Black Ripe Olives, a spider web tray and bowl with the cutest Halloween spatula, a can opener (side note: thank you, ours is about 20 years old), a gorgeous bamboo cutting board and even a gift card for ingredients.

So I got to work. What can I do with olives? I’m usually a sweets girl. Naturally, I overthought and made a way-too long list of possibilities. I was going to make these. Or these. Or this. And I scrapped all the ideas for the sake of simplicity. What do I keep saying is big this year? Eyes. So I made Googly-Eyed Crudites. Very easy, very doable. Be sure to check out the California Ripe Olives site for more recipes, and find their facebook page here.

How to make googly-eyed crudite

You will need:

can of pitted black olives
cutting board and knife
raw veggies (cucumber, bell pepper, carrots, celery, broccoli, snap peas, etc.)
paper towels
disposable decorating bag (available in the craft store)
soft cream cheese
scissors

What to do:

Drain and rinse the olives, then cut into slices. Wash and cut your veggies, then pat them dry with paper towels. Scoop some cream cheese in the decorating bag, and close tightly with a rubber band (or just twist and hold with your hand). Snip about 1/2 inch from the tip. Pipe dots of cream cheese on the veggies and add a slice of olive. That’s it.

The broccoli are my favorite.

And a bit more about California Ripe Olives (in their words!):

· California olive growers produce more than 95 percent of the black ripe olives grown in the US. These growers operate multi-generational family farms from the inland valleys of California from San Diego County to far north of Sacramento County.

· From breakfast to dinner. January to December. And from every day to gourmet. Olives are as casual or as elegant as you like, adding color, texture and flavor to any meal.

· Since California Black Ripe Olives are fruits, they have no cholesterol. And each large olive has only 7 calories. That’s a lot of flavor per calorie!

· California Black Ripe Olives may be grown in California, but they’re available in supermarkets, club stores and local markets all over the country.

I absolutely love Steph de Sousa’s style. She is one of those wonderfully flamboyant women who brings so much personality to the kitchen, and honestly, her colour alone makes me smile. There is something so refreshing about someone who feels bright, confident, and completely herself. That energy spills right into her brand, and it makes this cookbook feel warm, lively, and approachable before you even start thinking about what to cook.

The Air Fryer Queen has that same cheerful charm. It feels like the kind of cookbook written by someone who genuinely wants to help you get tasty food on the table without turning dinner into a full-blown production. And that is exactly the sort of energy I want from an air fryer book. Not stiff. Not overly chefy. Just fun, practical, and full of ideas you might actually use.

What makes Steph so appealing is that she does not come across as intimidating. She feels real. A little bit fabulous, a little bit cheeky, and very much like someone who understands that most of us are just trying to make something easy, delicious, and vaguely impressive with minimal fuss. That is a big part of why this book stands out. It feels friendly.

And can we talk again about the colour? I know that sounds silly in a cookbook review, but it really is part of the charm. Steph has such a vibrant presence, and it brings a kind of happiness to the whole air fryer world. Kitchen content can sometimes feel a bit beige, but she brings sparkle. She makes cooking feel more fun, more playful, and much less like a chore.

This is the kind of cookbook that would suit anyone who wants easy air fryer recipes but also wants a bit of joy with their meal planning. It is practical, yes, but it also feels full of personality. That makes a difference. Sometimes you are not just buying recipes, you are buying inspiration, momentum, and a little nudge to actually use the appliance sitting on your bench.

For me, that is the big appeal of Steph de Sousa. I love this flamboyant lady, I love her energy, and I love that her colourful style makes the whole thing feel upbeat and inviting. She just makes me smile, and that is not a bad quality in a cookbook author at all.

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