Katie's Passion Kitchen

Homemade Ricotta

2012-01-31T10:51:00.008-06:00

You will never buy it again.

1/2 gallon of whole milk (64 oz. or 8 cups) (seriously, don't use low fat)

2 pints of cream (32 oz. or 4 cups) (heavy cream or whipping cream) (mmmmmmm)

2 teaspoons of kosher salt (I use Morton)

6 tablespoons of either plain vinegar, white wine vinegar, white balsamic vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice

Pour the milk and cream into a nice large, heavy non-reactive pot. Stir in the salt. Bring to a boil. When this happens, the liquid will become foamy and begin to swell and rise all at once really quickly, so don't walk away, ok? Add the vinegar. Remove from the heat. Stir. Allow it to sit without being bothered for about 20 minutes or so. You can gently stir it to see the curds forming. It is so cool. OK. Now, carefully pour the mixture into a cheesecloth lined mesh sieve. I do this in my sink because I don't know of any use for the liquid whey that is left behind, so I just let it go down the drain rather than catching it in a bowl. Let the cheese drain for 15 to 30 minutes, depending upon how you like it. The less draining time, the more moist the cheese. It is delicious either way. The more draining time, the more dense and dry the cheese will become. It is sooooooo creamy and delightful. Forget that grainy, disgusting stuff they sell in the grocery stores. It's just awful. The only delicious ricotta out there, that I am aware of anyway, is Chellino brand. It's wonderful, creamy and light also. But, for small, wonderful batches in your own kitchen, make some tonight. You will be amazed at the flavor, the fun and the ease of preparation. Eat right away or refrigerate to use within a few days. Oh, almost forgot . . . this makes about 4 cups.

Ideas for how to use your ricotta:

~ in a vegetable torte ~

~ in a frittata ~

~ spread onto chewy and fresh ciabatta bread and drizzled with olive oil ~

~ on homemade crostini with cooked greens, red pepper flakes & olive oil ~

~ by the spoonful when it's still warm, omg ~

~ by the spoonful, straight from the fridge ~

~ scooped onto a bowl of pasta with marinara sauce & sprinkled with grated cheese ~

~ spooned onto a salad of arugula, roasted tomatoes and kalamata olives ~

~ in lasagna, of course, my friends ~

~ sweetened with powdered sugar, enhanced with candied fruit and stuffed into cannoli shells ~

~ spread onto a delicious sandwich of grilled vegetables ~

~ added to a sandwich of Italian salumi, like mortadella, sopressata or coppa

~ with lemon zest, cooked broccoli and a drizzle of olive oil, on garlic rubbed bruschetta ~

Ricotta for everyone! Make it. Your friends will think you're a culinary genius. LOL......... and, I'm all about making you look like a cheese rock star.

With love, by the whey,

Katie

Katie's Passion Kitchen

What To Bake?

2011-12-11T10:09:00.063-06:00

Keep in touch for recipes, ideas and more . . . Send me a note if you'd like a recipe now!

Love, Katie

12/16/2011 Update: Click HERE for a printable version of the Chai Tea Shortbread Cookie recipe and the Earl Grey Shortbread Cookie recipe (same recipe). Enjoy!

Also, friends, please click HERE to check out last year's holiday cookie lineup with a few more recipes for your homemade gift-giving repertoire.

Franki's Short Ribs

2011-11-19T08:45:00.004-06:00

Ingredients, method and story forthcoming . . .

B4 We Go Vegan

2011-11-06T22:48:00.008-06:00

Big, fat, juicy grilled burgers topped with gorgonzola cheese and served on grilled and buttered sesame semolina bread, with all the fixins' on the side. Very very bad. LOL.
Marinated grilled mushrooms from Cousin Mary's girlfriend's mushroom farm! You really need to have FUN with your FUNghi. These shrooms were marinated with sweet onions in olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and freshly picked thyme, rosemary and sage. Throw it all onto the grill for about 5 minutes or so, toss a bit and grill for about another 5 until done to juicy perfection. Garnish with more fresh herbs. Chow down with some great bread or pile onto a salad or burger.

Sunday nights are so nice, aren't they?

We can go vegan next week.

Anyway, the mushrooms and the salad are vegan.... so are the toppers (homegrown tomatoes plus radishes, onions and avocado, right?)

Selective Veganism.

Love,

Katie

Bolognese Ragu al Forno

2011-10-19T08:47:00.014-05:00

If you read up on the city of Bologna, you will learn that one of it's nicknames is La Grassa (The Fat). I love that. Think mortadella, salame rosa, tortellini, lasagne and tagliatelle. Ohhhhhh my. Bologna is the capital of the region of Emilia~Romagna and to many, the gastronomic capital of all of Italy. Time to hop on another virtual flight. I NEED to go there. Oh, and speaking of wine (were we?), Emilia is known for Lambrusco, while Romagna is known for Sangiovese. And speaking of hogs (were we?), lots of cattle and lots of hogs around there. If I ever make it to Bologna, I will share it ALL with you right here in KPK.

Let's talk about the sauce, shall we? Classic Bolognese ragu' is made with pancetta, beef, carrots, celery, onion, wine, a small amount of tomato sauce, milk, salt & pepper. It's a standard process of beginning with the soffrito, adding ingredients, cooking, simmering and reducing for a long time on the stovetop to really develop the flavors. There are so many versions, it's impossible to write about all of them. Some cooks like to add chicken livers, or ground pork, or some Italian sausage. Fresh or dried herbs can be added. I like to add earthiness with porcini and/or portabella mushrooms if I'm feelin' it. Some people add cream instead of milk for extra richness. The soffrito (onion, carrots, celery) can be started with butter or olive oil. I could go on forever. The truth is that nowadays, folks are calling any meat sauce "Bolognese". This version is definitely another KPK recipe that you can adjust to your liking. If you don't like Rosemary, don't date her. I mean, if you prefer thyme, use thyme. I must admit, when I watched Jamie Oliver (one of my idols) prepare this dish in a 2002 episode of "Oliver's Twist" (which is available for your viewing and educational pleasure on Netflix), I was skeptical of using a large amount of fresh rosemary because I would not ordinarily use fresh rosemary OR dried oregano, for that matter, in a Bolognese sauce. News: I have been converted.

I am really ticked at myself for not snapping photos during the process of making this sauce. It looked and smelled divine and I was more into cooking than I was photography on Tuesday night. Below is the recipe which I have modified to make your life easy. When I watched Jamie make the sauce, he did not give exact quantities, but was really easy to follow and used few ingredients.

Bolognese Ragu al Forno

(Bolognese Sauce in the Oven)

Ingredients (in order of appearance) : )

a drizzle of olive oil (for the pan)

12 oz. center cut bacon, cut into small pieces

5 or 6 stalks of fresh rosemary, stripped from stems and finely chopped

1 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef

dried oregano to taste (about a tablespoon or so)

1-2 large (28 oz.) cans of whole peeled tomatoes (you know I like Dei Fratelli brand)

(I used 1 1/2 cans)

red wine (I used about 1 wineglass)

The Process (I love this)

You'll need an ovenproof vessel. Ideally, something like a casserole type pan that can go from stovetop to oven (like LeCreuset or other enameled, heavy duty casserole). I used a vintage Magnalite roaster from my Amelia DePalma Fioretti collection. Thanks Mom.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

OK. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil into the pot/pan. Add the bacon which you have cut into nice small pieces. Cook until the fat renders and the bacon becomes crispy. Add the chopped rosemary. Sniff. Admire. Stir.

Add the onion. Cook a bit. Add the garlic. Cook a bit more. Don't burn.

Add the beef. Cook and brown on medium heat for awhile. Then, add the remaining ingredients. The oregano, the tomatoes and the wine. Break the tomatoes up a bit with a wooden spoon. Bring the whole shebang up to a boil and let it do it's thing for about 5 minutes or so.

Then, here's the part I really like.

Turn off the burner. Place a sheet of parchment paper directly on top of the sauce, covering it completely. You can easily tear or cut the parchment to fit. The parchment will keep the sauce from forming a crusty edge and it will also keep all of the flavor locked in while this delicious and meaty sauce is baking in your oven. Place your parchment-topped, Bolognese-filled casserole on the middle rack in your oven. Bake for one hour.

Here's the other part I really like.

Now, you can drink wine, enjoy your company, wash dishes, tidy up, make a salad, drink more wine and eagerly anticipate the perfection of your finished product. Throw a pot of water on to boil during the last 15 minutes or so. Boil your favorite pasta in the water to which you have added a good amount of kosher salt. Don't skimp on the salt. Unless you like bland pasta. Note: I honestly did not season the sauce with salt because of the salt in the bacon and it turned out beautifully. Pasta Note: Thick and hearty, meaty sauces like this one are better with thicker pastas (in my opinion) even though "Spaghetti Bolognese" is popular worldwide. I would prefer a chunkier pasta or a thicker pasta. The pictured dish above was a beautiful Pappardelle but I think Rigatoni would be nice or that gorgeous Trottole (you can buy Culinary Circle brand at Jewel), or of course, the classic Tagliatelle. When you remove the sauce from the oven, stir it and taste it. I know you'll love it. Toss your pasta with some of the sauce and top each serving with more sauce plus a freshly grated mountain of Parmigiano cheese. Geeeeez, you do know that Parmigiano comes from Parma which is located, guess where? In Emilia~Romagna. And, my friends, if you are making your salad with good balsamic vinegar from Modena, guess where Modena is located? Right. Emilia~Romagna.

Click HERE for a printable version of the recipe (for Sharon M)

Our wine of choice for this dinner was

I know, it's not from Emilia~Romagna, but it is from Tuscany, which is right next door. This was a lovely wine, 80% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo, 10% Colorino. 100% good. Juicy and delicious from the hills of Fiesole.

WOW! How can you NOT love Italian food?

Make something Italian today.

Amore,

Katarina

Gourmet Caramel Apples 2011

2011-10-03T22:11:00.014-05:00

It's apple season and I'm ecstatic. I'm an apple girl all year long, but ESPECIALLY now when I can eat all of the Honeycrisp apples I can handle. Not to mention, dip, roll and drip. Dipped in caramel, rolled in nuts and dripped and drizzled with chocolate galore. Just sit down with a nice sharp knife and a dinner plate and go to town. Delicious, sweet, salty, crunchy, gooey, crisp, tart, fabulous and sure to yank every filling out of your mouth. Mark and I just "tore one up" for a snack. It was a "Toasted Coconut Roasted Pecan Double Chocolate" special. Seriously good. Everyone needs fruit, right? That's what the Diamonds tell us in Fit For Life.

Buy some Honeycrisp apples. Melt some Kraft caramels. (I'm over my need for homemade caramel. I know, but I had to try it a few times to be convinced). Follow the package directions. One bag = 50 caramels. Add 2 tablespoons of water. Melt over medium low heat. Let the caramel cool a bit. Dunk your first apple and get a feel for the caramel. (btw, Kraft provides 5 sticks in each bag). I like to set mine on a parchment lined half sheet pan. Pop in the fridge to set up. If you're into nuts, immediately roll your apple into the nuts; press into the caramel if necessary. You can keep the pan in the fridge and add your apples as you dip and roll......

Here's what I do when I'm ready to make these guys:

1) Buy perfect apples from the farmstand if possible so that you won't have to wash off the wax that's used at the grocery stores. If you buy them at the grocery store, be sure to rinse well in hot water and then wipe vigorously with a kitchen towel. You do that anyway no matter what but it's really important to get that slick waxy stuff off so that the caramel won't completely slide to the bottom.

2) Wash and dry the apples well.

3) Toast nuts in the oven (pecans are awesome, walnuts, hazelnuts, whatever you're into)

4) Buy other nuts also (great ideas: honey roasted peanuts, cashews, macadamia nuts, dry roasted peanuts, cinnamon almonds, sliced almonds, etc.)

5) Chop nuts as you like them (chunky or fine)

6) Check out your chocolate stash. You can use any of your favorite chocolates. I melt the chocolate in a stainless steel bowl over a pot of simmering water. I use a plastic piping bag or a thick freezer zip bag for the slightly cooled melted chocolate. Snip off a corner and rock-n-roll.

Once you have done the prep work, the actual process is fun and goes quickly. If you've read my previous posts about caramel apples, you'll see that I've done some experimenting. I learn something new each time and I really do love making them.

You'll be able to get about 4-5 apples from one bag of caramel. The temperature of the caramel is a real key to your success. Too hot and it will run down the apple quickly into a pool. Too cool and it's not dippable. You WILL get the feel of it after one or two. After dipping, scrape the bottom excess caramel off and place the apple on the parchment lined sheet. If you're going to roll in nuts, roll immediately. I recommend using paper plates for the nuts instead of bowls because it's easier the roll the apples and easier to use your hands to pile the nuts up and around the apple. Let the apples cool and set up in the fridge, as previously mentioned. You can keep them in longer if you wish and add the chocolate later. In any case, it's a good idea to make sure they have firmly set up before decorating with warm chocolate. Decorate with the chocolate and then keep in a cool place (like the garage or basement) or in the fridge if you like...... If you do store the finished apples in the fridge, you may want to set them out at room temperature for a bit before serving in order to soften up the caramel.

I'll be making more of these this month and if I come up with any new tips or ideas, I'll let ya know. I brought some to NSH today to spread the Octoberyness around the dealership.

Apples from my Apple to Y-O-U

Wishing you love and Honeycrisps,

Katie

KPK Plea: PLEAse don't use Red Delicious apples for your KPK Gourmet Caramel Apples. They were simply misnamed. They should have been named Red Delicious-NOT. Seriously friends, ick. Tasteless, mealy-textured, thick skinned and not at all refreshing to the palate. Nice looking, but that's where it ends. Sorry, I'm not usually that judgmental. LOL. Think tart & crisp. Prettier is definitely not better. Honeycrisps are not shaped as nicely and they have a few flaws and bumps (who doesn't?) but they ROCK! Go to the farmstand or your well-stocked local grocery store and buy one of each apple variety you can find. Now's the best time. Try Cortland, McIntosh, Ida Red, Jonathan, Granny Smith, Rome Beauty, etc. etc. Lots and lots from Michigan right now. Do your own taste-test. It's fun ~ You will be amazed by the differences from one variety to another. You are sure to pick a favorite. Did you know that there are over 7,500 varieties of apples grown throughout the world? Holy _ _ _ _! Amazing!

Fresh Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes with Lemon Honey Cream Cheese Icing

2011-09-12T22:56:00.040-05:00

These are seriously delicious. Sweet, moist and creamy with a bit of tart freshness. Add these pretty cupcakes to your repertoire today! Your friends will be asking you to bake them for years to come!

Cupcake Ingredients:

Zest of 3 lemons

1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries ~ plus more for embellishing

1 tbsp flour

2 cups all purpose unbleached flour

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks)

3 large eggs at room temperature

1 cup buttermilk at room temperature (I friggin' LOVE buttermilk)

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups sugar

Get Busy:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Zest your lemons! Toss the raspberries with the tablespoon of flour. Set aside. Sift flour with the baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Beat the butter, lemon zest, and sugar for a full 5 minutes at medium speed until super light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping bowl after each addition. Add a quarter of the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Then add the vanilla and a third of the buttermilk. Repeat, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and scraping well after each addition. Gently fold in the raspberries. Pour batter into prepared muffin pans. Bake 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool pans on a rack for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely.

Ice the cooled cupcakes and top each with fresh raspberries.

Icing

8 oz. softened cream cheese

1/2 cup softened butter (1 stick)

1/3 cup honey

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Large pinch of kosher salt

2 cups confectioners sugar

In a mixer, combine all of the ingredients except the confectioners sugar and beat until completely smooth. Add the confectioners sugar (sift first, if lumpy) and beat until well combined and nice and creamy.

RB Note: Raspberries can't hang out too long in your fridge. Buy them. Eat them. Don't buy them today to bake them next weekend, ok? They are delicate and will spoil after being in the fridge for just a few days, so, use the freshest and the best raspberries you can find : )! Look for firm beauties and don't be afraid to open the plastic container to make sure they're perfect berries with no moldy or mushy ones spoiling the bunch.

I wonder if I could get busted if I advertised these beautiful little cakes as FAT BURNING FRESH LEMON RASPBERRY CUPCAKES WITH LEMON HONEY CREAM CHEESE ICING. Raspberries are packed with fiber and manganese. Fiber helps slow the digestive process so you feel full longer. Manganese is a trace mineral that helps keep your metabolic rate high, which in turn burns fat. So, therefore, who CARES about the BUTTER and the CREAM CHEESE, peeps!? The berries will save your ass!

Save YOUR ( | ) today & have one!

Love, Laughs, Lemons & More,

Katie

Katie's Passion Kitchen 2011

Polpette di Zucchine

2011-08-22T07:27:00.009-05:00

A marvelous way to showcase your summer zucchini when your garden is gifting you in abundance. After seeing David Rocco whip these up on the Cooking Channel's David Rocco's Dolce Vita, I could NOT wait to try these (especially after he took a bite and the cheese was stringy and scrumptious looking). The recipe is perfect. I have adapted it here by simply cutting it in half and adding my own notes and tips so that you can try these out for the first time. I made 15 zucchini balls from this batch which would be just right if you're having dinner for 4. You could serve 3 on each tomato salad and eat the other 3 to make sure they're just right! By the way, I tried reheating the leftover balls tonight (I made them yesterday) and they reheated beautifully in a 350 degree oven. I popped them in the oven on a parchment lined baking sheet for no more than 10 minutes. They were crisp on the outside and tender and gooey on the inside. I would definitely recommend the oven or toaster oven over the microwave for reheating (if you actually have any leftovers).

Polpette di Zucchine

Ingredients

1 1/2 large zucchini (that's one and one-half)

1/2 cup cubed or chopped Scamorza cheese (hey, did you know that Chellino brand is made right here in Joliet, Illinois? - the best friggin' ricotta anywhere AND the Sca-mortz!) Who knew?

1/2 cup chopped or grated Pecorino

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

1 egg

fresh mint

kosher salt to taste

Process

Cut the zucchini into cubes (large dice)

Drop into boiling salted water and cook for 4 minutes

Drain well in a colander (or scola-past, lol)

Toss onto tray in a single layer to cool completely

Dice the cheeses

Chop the mint

Remove excess water from the zucchini (I do this by lining a mesh strainer with cheese cloth and filling it with the cooled and drained zuke chunks. I then twist the cheese cloth up and around the zuke and gently twist and squeeze all of the excess water from the zucchini)

Mix the zucchini with the cheeses, bread crumbs, egg, mint and salt

Form into balls

Roll in bread crumbs

Place on a sheet (I use a parchment lined sheet pan)

Heat olive oil in a skillet

Gently lower polpette into oil and brown

Flip with tongs or spatula and brown on other side

Remove carefully to paper towel lined tray or plate to drain and cool slightly

Serve warm on top of a summer tomato and basil salad for an excellent light lunch or for a colorful and delicious first course for dinner. Enjoy! Thank you David Rocco for the recipe and the inspiration!

Love, Katie

KATIE'S PASSION KITCHEN

August 2011

2011-06-26T16:08:00.001-05:00

Pecan & Fresh Herb Crusted Goat Cheese Salad

2011-05-24T23:08:00.007-05:00

Pecan and Fresh Herb Crusted Goat Cheese, served warm on a salad of baby red butter lettuce, baby spinach and Vidalia onions, dressed in a honey balsamic vinaigrette. Dried herb crostini on the side . . . (perfect for a smear
of that creamy goat cheese).

Try this - no mess - no frying - Inspired by a lovely salad of roasted beets and grapefruit segments that appeared in this month's "Expressions of The Vine" newsletter (I will try that one, as well)....Simply combine some finely chopped toasted pecans (4 oz.) with finely chopped fresh basil, fresh parsley and fresh chives (about 1 teaspoon each). Take a small log of plain goat cheese (serves 4) and cut into 4 equal slices. Coat each slice generously in the nut mixture and place in small baking dish. Just before serving, pop into a preheated 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes (no more). Toss a salad of your favorite tender greens and a few wisps of sweet onion with olive oil and a sweet vinegar (white balsamic, gold balsamic, raspberry or regular balsamic would be delicious- something a little sweet) . . . I used honey balsamic. Kosher salt and pepper to taste. Pile onto a plate and top with a warm crusted goat cheese round. Serve with crusty bread or crostini.

Easy, cheesy, breezy. Love to all on this easy, breezy day . . . from KLF in KPK.

Herb Blurb plus a Recipe for Green Pea Crostini with Prosciutto

2011-05-15T12:17:00.037-05:00

Fresh mint is growing like crazy right now, just outside of the garage on the sunny south side of our house. Lucia decided to plant a few sprigs for me last summer and the mint has now overwhelmed my rose bushes. It's taking over. I did read, coincidentally, that growing mint near your rosebushes will help deter aphids. OK. I'm cool with that. How about the dreaded Japanese beetles though? They are the real bastichas.

A couple of summers ago, my dad's oregano (which also grows like weeds) took over that same

area and I had to pull a bunch of plants and move them to a new spot. We all have my dad's oregano growing here and there. He would pick the plants, place them on some newspaper, wet them down with water and roll up the wet newspaper to keep the plants cool and moist before bringing them to friends and family. I'm sure all of my brothers and sisters have some growing somewhere.We love and cherish this oregano. I have never been able to find the same variety at any nursery. It's totally different than the Greek variety that is readily available. The leaves are much tinier and therefore, easier to crumble when dried. We grow it, wash it and hang it to dry. We use it regularly and share it with our friends and co-workers. My dad would store the oregano in brown paper bags, labeled "Oragano" (misspelled) along with the year it was grown and harvested. I have one of those very bags on the ledge along my stairway to the basement and I'm sure I will never throw it away. He would also stash the dried herb in small cans with plastic lids, labeled "Prime" if the plants had been pulled, washed and dried at the peak of perfection. Not too early, not too late. If we had more time last summer, we considered handing out little clay pots

with small oregano

plant cuttings to give to friends and family who attended

our dad's wake. That way, everyone would

think of Pops as they

admired it, watched it grow and used it in their cooking. If anyone would like some of Frank's oregano, let us know and we'll hook you up! Salute' Pops!

Back to the mint, here's an interesting fact: I love this story . . . In Greek mythology, the naiad (let's just say water nymph - not to be confused with today's "nympho", ok?), Minthe (a.k.a. Menthe), was metamorphosed into mint (as we know it), by Queen Persephone, just as she was about to be seduced by Hades. Who knew? I love this stuff. Got it? "Queen P" zapped Minthe into a plant before she reached the point of no return with Hades. . . LOL. Be careful of who you're lusting after.... some queen may poof you into a weed when you least expect it.

So, here's my advice about fresh herbs. Grow some. You won't be sorry. Your cooking will improve tremendously with the use of fresh herbs. I promise. I plant herbs around and in between flowers and other stuff in our yard. No need to be fancy. No need for a designated herb garden. BASIL. There is no comparison to the matching of homegrown tomatoes and freshly picked basil. An avocado salad with sweet onions, tomato, fresh basil and feta. OMG. A bright red, summery marinara sauce will be greatly enhanced by the addition of freshly picked thyme and a few basil leaves added at the last minute. MINT. Great with peas. Great with eggplant. Great with chocolate. Great in a simple syrup. Great in cocktails. Mojitos anyone? Caipirinhas anyone? Great in fruit salads. THYME. A fabulous match for onions, tomatoes and wild game. A wonderful addition to soups and sauces. CHIVES. Oh geeeez, great in dressings, with sour cream on potatoes, added fresh to your bowl of soup, with cream cheese, of course... in egg salad, potato salad, cheese balls, yada yada yada. Italian PARSLEY is delicious in braciole, mediterranean salads like tabbouleh, in meatballs or hamburgers, etc., etc. LEMON BALM. I love this bright green, aromatic beauty floating around in a pitcher of lemonade or white sangria, or beautifying a big icy scoop of lemon sorbet. OREGANO. Fresh in sauces and marinades. Dried and rubbed in salads, on bruschetta or crostini, as a pizza topping and on roasted tomatoes. Add some coarsely torn or chopped fresh herbs to your salads. Your salads will be "born again" and will taste so much fresher, I swear! I could go on for days. You know I could. But, here's what you need to know:

Plant some perennial herbs. I have a boatload of each herb on this list right now and I have not yet done one thing this spring.... Maybe that's cuz it's 43 degrees right now, windy and raining.....These herbs are perennials, so you don't have to plant them every year and they will show up in abundance in early spring!!!!

Chives

Italian (flat leaf) Parsley (technically, biennial)

Mint

Thyme

Lemon Balm

Oregano will begin to grow a little later as it becomes warmer.....

Plant some annual herbs too (these need to be planted every year - in pots if you have limited space, or in the ground....)

Basil

Sage (perennial, grown as an annual because it's not that hardy - around here, anyway)

Summer Savory

Obviously, there are many, many other herbs, both annual and perennial, that are not shown above. Go to your local nursery, investigate, buy some potted herbs even if you just like the way they look (you can be so superficial sometimes), bring them home, plant, water, sit back and let them flourish. Love them. Sniff them. Enjoy them. You deserve herbs. You really do.

Green Pea Crostini (with Fresh Mint) & Prosciutto

Here's a special recipe to incorporate fresh and flavorful mint into this outstanding springtime appetizer. The recipe has been adapted from a Giada DeLaurentis recipe. It has been tested in KPK and enjoyed often. Especially in the spring. Try it! Click HERE for the Green Pea Crostini with Prosciutto recipe.

Enjoy the herbs, enjoy the season, enjoy your life and “If someone asks for help in the herb garden, you can certainly give Sage advice if you have Thyme.”

Katie's Passion Kitchen

Finally something new

May 15, 2011

French Onion Soup Gratinee' for Chuckles

2011-03-28T00:37:00.007-05:00

Click HERE for the recipe . . . a Jacques Pepin classic.

Fresh Fruit Crisp - Easier Than Pie! Way Way!

2011-03-15T10:04:00.008-05:00

Here's the formula. This is so friggin' easy. I learned the basics from an old Betty Crocker cookbook (from the 70's) and I have simplified, adapted, enjoyed, shared, eaten and served it over and over again with much success. Teri makes it often too, with fresh pears from the Brenner "Back 40". I taught her everything she knows. (OK, not the zucchini pies).........

Topping Ingredients:

1 cup of old fashioned rolled oats (you know, oatmeal)

3/4 cup of brown sugar (I sometimes use less)

3/4 cup of flour

1 stick of butter, slightly softened (salted or unsalted - doesn't matter)

pinch of salt

handful of nuts if you have them (just break them up in your hands and toss them in)

pinch or more of cinnamon (if you like) (I like)

Toss everything into a bowl (except you may want to add the nuts last)..... Mash with a fork, a pastry blender or God's gifts at the ends of your arms.....until everything is well incorporated and the butter is mashed up into small pieces and coated with the dry ingredients..... add the nuts.

The fruit: Seriously, I would try ANYTHING. SSShhhhh, don't tell anyone. It's a SECRET. OK. Ideas for y-o-u! Blueberries. Any berries. Apples. Pears. Nectarines or peaches in season. Right now, try some Granny Smith apples since they are nice and tart. Toss in a handful of dried cherries (OMG, really tart, chewy and delicious). Whatever you're into. It's hard to screw this up. The pictured serving above was mostly berries. Fresh blueberries, fresh raspberries, a few fresh strawberries and one Pink Lady apple that I peeled and cut into chunks since I needed a little more fruit. My fruit to topping ratio would have been a little off (like moi') without the apple.

If you use all berries, I'd toss in a tablespoon of flour and just toss them about.... just to prevent a really drippy, juicy, runny crisp. If you use apples, no need for flour. I like to squeeze some fresh lemon juice on the apples and then sprinkle them with some cinnamon. It will keep them tasting nice and bright. Any dried fruit like bits of apricot or dried cranberries or raisins can be added to these great desserts.

So, place your favorite fruit(s) in a glass baking dish. I use a Corningware French White round baking dish with straight sides (like a souffle' dish). You can use whatever fits. You really can't go wrong. No messy prep needed. Toss the fruit in the dish. Add a spoonful of flour if it's berries and you'd like the juice to thicken a bit. Don't add flour to other fruits. It's not necessary. Dump the topping onto the fruit. Pat down slightly. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes. Less time for shallow baking dishes. More time for deeper dishes. I usually bake mine for around 35 to 40 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, a swirl of regular cream, a dollop of Greek style yogurt or some homemade whipped cream. Or naked. For breakfast, you can warm up a nice bowlful and top it with yogurt. It's pretty healthy (don't worry about the butter - or the brown sugar) . . . Just think . . . Oatmeal!

Keep this recipe in your repertoire because you can make it in a pinch for a homey and comforting delicious dessert. You'll memorize the recipe and even if you don't, you can change it up and it will STILL taste great. Crisps, unlike pies, are very forgiving. I like that about them. See what you have in your fruit basket or the drawer in your fridge and throw one together. Call me. We'll have tea. If not, I'll forgive you. I already do. Very forgiving. Just like the crisp.

LOVE YA,

Katie

Make This Ginger Dressing ASAP!

2011-02-15T23:07:00.025-06:00

Here is an AMAZING copycat recipe for Benihana (or House of Kobe) or any great Japanese Teppanyaki style steakhouse GINGER SALAD DRESSING. I promise you that this is a delicious, easy, outstanding, flavorful and fabulous rendition of that mouthwatering favorite. There are quite a few versions online, but I find this recipe to be the "bomb". It is just right, so follow it exactly, at least the first time. After that, you can doctor it to suit your taste, but if you want it to be as close to the real deal as possible, use the amounts shown below. Double it if you wish. It will keep in the fridge for awhile. And no kidding, it will really freshen and excite your palate. If you're making anything with an Asian flair, be sure to throw this together and top some fresh greens for a perfect salad. It's excellent on a combination of super fresh butter lettuce and radicchio. Add some sliced radishes and some shredded carrot for color. Also, a bit of thinly sliced sweet onion, if you like. OMG, I know you will LOVE it! Let me know!

GINGER SALAD DRESSING

1/4 C. chopped onion
1/4 C. vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. chopped ginger root
1 Tbsp. chopped celery
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp. tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Process until almost smooth. Store unused dressing in a covered container in the refrigerator.

エンジョイ

Love, Katie

KPK Tips: Use low-sodium soy sauce if you are a fluid retention professional as I am, : ) ~ Also, buy your tomato paste by the tube, rather than the can. That way, you can use what you need and just keep rolling the tube from the bottom . . . kinda like your toothpaste tube.

P.S. Pictured above is a Norma-inspired, Asian-influenced dinner of ginger and mirin marinated salmon, served with a soy-honey-lime sauce, wasabi, jasmine rice and thin green beans. It was a delectable flavor-packed trip to the far east. . . in the far south (side of Chicago, that is)...... lol........ xo, klf

Blizzard Zuppa!

2011-02-02T19:20:00.008-06:00

So, we're all snowed in, right? I had the idea earlier in the week to make a gigantic pot of vegetable soup and eat it all week long. Weight Watchers has a cabbage soup that's really simple and completely fat-free. What a great idea to have a hearty bowl of soup and eat as much as you want, without a worry! That recipe/idea has been around for years, I believe. I remember a "cabbage soup" diet from the 80's. Anyway, that was partially my motivation. The other part is that I really love a bowl of spicy and flavorful soup, brimming with vegetables and beans, drizzled with a little olive oil and sprinkled with freshly grated cheese. It's warming, satisfying and simply delicious. So, during the storm, I was storming the produce department to stock up on color. I was short on everything, so, I picked up the following vegetables:

Onions

Celery

Carrots

Parsnips

Kale

Cabbage

Red Bell Pepper

Jalapeno Peppers

Red Potatoes

Unlike the Weight Watchers soup, I like a little more flavor and a little more fat. It's all healthy, no matter what. It's kind of a vegetarian (not vegan because of the chicken broth) minnestrone without the pasta. I used all of the above vegetables, plus the following ingredients which I had in stock:

Garlic

Cannelini Beans

Light Red Kidney Beans

Garbanzo Beans

Black Beans

Swanson 100% Fat Free Chicken Broth

Passata di Pomodoro*

Bay Leaves

Olive Oil

Kosher Salt & Pepper

Chili Powder

Red Pepper Flakes

Ground Red Pepper

Adobo Seasoning

So, I coated the bottom of my 16 quart pot with olive oil and then sauteed these chopped veg: onions, garlic, carrots, celery, parsnip, red bell pepper and jalapeno peppers...... in quantity! Then, salt, pepper, a couple of bay leaves and red pepper flakes. Then I added the kale (ribs removed, chopped coarsely) and the cabbage (chopped coarsely). If you make this (or something similar), just add, stir and cook. Then, I added the chicken broth and the passata di pomodoro* (you can also add canned whole tomatoes, broken up, or tomato sauce, or fresh or canned chopped tomatoes or whatever you like). Season with your favorite seasonings. I used chili powder, ground red pepper and some Adobo seasoning. Use whatever makes you happy. If you don't add enough salt and seasonings, your soup is going to be bland. So, don't be shy. Once the soup simmers for awhile, the vegetables become tender and the flavor develops. Then, add peeled and cubed potatoes (red potatoes work well since they're waxy, they won't disintegrate . . . what potatoes? lol) and also add the beans, rinsed and drained. I always rinse and drain canned beans because I find that the liquid is sometimes salty and kind of gooey. I do believe that canned beans are a great product and one of the few canned items (plus tomatoes, for sure) that I have the utmost faith in....

OK... Taste, Taste, Taste. Adjust. You don't want to end up with a huge pot of bland and boring soup. I love the way ground red pepper and fresh hot peppers plus the tomatoes add zippiness to zuppa! Don't forget the salt because the broth is low sodium and it's up to you to flavor your food : ) : ) : ).

Barley or farro would be an outstanding addition to this soup, but be careful not to add too much or all of your flavorful broth will be absorbed and it won't be soup anymore. : )..... Pasta is always great. Make it separately and add it when you reheat a small pot or just add it in the bowl..... Ditalini or orzo would be great if you want to add more carbs and make it really filling. In any case, here's the best way to serve it up:

Drizzle with olive oil

Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan, Romano, Grana Padano or aged Asiago

Add freshly ground black pepper

Crusty, chewy, fresh, rustic bread on the side ~ buttered and ready to dunk

*Passata di Pomodoro - Try some! Super-fresh tasting, seeded & sieved tomatoes, imported from Italy. You can find them in bottles at your local Italian import store. Just tomatoes and salt. Really a nice addition for soups or even for a really fresh and simple pasta sauce.

Um, I'll ttyl. I'm gonna go eat another bowl. One of the bowls most people use as a serving dish. LOL.

Love ya,

Enjoy the snow and the soup,

Love,

Katie

Ciabatta!

2011-01-06T08:26:00.005-06:00

Flour, yeast, salt, water, time, heat.

Almost no effort. Crusty, chewy, heartwarming. No-knead Ciabatta.

Nothing beats fresh bread just out of the oven.

Video coming soon . . . because I want your kitchen to smell like my kitchen.

Love,

Katie

The Staff of Life

2011-01-04T10:47:00.003-06:00

A few years back, I gave up bread for Lent. That'll never happen again.

My name is Katharine Fioretti and I am a . . . breadaholic.

Please return to KPK for my upcoming article about bread . . . baking it, loving it, buying it, reading about it, writing about it and eating it!

No carbo-phobes please.

Secret note: There is a big bowl of dough rising and doing it's thing on my kitchen counter right at this VERY MOMENT ! ! ! ! Yippppeeeeeee!

ttyl,

katie

KPK Holiday Cookies 2010

2010-12-21T10:42:00.011-06:00

Happy Holidays Friends & Fam!

This year's holiday cookie lineup:

Macadamia Nut Cookies with White Chocolate ~ click for the recipe

Mocha Pecan Balls rolled in Confectioners Sugar ~click for the recipe

Toasted Coconut Thumbprints Cherry, Apricot & Chocolate

Espresso & Chocolate Mini Chip Cookies with Cassia Cinnamon ~ click for the recipe

I will post the recipes eventually, lol..... If you'd like a recipe sooner than later, please send me an e-mail and I'll rush it to ya! 12/28/2010 - 3 recipes posted . . . 1 to go!

Happy Crazy Season!

Enjoy the excitement!

Best Wishes to all for a lovely and passionate holiday season . . . from Katie's Passion Kitchen.

Love,

Katie

French Onion Soup Gratinee'

2010-12-14T10:29:00.020-06:00

For this recipe, you will need four* soup bowls, each with a capacity of about 12 ounces and preferably, with a lip or rim around the edge that the cheese topping will stick to as it melts to form a beautiful crust on top of the soup. *I believe I adjusted the recipe for the batch shown here (six bowls).

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 onions (about 12 oz.) cut into thin slices

About 7 cups of good quality chicken stock or a mixture of chicken and beef stock

About ½ teaspoon salt, more or less, depending on the saltiness of the stock

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

16 slices of baguette, each cut about 3/8” thick

About 3 cups grated Swiss cheese, preferably Gruyere, Comte’, or Emmenthaler (abut 10 ounces)

Process: Melt the butter in a saucepan and saute the sliced onions in the butter over medium to high heat for about 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Add the stock, salt and pepper and boil gently for 15 minutes. How easy is this?

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange the bread slices in a single layer on a tray, and bake them for 8 to 10 minutes or until they are nicely browned. Divide the toast among the bowls, and sprinkle ¼ cup of cheese into each bowl.

When the stock and onions have cooked for 15 minutes, pour the soup into the bowls, filling each to the top. Sprinkle on the remainder of the cheese, dividing it among the bowls and taking care not to push it down into the liquid. Press the cheese around the rim or lip of the bowls, so it adheres there as it cooks and the crust does not fall into the liquid.

Arrange the soup bowls on a baking sheet, and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a glorious brown, rich crust has developed on top. Serve hot right out of the oven.

KPK Notes: Cover your sturdiest baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup. Use good cheese. If you use the already shredded Swiss/Gruyere artisan combo by Sargento, I would add some Emmenthaler or Gruyere on the very top. For this recipe, I once used two packages of the Sargento stuff (for speediness) but I also grated a $9.00 chunk of Emmenthaler which I think melts and browns much nicer and forms a better crust on top. Use your grater with the largest holes. Bon Appetit!

This recipe is OUTSTANDING and simple! It was adapted from Jacques Pepin's recipe which was featured in his wonderful autobiographical book, "The Apprentice, My Life In The Kitchen". A MUST-read for anyone interested in the fascinating life of this great chef!

Upper left photo - Budding chef, Sam Fioretti, ladles the steaming onion soup over the crusty baguette slices . . . Lower right photo, Sam shows off the finished products in all of their bubbly, oozy, crusty, molten, cheesy glory! AAAhhhhhhhhh! Life is good.

Make this for yourself and for your family and friends ASAP. Drop everything, LOL.

Love,

Katie

Happy Holidays from Katie's Passion Kitchen

Stay Warm - Eat Soup

Cookie Season Is Upon Us

2010-12-03T10:25:00.003-06:00

Katie's Passion Kitchen wishes you a sweet holiday season with just a little time to bake something special for the ones you love............

I will share this year's holiday treats with you as they come out of the oven! Love, Katie

Elegant Special Occasion Cab Franc

2010-11-28T12:18:00.007-06:00

Mount Veeder Cabernet Franc 2006

From the mountain vineyards of the Napa Valley to your table. Smooth, silky, supple . . . elegant. We really enjoyed this wine from the first sip to the last. Did you know that Cabernet Franc is one of the five noble red varieties of Bordeaux? In France, it's called Chinon, the red grape of the Loire region. Apparently, there's not much of this stuff planted in California, so it's really special. As a wine club member of "Expressions Of The Vine", I received this wonderful bottle as one of their featured wines for November, 2010.

Order a bottle today by clicking here.

Less than 300 cases made. $45 a bottle.

Be Well~Red,

Love, Katie

Fresh Pear Cake

2010-11-21T23:24:00.013-06:00

Delicious, moist and irresistible. Perfect for the season. Definitely a new favorite. Made from pears freshly picked from the Brenner Ranch.

The Ingredients

4 cups finely chopped fresh pears

(peeled and cored)

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 1/2 cups vegetable or canola oil

3 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Glaze ~ 1 cup of powdered sugar, 3-4 tablespoons of cream, and a dash of pure vanilla extract. Combine all ingredients, adding a little cream at a time until the glaze is the right consistency for a beautiful drizzle.

The Process

Combine the pears, sugar and nuts in a large bowl. Mix occasionally and let stand for one hour. The mixture will become more syrupy as the sugar melts and the pears release their juices. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a tube pan. Now add the dry ingredients to the pear mixture. No need to sift. No need for an electric mixer. Simply add the dry ingredients to the pear mixture and stir to combine. Now, this seems weird, but next, add the liquid ingredients. The oil, eggs and extract. Honestly, it just does not seem right, but you will have to trust me on this. It will look strange and it will seem that the oil won't blend into the batter. But you will find, voila'! . . . It blends nicely. Don't overmix. Just stir well until blended. Spoon or pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Start watching closely after one hour. I actually took mine out after 1 hour and 5 minutes and it was perfecto. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for awhile. Maybe 20-30 minutes or so. Invert it onto a wire rack and then, turn it right side up again. Poke holes into the cake with a wooden skewer or a fork or a toothpick. Drizzle the glaze over the warm cake and let it drip down the sides. Don't you just LOVE that? Allow it to cool a little further before digging in. Everyone will love this cake and it's baker. Enjoy! Click here for the printable version of this recipe!

Peace & Pears, Love, Katie

Orange Cranberry Walnut Bread Circa 1979

2010-11-10T23:23:00.020-06:00

Last weekend, I made a pre-Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday night. A whole turkey breast on the grill, homemade stuffing, sweet potatoes and homemade cranberry sauce. I guess I was just in the mood, right? The cranberry sauce triggered a memory of my mom's cranberry nut bread from "back in the day". Turns out to be over 30 years ago. She liked to serve each slice with a generous smear of cream cheese and it was soooo delicious! So, yesterday, I asked my mom if she could retrieve the recipe and she immediately pointed to the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook on the second shelf of her armoire. I was so happy that she knew exactly where the recipe came from. She assured me that it was the right recipe because she had just recently picked up the same cookbook (about a week ago), and re-read it, cover to cover. The corner of page 223 was folded to mark the page of this recipe. We perused the book for other old recipes, one of which was a classic sour cream pound cake that I definitely remember being buttery, dense and wonderful. Over a cup of tea and some sweet treats, my mom pulled out yet another favorite pan for me . . . her tube pan for the sour cream pound cake AND . . . her deep springform pan with the removable bottom for her infamous lemon glazed cheesecake. She washed and dried both pans and sent me home with them to enjoy with all of the other vessels, tools and utensils and countless kitchen items she has gifted to me over the years. My collection is growing. This recipe (adapted and shown below) produces a moist and delicious quick bread with very little preparation and few ingredients. The tartness of the cranberries combined with the nuts is of course, a classic and winning combination. The cookbook is a 1979 printing of the first edition 1978 Better Homes & Gardens "COMPLETE STEP~BY~STEP COOKBOOK".

The Recipe

Orange Cranberry Walnut Bread Circa 1979

3 medium oranges

1 beaten egg

2 tablespoons cooking oil

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

Zest one orange. Reserve. Juice all three oranges. Measure 3/4 cup orange juice. Reserve remaining juice. Combine 3/4 cup orange juice, 1 teaspoon of the zest, the egg and the oil. In a separate bowl, stir or whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the orange juice mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir to just combine. Don't overmix. Fold in cranberries and walnuts. Turn into greased 8x4x2 or 9x5x3 loaf pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick or cake tester inserted into cake comes out clean. Cool. Prepare glaze by adding 2 to 3 tablespoons of orange juice to powdered sugar until it becomes smooth, and of drizzling consistency. Drizzle onto cooled loaf and sprinkle with additional orange zest.

Click here for printable recipe

KPK Notes-n-Tips: If you don't own a juicer, feel free to use good quality orange juice (I love Tropicana NOT from concentrate with extra pulp). If you do have a juicer, use it! I did. (Don't hate - Appreciate). It only takes a minute to juice three oranges, folks! If you don't have a Microplane zester, buy one, ok? You won't be able to stop zesting. Next note: I used canola oil with excellent results. Timesaver note: Trader Joe's sells sliced sweetened frozen cranberries! Talk about convenient. You can throw this loaf together in NO time. Planning note: I tend to toast a good quantity of nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts - separately) when I have time. Then I keep them fresh in ziplock bags in the freezer. That way, I always have toasted nuts on hand for baking. Grease tip: Use a bit of oil to grease the pan or a non-stick cooking spray. Cooling tip: I cooled the loaf in the pan on a rack for awhile. I then transferred the partially cooled loaf to the rack and glazed it while it was slightly warm. Line a sheet pan with parchment or wax paper underneath your rack to catch the drips for easy cleanup. Let the glaze cool completely on the cake. Simple and delicious and perfect for the season. Secret Note: While writing this post, it occurred to me that I am quite sure that I did not add salt to the flour mixture when I made this today, LOL. It was still great! Haha. Make one today and let me know how you like it. I made this one when I woke up this morning and brought it to work for my taste-testers. I couldn't wait to call my mom and tell her when it was in the oven. She was so happy that I baked it and she was like "Did you put it in your blog?" . . . I did now!

Great reviews. 1979 & 2010.

Thanks, Em. Love you.

From Amelia's Kitchen to mine to yours,

Love, Katie

Gourmet Caramel Apples 2010

2010-10-29T09:13:00.008-05:00

Family Reunion

2010-10-22T23:26:00.008-05:00

20th Annual Lenti ~ Fioretti Family Reunion was held at The Brenner Ranch, Sunday, October 17, 2010. Great food, great people, perfect weather. Many thanks to all of the guests, the cooks and our hosts, Teri & Chuck for an excellent and joyful event! Family cooks, please be sure to submit your recipes to me ASAP for inclusion in the Family Keepsake Cookbook. Thank you!

Click here to see the food (& a few people LOL).

Love, Katie

Left Hander - Fall Wine Pick 2010

2010-10-10T10:19:00.019-05:00

MOLLYDOOKER (Aussie for "Left Hander") WINES from South Australia are winning awards and rave reviews all over the world for their incredibly fruity, big and delicious wines. These wines will be your new favorites, believe me! I LOVE every one I have tried! The happy vintners, Sparky & Sarah Marquis produced a total of TEN wines from their 2009 vintage that have a rating of over 92/100 points!!! FIVE of them are priced at $25.00 per bottle. (There's also a white verdelho, "The Violinist" which I have not yet tried). Check it out and let me know what you think! You can find Mollydooker wines at Binny's or Costco or check your local liquor store or wine shop. They can also be purchased online and carefully shipped to your front door. Cute, retro labeling and easy access screw tops make this fabulous wine an even nicer experience. The most affordable wines ($25.00 per bottle) are spectacular and popping up on great wine lists in great restaurants for between $60.00 and $70.00 per bottle.

Affordable 2009 Vintage REDS you MUST experience:

The Scooter ~ Merlot ~ 95 points ~ "shirazy", opulent and luscious

The Maitre'D ~ Cabernet Sauvignon ~ 94 points ~ full bodied and generous, like moi'

The Boxer ~ Shiraz ~ 95 points ~ mouthful of flavor

Two Left Feet ~ Blend of Shiraz, Cab & Merlot ~ 96 points ~ velvety, rich and truly loved (by me) Yes Yes Yes

Truth be told, I have not yet had the pleasure (longing, though) of experiencing the pricier

2009 Blue Eyed Boy (except for Mark, lol) 98 pointer Shiraz-a-matazz

or the

2009 Gigglepot 94 pointer Cab

or the

2009 Carnival of Love 98 pointer Shiraz

or the

2009 Enchanted Path 97 pointer Shiraz/Cab blend

or sadly, the illustrious

2009 Velvet Glove 99 pointer Shiraz.

I have a dream . . .

Katharine Fioretti

KATIE'S PASSION KITCHEN

10-10-10

"I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food" . . . W.C. Fields

Stay Tuned

2010-10-09T08:05:00.008-05:00

Here are a few upcoming feature stories: (i.e., I don't have time to post these on this beautiful morning, LOL) . . .

Stay tuned for my upcoming post on supple, delectable and downright fabulous Mollydooker wines from down under. G'Day mates!

Whole grain goodness... See what I can do with this $1.17 bag of whole wheat grain from Rubino's.

Low & Slow

A method (and recipe) for braising beef short ribs until they are fall-apart tender.

Stay Tuned To KPK

Tuning Out Now,

Love, Katie

Beets & Beet Greens

2010-09-21T00:24:00.014-05:00

After

Photo #1: Unadorned, organic, and visually dramatic, the washed beets . . . draining on paper towels.

Photo #2: Roasted and sliced, the beets are joined by crisp greens, radish matchsticks, sweet onions, chevre, medium-cooked eggs and pine nuts. The salad was later drizzled with a sweet and tangy homemade strawberry balsamic vinaigrette. The dressing looked a lot like chocolate syrup in the photos, so I didn't want to scare anyone with those pics, but it was seriously delicious . . . and dark.

Photo #3: A mouthwatering tangle of sauteed beet greens, stems and all, piled on top of a thick slice of buttered Italian bread. This is the food I love.

Buy some beets. Roast them and keep them in the fridge all week.

For interesting information plus easy directions on how to roast beets, see my post entitled "Beet Street" under "Passion Posts".

Pump up the color in YOUR life today.

Color = Healthy.

Color Your World,

Love, KATIE

Baked Eggplant or.... Melanzane Romano or..... Aubergines Au Gratin or.... Nightshades with Cheese... U Choose

2010-09-12T22:48:00.015-05:00

I'm sure I'm not the only one who needs eggplant, am I? It's one of those cravings you just have to satisfy. Here's a fast and delicious way to love your eggplants and enjoy them without all of the time-consuming steps of preparing a traditional Eggplant Parmigiana. No frying. No greasy eggplant slices that suck up all of that oil like little sponges. You don't even have to make a homemade sauce. Not even a prepared sauce. I promise you . . . it's delicious. I believe that eggplant was made for the grill. And a little cheese can't hurt.

Melanzane al Formaggio*

2-3 medium, firm eggplants, sliced about 1/2" thick

olive oil

kosher salt

1 can of whole peeled tomatoes or tomato sauce (I love Dei Fratelli) or your favorite homemade or store-bought sauce (how easy is this?)

Hard grating cheese (Parmesan or Romano or Grana Padano)

Also, use any other cheese you have on hand (I used some interesting and delicious Sartori Bellavitano - from Wisconsin, actually!) and a few chunks of Chevre goat cheese (oh my)

fresh bread crumbs

fresh and/or dried herbs like oregano and thyme

plus a little more olive oil and

a little more grated hard cheese

*yet another name . . . this dish is having an identity crisis.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sprinkle the eggplant slices with kosher salt and drizzle with olive oil. Heat your grill to medium and make sure the grates are clean. Grill the eggplant slices on the grill until they have nice grill marks and flip easily...... about 5 to 10 minutes. Flip and grill for another 5 minutes.

Remove from grill and set aside. Spoon some sauce onto the bottom of a baking dish. Place the eggplant slices on top of the sauce in a single layer. Top with some freshly grated cheese(s) (your choice). Spoon on more tomato sauce. If using whole canned tomatoes (I did tonight....), chop them up with a knife and fork or gently squeeze them to break them up. Then, another layer of eggplant slices, more cheese, more sauce. In the meantime, mix together some fresh breadcrumbs (I think I used about 2 cups) with some grated hard cheese (about 1/4 cup), a pinch of salt, some freshly ground pepper and some herbs (tonight, I used fresh thyme and dried oregano). Drizzle in a bit of olive oil (about 2-3 tablespoons). Mix well. Spread evenly onto top layer. The oil will give your bread crumb topping a nice crunch. Pop into the oven and bake for about 30 minutes until crusty on top and bubbly underneath and around the edges. Let rest a few minutes. Serve with a salad and some heavy and rustic bread. You will be full and happy. Really delicious.

KPK Inside Info

Grill the eggplant when you have the time (like a day in advance). Keep it in the fridge and assemble the dish the next day. I'm sure it will be great. Take a few extra minutes when you have stale bread and toss it into the food processor. It only takes a minute to make bread crumbs. Toss them into a ziploc bag and keep them in the freezer. You will always have fresh bread crumbs on hand.... for stuff like this OR meatballs OR meatloaf OR for topping anything that needs some love. OK. Also, use whatever the heck cheese you have in your fridge. I'm sure some cheeses wouldn't be ideal but a lot of cheeses would be awesome. Use your judgement. You can also make this dish with zucchini and it is just as delicious. I guess when you add sauce, cheese and crumbs, you can't be too far off from greatness. This is one of those "throw together" dishes where all of the flavors just work in harmony. You really can't mess it up. Make some tonight, improvise and enjoy!

Pictured here with a salad of arugula, thinly sliced celery, homegrown cherry tomatoes, red onion, tiny cucumber slices, pitted kalamata olives and fresh basil in a simple olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing. Thick slices of amazing ciabatta bread from Whole Foods functioned as transporters from posateria to bocca ....plate to mouth. LOL.

Don't forget the vino rosso. Oh yeah.

Give in to a craving today. You'll be so glad you did... and then, you'll thank me.

Love, Katie

Roast Your Sprouts Peeps

2010-09-10T08:13:00.018-05:00

I know it's still warm out but I couldn't help falling into fall this week with a fall menu full of fall food and feeling very fall-ish. I fell 4 fall Tuesday night. Main course: Grilled turkey breast (roasted, really - on the grill) with a lot of savory seasonings, freshly picked herbs (like lemon sage, thyme, Italian parsley and oregano) and aromatic vegetables, served with reduced pan juices. Sides: Mashed sweet potatoes with chevre, cream and fresh chives, "Persian" cucumber and sweet onion salad with homemade blue cheese and fresh herb dressing, and finally, the topic of this post...... oven roasted brussels sprouts.

BTW, next time you quickly blurt out "brussel" sprouts, remember, it's brusselS sprouts. Yes, there's an S on the end.... you know, like the city... in Belgium. It's friggin' hard to say out loud. You really have to slow it down. I'm sure the ones we eat come from Northern California, though, no doubt. It all started in the U.S. with an Italian artichoke farmer in San Mateo County somewhere in the early 1900's. I guess they were thinking "why should the Europeans be the only ones that get to eat these little cuties?"

BS Tips (LOL): Try to buy them super fresh. Some farmer's markets sell them on the stalk! What a treat! Make sure they're small and tight. Huge and loose is not good. I'm bad. Remove any brown or discolored outer leaves. Trim the stalks so they're not below the bud. Rinse thoroughly with water and dry completely with paper towels or a towel.

Roast Your Brussels Sprouts Peeps

(too simple)

Brussels Sprouts

Olive Oil

Kosher Salt & Pepper

Prep:

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees

As above, wash, dry, trim

Cut each sprout in half lengthwise

Toss with olive oil, and s & p

Toss onto a sheet pan

Place sprouts cut-side down for maximum contact : )

Pop into the oven

Don't toss 'em. Let 'em get brown and caramelized (like in the top photo)

Let them roast for awhile (like 20-30 minutes or so - check in & peek underneath one)

When they're brown, flip them with a spatula

Let them roast for another 10 minutes or so

Serve

Add a drizzle of olive oil if you wish

Sprinkle with your favorite finishing salt, like coarse kosher, gray sea salt or fleur de sel

Salt matters.

I love these.

From Brussels With Love, Katie

Liquid Lust

2010-09-01T23:41:00.022-05:00

Always in search of a new "wine cocktail", I was googling around online when I came across an intriguing recipe for a sangria-type cocktail named "Liquid Lust". Now, combining a flowery and blushy tequila with wine and fruit juice immediately sounded refreshing and delicious to moi', so I was quickly on the hunt for what has become my newest favorite late summer cocktail ingredient . . . drum roll please........ ROSANGEL. A reposado tequila from Gran Centenario, aged in port barrels and infused with hand-picked hibiscus flowers. OMG. C'mon now. I was never really a tequila girl amidst the mobs of Patron'-swillin'-party-animal-salt lickin'-lime suckin'-girls-gone-wild (like my friend Tammy, can't stop LOL) . . . I am a wine girl.

Since my new discovery, I think I might now be a wine and tequila girl. This fruity and floral luxury liquor is sure to be popping up in future KPK cocktails as a new favorite ingredient for years to come. Treat yourself to a bottle today by placing an order with Binny's Beverage Depot at 708.226.9902 (in Orland Park for locals).

On Rosangel's website, there are a few interesting recipes to try ... The recipe for "Rosangel Pink Sangria" is identical to the cocktail recipe I found on a different site under the name "Liquid Lust" and that's the name I like best...It's funny re-reading the recipe now because when I made it the first (and second) times (both last week)...... I apparently didn't notice the last ingredient, club soda, therefore, those first two pitchers were seriously powerful and I toned them down with more cranberry juice and orange juice than the recipe called for. Now, I understand. Duh. That was BEFORE a sample. LOL. None of my guest taste-testers seemed to mind. They loved it!

Liquid Lust

1/2 bottle of Rosangel

1/2 bottle of white wine (your choice- I used Pinot Grigio the first time & Sauvignon Blanc the second time)

1/2 cup white sugar*

1 ounce orange juice (if not fresh-squeezed, I love Tropicana with lots of pulp)

1 ounce cranberry juice (I like the "no-sugar added" Ocean Spray)

2 oranges, sliced

1 lemon, sliced

1 lime, sliced

1 bunch of grapes (I like red, purple and green)

1 apple, thinly sliced or cut into cubes (love Honeycrisp, Pink Lady or Granny Smith)

1/2 liter of club soda

Everyone into the pool..... all ingredients into a punch bowl or large pitcher. Stir until the sugar is melted. Taste-test. Use your judgment. Too boozy, add more juice, not boozy enough, add more booze. How hard is this? Want it more limey? Um. You get the picture. I love this combination. Play with it. Adjust it. Change it up. Make it your own. Serve it on the rocks with lots of fresh and beautiful fruit & maybe a sprig of something special : ).

*A note about sugar . . . Bar Sugar (aka Superfine Sugar, hmmm, hey, that could be a great nickname) is finer and dissolves quicker than regular sugar. OR, you can buy organic sugar (it's light brown) pretty much anywhere now and use that if it makes you feel better. Or.....for a lovely treat, try organic agave syrup. I'm really into it and have been using it to sweeten everything. I mean, what the heck do you think tequila is made from? Last note and KPK tip (you've read this here before ~ make a simple syrup by heating equal parts of sugar and water just to a simmer. Cool completely and store in the fridge to sweeten your life (and especially your sangria) easily without waiting for sugar to dissolve. That way, you can start drinking a few minutes sooner. LOL.

Drink Lust Today

(heck, ask Jimmy Carter! ~ he understands)

Katie's Passion Kitchen

Bringing Liquid Lust to YOUR Passion Kitchen

Buttermilk Waffes with Plum Compote

2010-08-30T22:10:00.008-05:00

Inspiration: 2 plums ripening on the KPK counter & some buttermilk in the fridge left over from baking coconut cupcakes . . .

I love to toss fruit into a pot with a drizzle of water and a spoonful or two of brown sugar or white sugar. I do this with plums, apples, nectarines, peaches, pears.....It works well with pretty much any fruit.... I squeeze in a little lemon juice and then throw in a chunk or more of lemon. Oranges work well too. The pith in either citrus fruit will naturally thicken the compote without adding corn starch or anything....Natural pectin. Simply cook over medium heat (or low) just until the fruit softens and the the juice thickens. It happens in no time! You can then add a bit of vanilla if you wish, or cinnamon (which pairs well with apples and actually, plums too!). On Sunday morning, I was content to use the plums, a few orange and lemon wedges, and a thinly sliced, tart green, Granny Smith apple. A little sugar and it was sweet-tart and delectable. So, next time you have some fruit that needs to be eaten, think of making a simple compote. It can top waffles, pancakes, english muffins or bagels and for sure.... ice cream, right? How about pound cake, ice cream and warm compote? Chilled compote mixed with your favorite yogurt. Friggin' delicious. Many possibilities. Also, think of adding dried fruit like cranberries, cherries or raisins. Excellent! You can add nuts too, and you can go nuts, if you like.

Ok.... here's the basic waffle recipe.......

Homemade Buttermilk Waffles*

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 tablespoons sugar

~ ~ ~

3 eggs, beaten

1/2 stick of butter, melted

16 ounces (2 cups) buttermilk

Preheat your waffle iron according to your directions. Spray with non-stick spray, if required. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients until well combined. In another bowl, mix the eggs and melted butter, and then add the buttermilk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and still until combined. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Ladle the batter into the iron, as directed by the waffle iron manufacturer. Mine calls about two cups of batter to be poured and then smoothed out with a rubber spatula. Close the iron and cook until golden brown. Serve immediately or keep in the oven set at "warm" on a foil-lined pan until ready to serve.

*adapted from Alton Brown's basic waffle recipe

Spoon on some warm compote, serve with fresh fruit, sprinkle with powdered sugar if you like. Snap a photo. Dig in!

Make waffles for dinner tonight

Love, Katie

BIKE NIGHT POSTPONED ~ YIKERS BIKERS! NOT AGAIN!

2010-08-13T22:28:00.006-05:00

8/17 NEWS Update: Postponed until further notice due to scheduling conflicts...... We may be better off doing a last minute, unplanned, unscheduled, soiree'. Hey, I'm spontaneous! So, um, see you whenever! LOL.....Katie's Passion Kitchen (and Brigitte Bardot) host Bike Night, Thursday, August 19, 2010. Bikers are invited to show up hungry and enjoy a night of eating, drinking and macho merriment. Menu and photos will be posted . . . post party.

Looking forward to cooking for all of you manly bastichas.

Love, Katie

Alevropita

2010-08-05T00:21:00.016-05:00

Crispy, oily, cheesy and easy. OMG, this is a delicious thin, rustic flatbread made from an unbelievably simple batter. Saveur Magazine describes this as a "feta tart" but I'd say it's more like a thin, almost cracker-like focaccia. Great for a quickie homemade "bread" to have with a salad or soup. Here's a quote from the magazine article: " . . . her alevropita might as well have been sent down by the gods from Mount Olympus - nourishing, elemental, and satisfying to the soul." I will for sure be making this again and again. Make it tonight. Here's the super short list of ingredients, followed by a great and easy prep method. Enjoy and let me know what you think.

Alevropita

~ an authentic, simple and delicious recipe from the Epirus region of Greece ~

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (2 for the batter & 4 for the pan)

2 tablespoons vodka

1 egg

1 cup water

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

10 ounces feta, crumbled

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Heat the oven to 500 degrees. Place an 18" x 13" pan (half sheet) on the middle rack in the hot oven for 10 minutes. Note: Be sure to use a heavy pan that won't warp at high heat. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of oil, the vodka, the egg and the water. In a medium or large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Pour the wet mixture over the flour mixture and whisk until smooth. The batter is fairly thin, similar to pancake batter. Remove the hot pan from the oven. Brush with 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Pour batter over the oil and smooth with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with cheese. Dot with butter. Bake for 20 minutes until crunchy and golden. Let cool slightly. Slice and serve.

Be sure to pick up this month's copy of Saveur, "The Greece Issue". I will definitely be making a few more dishes from this fabulous issue, like "Briam", "Souvlaki Hirino" and the "Kolokithokeftedes". Quick translation, in order: Roasted Vegetables, Pork Kebabs, and Zucchini Fritters. Last night, I made the "Kotopoulo Me Dendrolivano" (Rosemary Chicken) and a traditional "Horiatiki" (Greek Salad). Delicious! I will update you with any other recipes I have a chance to try. I have a hankering for the stuffed eggplant with bechamel. Oh geeeezzz.... I need to take a few vacation days so I can travel to Greece, LOL.

Come with me to the Mediterranean and enjoy the delicious flavors of Greece. Hey, somebody pinch me, am I in Santorini? I'll have a glass of Assyrtiko with my moussaka, thank you.

Love, See you back in the states,

Katie . . . . . . . . . Opa!

Flock Of Seagulls

2010-08-01T11:28:00.013-05:00

Congratulations to Maggie & Cody on their upcoming Palm Springs wedding! These cookies were made to order at the request of Maggie's proud mom, Linda, as part of the bridal shower celebration held yesterday.

KPK Tip: Make sure you keep the passion in the Whitman kitchen.

; )

Love & Flocks of Seagulls in YOUR life, Katie

Easy Limoncello

2010-07-22T11:51:00.015-05:00

Wash and dry 10 large lemons. Peel each lemon with a vegetable peeler, being careful to peel only the yellow peel and not the white pith. That will prevent your limoncello from being bitter.

Toss the peels into a glass pitcher or a jug (Louie makes his in old Carlo Rossi gallon jugs).Add a bottle of your favorite vodka. Cover and let steep at room temperature for at least 4-5 days and up to a few weeks.

Then, when you get around to it . . . make a simple syrup by combining 3 1/2 cups of water and 2 1/2 cups of sugar. Heat until the sugar melts and let cool completely. Add the cooled

simple syrup to the lemon peels and vodka. Stir. Cover. Let sit at room temperature for another day or two or a few : ) . . . You can see that this is a pretty relaxed process. Mine sat on the kitchen counter and Louie stashed his in the closet for about a month. Strain through a fine mesh strainer when you're in the mood and store in bottles or something sealable in your fridge until you finish drinking it. LOL. I stored one in the freezer and it became pretty slushy, I guess because of the added water and sugar. It did not stay in it's liquid form like straight vodka, but it didn't freeze solid either. This recipe was adapted from a Giada DeLaurentis recipe and a few other recipes online. Find one that you like or tweak this one. I have a feeling that you can't go wrong. I'm not sure if more time is better or not . . . Michael Chiarrello has an overnight limoncello recipe that I'll have to check out next.

Limoncello is delicious to sip after dinner. I like it on the rocks, but the frozen limoncello is a sweet, lemony, lush slush. Maybe we can name it Lemony Luscious Sluscious. Hmmmm. Whatdya think?

Make yourself a batch of limoncello. Drink a little. Give some to your friends. Share some with your neighbors. Pretend you're on the Amalfi Coast, in Lemon Heaven.

Lemons are lovely, so when life gives you lemons, make limoncello, my friends.

Love,

Katie

LIVE TO RIDE ~ RIDE TO EAT

2010-06-22T17:10:00.012-05:00

LIVE TO RIDE ~ RIDE TO EAT

KATIE'S PASSION KITCHEN HOSTS BIKE NIGHT

Watch for upcoming details and menu. Think macho. Think testosterone. Meaty. Spicy. Hot. I cannot wait to cook for these ramblin' men. Sup Franki?

KATIE'S PASSION KITCHEN GOES

BAD-TO-THE-BONE, Thursday, July 8, 2010

POSTPONED until further notice / Please pray for Pops!

Mixed Grill Mexicano

2010-06-13T10:01:00.006-05:00

Anyone ever see the Food Network show, Mexican Made Easy? Check it out. Simple ingredients. Authentic preparations. Really great. I was tuned in one morning while the host, Marcela, was baking corn tortilla chips in the oven. I tried them (probably the same night) and was hooked! Crispy, delicious and addictive.

Yesterday morning, she was preparing a "surf-n-turf" dish for her family and I was "half-listening" as I was getting dressed for work. She grilled some chicken breast, some steak and some shrimp (scrimps, LOL), but the star of the show was the warm, homemade salsa. I loved the final presentation where she serves up all of the components of the dish, kind of hanging over the sides of a large molcajete and then pours the warm salsa into the middle. Beautiful!

So, of course, I headed to Pete's Fresh Market after work last night and purchased the items I needed to try my hand at this authentic Mexican meal. I was inspired and could not wait to make the sauce, grill some scallions and grill a round of Panela cheese. I was so inspired that I did all of my shopping directly after leaving my post at NSH, while wearing a pair of kick-ass high heeled sandals that were NOT made for grocery shopping. Yeah, my creaky right knee is whining like a _ _ _ _ _ this morning. A small sacrifice in the interest of preparing a great meal! Oh, did I mention that I could not wait to do these things . . . while drinking some homemade Sangria? Duh. Of course. I blew off the homemade Mexican rice, for some healthy greens, for the sake of time (and not really wanting to cook in the kitchen). It was a beautiful, crisp and breezy night. I wanted to cook outdoors.

So..... I began by making the salsa (I didn't feel the need for a recipe, so I was going by my morning's memory of the show). It's more of a method, ok? I heated and cleaned the grill. I heated my cast iron skillet, on the grill, adding a bit of olive oil. I added 4 whole plum tomatoes, 2 whole cloves of peeled garlic, 1 whole quartered onion and let everything "fry" in the skillet on medium heat. That skillet really gets hot and retains the heat on the grill. It's a great tool for your grill, my friends, anytime you don't want to cook your food directly on the grates. After everything became blistery, fragrant and a bit caramelized, I added cumin and dried oregano (homegrown, what can I say), along with 4 dried New Mexico chiles, which I had stemmed, seeded and roughly chopped. Toss and cook a bit, then add water. I think I made more than the amount called for on the show, so I added 2 cups of water. Leave it on the grill, let it come to a boil and continue to cook. Throw some cleaned scallions on the grill for a few minutes and in the meantime, prepare everything else. Once the sauce ingredients cook down a bit and everything is kind of brownish red, tender and fragrant, blend all ingredients with an immersion blender. I transferred the contents of the cast iron skillet into a deep pot in order to prevent splattering the entire neighborhood. Add a generous amount of kosher salt to taste. It will really elevate the flavor from bland to just right. Alternatively, blend in batches in your blender (P - I - T - A).

Let's get to grillin'. I only made one steak (truth be told, I actually grilled two steaks cuz I burned one which was flaming up while I was engrossed with blending the salsa - see, this s _ _ t happens to everyone, LOL), one chicken breast and a big handful of cleaned, deveined shrimp in the shell (maybe about 10). We already grilled the scallions, right? The only other thing you'll be grilling is the cheese and the tortillas.

Really quick preps: Drizzle a little olive oil on a chicken breast and sprinkle with salt, pepper and either chili powder or whatever the heck you like. Steak needs salt, pepper and whatever grill seasoning you're into. For the "scrimps", I tossed them with olive oil and Sriracha and tossed them onto the grill. They were downright succulent with just enough heat. The shell helps keep the grill flavor and the juiciness inside, in my humble opinion. Take one whole round of Panela cheese and drizzle it with olive oil (all sides). Grill everything up!

Assemble.....This dish is really versatile. I can think of a gazillion different things to add for garnishes, sides, swaps, color, flavor, etc. This may be a new KPK staple that we can change up every time we do it!

OK. So, once everything is grilled, they are each waiting for you to pay attention to them. Slice the chicken breast into strips. Same with the steak. The Panela should be grilled until a slight crust forms, or until there are grill marks, and then flipped for the same treatment, btw. Then, slice the cheese into thick strips. Cut an avocado into wedges. Cut a lime or lemon into wedges. Use your own flair to lay out all of that beauty onto (or into) your favorite platter. I used a fluted shallow bowl/platter with nice results. Once everything is arranged (it only takes a minute), pour in the warm and rustic homemade salsa.

Somewhere along the line (at the end), toss some corn tortillas (and flour, if you like) directly onto the grill, and warm until pliable. Flip once. Grill marks look nice but don't overcook because they will become dry.

Serve and enjoy!! Drink some Margaritas or Sangria or beer or whatever you're into!

Try this scrumptious Mexican meal. Change it up as you wish and make it your own!

Adios Amigos,

Love, Katie

Katie's Passion Kitchen

Katie, la Pasion Cocina

CONGRATULATIONS CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS!

2010-06-11T21:40:00.002-05:00

Super Easy Roasted Corn

2010-06-08T00:35:00.016-05:00

1) Peel back husks and remove silk

2) Artfully arrange (optional)

3) Linger and admire (optional)

4) Take photos (optional)

5) Butter generously (mandatory)

6) Snap photo with spare hand

(optional)

7) Close husks and hide the buttery ears

8) Grill over low heat, turning once

for a total of about 30 minutes

9) Eat and enjoy (mandatory)

Hope you're enjoying your summer....... Love & More From Katie's Passion Kitchen. Thanks for stopping by.........HEY!!!

Come on back! I just finished making some PIZZELLES........ ..... ...... ........ Let's have one with a cup of tea!

Love, Katie

Summer Wine Recommendation ~ KIM CRAWFORD

2010-06-02T09:31:00.015-05:00

KIM CRAWFORD 2009 MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC FROM NEW ZEALAND ... As a red wine lover, I must tell you that I adored this refreshing and lively white wine from the first sip. This is the only wine I have ever tasted where so many bright and distinct flavors come to life in a burst. You will really enjoy Kim Crawford and so will your guests. Share a glass with friends out on the patio for a refreshing change from the same 'ol same 'ol. Think citrus. Like grapefruit. Plus pineapple and herbaceous freshness. OMG. It's my pick for 2010's summer white. You can check out Kim Crawford online. It's available in most stores (try Binny's, Sam's Club & Costco). It's around or under $15 a bottle. I intend to try all of their wines in my obligation to keep KPK followers in the loop. It's my responsibility to keep you posted. I know, it's a rough job.

Thank you, Aaron. I really love it.

Cheers my friends,

Love,

Katie

P.S. Wonder of all wonders . . . it actually pairs well with asparagus! Who knew?

Asparagus ~ Asparagi

2010-06-01T11:27:00.019-05:00

When I was growing up (last week), just kidding..... my dad, Frank, would take us on asparagus hunting journeys in the early spring. It was usually around Mother's Day and we would go for a drive in the car (hmmm, the Plymouth Volare maybe?) and search for wild asparagus.

Now, keep in mind, it's not like we went on a scenic stroll through the woods or out in a flowery pasture near a babbling brook. LOL. Nah, we would head for the hot spots in the south suburbs like near some railroad tracks or maybe in a ditch on the side of the road. My dad knew

all of the spots because the asparagus comes back every year, right? As I grew older, we would still venture out to hunt and pick this incredibly delicious and unique vegetable, except I would drive and my dad would spot the "mother plant" and we would quickly pull off the side of the road because it would be a "peccato" (a shame, or a sin, for all of you non-Italianos --- our slang, pronounced "pi cod' LOL LOL) to drive by without stopping to harvest the small crop. Now, as an adult, with a dealer demo plate on the car, I would be thinking, geeeeeez, I hope no one recognizes me out here picking asaparagus right off of other people's property. How could they not recognize me, really. I don't blend. That's what I thought then. Now, I don't care. It's every forager for him or herself. I remember that we would find the "mother plant" and then feel around for the stalks coming up from the ground, like fingers, and every now and then, the stalks would have already been cut by some other Italian-American-asparagus-hunting thief. That would tick me off. But it never stopped us. My dad was definitely an expert in this field. He would check one area and I would check another and I'd say, "none here" and then my dad would go double-check my area and come back to the car with handfuls of stalks and we would both laugh. He could really sniff them out. So, we would fill a big plastic bucket in the trunk of the car, or simply throw them all in the trunk on a bed of newspaper. We would proudly bring them home to my mom who would happily clean, prep and fry them in olive oil. I cannot tell you how delicious it is to eat fried wild asparagus. Simply prepared. Just olive oil and salt (my favorite two things, I'd say) transformed by high heat and a bit of caramelization. Some of the stalks were very, very thin and my mom would often cut the thicker stalks vertically so that they would also be thin. When fried in the olive oil, the stalks would transform into this nutty, crispy and delectable treat. Also, my mom, Amelia, the

Frittata Queen, would whip up a wild asparagus frittata with some eggs and a little cheese. Heavenly. Try frying your asparagus today. Michigan asparagus is available everywhere right now and it's excellent. Roast, fry or grill. High heat is where it's at, baby.

I once took my dad on a little road trip to Saugatuck, Michigan. Asparagus was growing wild all over the place along the road and I eventually was forced to blindfold Frank so that we could have a relaxing drive, without pulling over. LOL. Just kidding.

Michigan Asparagus Fact Just 4 U: Michigan ranks third in the nation for Asparagus production producing up to 25 million pounds annually. That crop is worth $15,000,000!

More quick asparagus tips from KPK:

Roll a few stalks of grilled or roasted asparagus in some goat cheese (just in the mid-section) and wrap with a slice of prosciutto. Grill briefly to melt the cheese and serve. Yeah, your friends will think you're "all that".

Top your cooked asparagus with a poached or fried egg, a little melted butter or a drizzle of olive oil and some freshly grated or shaved Parmesan or Romano. Eat like the Milanese.

Top a big platter of scrambled eggs with a lot of roasted, grilled or fried asparagus (whole) in all their beauty for your next brunch or breakfast gathering. So pretty and so delicious.

We'll be talking more spring veg in the near future. Love and seasonal goodness to all,

Katie

Katie's Passion Kitchen

Spring 2010

aka Katharine Fioretti

Wild Game Night ~ Chateau de Lorenzo

2010-05-07T11:02:00.012-05:00

Click here for the menu

I Need To Get Back In The Kitchen

2010-04-23T22:35:00.004-05:00

Here's me in an orange grove in the Temecula Valley in SoCal (southern California) last week. Don't I look happy to be surrounded by all that goodness? After a fabulous unwind, I am ready to don my apron and get back in the kitchen! I haven't blogged or cooked lately and I'm Jonesin', as you can imagine, LOL. Look for some new posts, pictures and stories as I get myself together for spring and summer. If I don't make some artichokes pretty soon here, I'm gonna start spazzin'.... Talk to you real soon. I feel the need for some fava beans too.... and a nice Chianti, LOL.

Love you,

C U Soon,

Katie

P.S. Game Night at Chateau de Lorenzo has been rescheduled for Thursday, May 6th. Gotta re-start my engine and get my game on one more time. Stay with me on this one....

Katie Goes Wild, Part II ~ coming to your computer screen soon

JOIN THE FOOD REVOLUTION

2010-03-30T09:10:00.028-05:00

WOW! I am overwhelmed with inspiration from the brilliant and passionate Jamie Oliver and his FOOD REVOLUTION. As an idol of mine for many years, Jamie's drive and enthusiasm and pure love of food and educating is truly infectious. He has such a zest and happiness and desire that you cannot help but want to run into your kitchen with open arms and start cooking up a feast! As a matter of fact, my feature photo (shown above) is a salad of egg crepes that are rolled up, cigar style, and sliced into rolls. They unravel like pasta ribbons when tossed with your favorite salad greens and a light lemon vinaigrette. That's just one easy and impressive trick I learned from Jamie. He has also inspired my homemade-from-scratch Tagliatelle

with Rapini and "Oozy Goozy" cream sauce plus a "glorious roast"of game birds and sausages on polenta.

He has a natural and flowing type of flair for cooking, not to mention a nice-to-hear English accent and some fun and quirky jargon. He is a thrill to watch in his element, whipping up homemade pasta without measuring a thing and making glorious healthy dishes straight from his garden. I do believe that his real mission in life is to educate people about the importance of the role of food in good health. Believe me, I am certain that you will not only tune in, but you will jump on the band wagon for the outrageous and out-of-control problem of obesity in our country, the USA. Jamie's campaign is to tackle the core problems of why obesity related health issues are rampant in the United States, England and in other parts of the world. A strikingly potent and unbelievable segment of the series has Jamie in a school classroom with a group of children, simply displaying a variety of fresh vegetables. Do you know that these kids could NOT name ordinary vegetables when asked . . .? Jamie held up a bunch of tomatoes on the vine

and one boy said, "potato"? They knew "ketchup", but not even the fact that it was made from tomatoes. Another child guessed celery for beets. Yet another could not name a potato. One boy guessed broccoli for cauliflower. Sad. True. Horrifying, actually.

Please, please, take the time to watch Jamie's TED Award Speech on his website and listen to his wish to really make a difference from feeding our kids healthy food in school to educating people about how to cook at home. Sign the petition while you're on Jamie's site and also check out the trailer for his new series. He has so much to say and has already done so much in the way of educating people and donating his time and money to wonderful causes here at home, in England, Australia and other countries as well.

Tune in to ABC on Friday evenings at 8:00 pm CST or Saturday afternoons at 2:00 pm CST and join the FOOD REVOLUTION. The show premiered on Friday, March 26th. Please watch and let's all be a part of his mission in whatever way we can! Shop local Farmer's Markets. Grow something in your yard this year. Cook something fun with your kids. Introduce your family to a new vegetable! Hey, whatever works!

You know I love to cook and I love to teach others how to cook and I strongly believe in the importance of healthy food, healthy kids and eating fresh, homemade food as often as possible. I know I am always on a rant about colorful food, eating "green", keeping processed foods to a minimum and so on. I LOVE to share what I know and pass along important information. This is so important, I am obligated and happy and compelled to share it with you.

Salute! to:

! Jamie Oliver and his FOOD REVOLUTION

! Healthy food in our schools

! More home cooking

! Food Education

! Many, many, many great meals in our lifetimes...

Love & Passion For What You Believe,

Katie

Katie's Passion Kitchen

Game Night Game Changer (Plans Squashed)

2010-03-19T11:48:00.007-05:00

So, apparently, Lars' appendix was not ready for Game Night at Chateau de Lorenzo and abruptly decided to back out, at the last minute. Yes, that is correct. Wild Game Night has been postponed. Lars underwent emergency appendectomy surgery yesterday. He's recovering but he's bummed about his uncooperative, unnecessary,uncaring, unloving organ. So, now, I will keep my plans and menu under wraps until further notice. Rescheduling for maybe May 7th? I'll post the date once it's confirmed. Get Well Soon, Lars ~ Your fellow hunters will never let you live this down!

Katie! Pump yo brakes!!!

Comin' down from my Jumanji high . . . with love,

Katie...

Hey, Have YOU ever spatchcocked a guinea hen?

I have. 8^D

Katie's Phassion Pheasant

2010-03-05T21:53:00.005-06:00

Watch for upcoming story as I get my game on for "Game Night" at Chateau de Lorenzo scheduled for Friday, March 19th. I am up to my wings in research about everything from guinea hens to snapping turtle soup to pheasant to venison. Wouldn't you agree that "coniglio" sounds so much nicer on a menu than "rabbit"? Me too. Stay tuned for game highlights. : ) Love, Katie

French Apple Tart

2010-02-23T08:53:00.019-06:00

A few Granny Smith apples, some Pepperidge Farm puff pastry dough, a little sugar and a LOT of butter...... and voila'! Doesn't everyone do this at 10:00 pm when they get home from work? Check out Ina Garten's (The Barefoot Contessa) cookbook, Back to Basics. This is one example of her style. Simple, delicious dishes with really very few ingredients. Her recipes are classic, reliable and unfussy. Enjoy! By the way, you'll notice that I didn't feel the need to peel the apples. I think the tart was rustic and beautiful and just as delicious with one less step! Plus, with all of that butter, the extra fiber can't hurt, LOL.

Bon Appetit' from Katie's Passion Kitchen

Happy Birthday To Me

2010-02-13T00:26:00.023-06:00

so, today, to celebrate my birthday, all I really wanted to do was bake Valentine's cookies. Yesterday and today both, actually. Yesterday morning, I began my day by mixing up a batch of shortbread cookie dough for coconut thumbprint cookies. After running a bunch of errands, doing

laundry, cleaning house, paying bills, etc.,

I returned home and promptly burned an entire two pounds of whole pecans in the oven. I was burned too, needless to say, but I didn't let that put a damper on my good nature. I forged ahead and changed my plans from pecan shortbread hearts to plain shortbread hearts. I whipped up cookie dough batch #2 and stashed it in the fridge to chill. I happily rolled batch #1 into balls, dipped them in egg wash, rolled them in coconut and placed them on parchment lined trays. After making a thumbprint in each cookie, I carefully filled each depression with a tart and delicious cherry and a dab of preserves from a jar of Smucker's cherry preserves. Anyway, long story longer, while multi-tasking as I prepared dinner, I burned the third pan of thumbprint cookies and survived a fast and furious meltdown as the doorbell rang upon the arrival of my mother-in-law, Betty Jean, who stopped over bearing gifts and Valentine treats. After a glass

of Pinot Noir and some laughs to extinguish my flames, we talked about past kitchen disasters (and other laughable memories), I washed the dinner dishes, re-grouped and rolled out the dough for batch #2. Time was not an issue. I was on a mission to bake.

So, I rolled and cut and

baked and washed more dishes until about 1:30am. That wasn't bad, right? I made hearts, doves, more birds, "x"s and "o"s, plus little tear drops. This morning, first thing, I made cranberry walnut oatmeal cookies.

I later dunked some of these into chocolate (just in case anyone wanted to make one cookie into an entire meal). LOL. By the time I finished baking the oatmeal cookies, I was anxious to melt

chocolate and start dipping and decorating the shortbread cookies. What a fun way to spend my birthday morning, I thought! I had this vision of delicate pink on dark chocolate although

I wasn't sure if I would be able to write clearly and neatly onto the cookies (which are fairly small) with melted chocolate.

It was great fun

and since I had a tough time deciding which photo to post here, I decided to post a bunch of pictures to share my day with you. I did eventually make it to work by 2:30pm with some "foofed" up sweet samples in tow.

Amore from Katie in . . .

KATIE'S PASSION KITCHEN or . . .

Katarina's Passione Cucina ~

Baci Baci

Root Loot

2010-02-05T09:14:00.024-06:00

Ever had celery root? Celeriac (celery root) tastes like celery (and parsley, actually), is textured like squash (kind of), is not too pretty, however, it really shines in this soup because it pairs so well with potatoes and leeks. Give this gnarly root a try. Please don't discriminate against uncute veg. Try them all! This is a smooth and delicious soup and it's also really good for you.

There's no cream and just a small amount of butter and olive oil. If you don't already have an immersion blender, I'd recommend buying one, really. In the old days (b.i.) (before immersion), I splattered my white wooden window blinds with a lovely shade of green (really pretty abstract kitchen art ala Jackson Pollack) with split pea soup that exploded out of my blender. It was everywhere. I really HATE, I mean, dislike, blending soup in batches, in the regular blender --- P.I.T.A. The immersion blender will have you making creamy, healthy soups all the time . . . with no cream! Here's a picture of mine. You don't have to spend a lot. I think they range from $30 to over $100, but you don't really need a big mamma jamma. Mine is a 200 watt Braun.

This recipe is very similar to the potato soup that I make with arugula, except that I blended it because I thought the texture would be more pleasing (and it was!). Try it! I'm having it for lunch today with some nice fresh whole grain French bread and a green and creamy avocado salad. It's really not a recipe. It's more of a method, I guess. Season to taste and do as the French do . . . eat your celeriac! They love this vegetable! Note: Thanks to places like Pete's Fresh Market (there's a new one in Calumet City on Sibley Boulevard, just east of I-94), you can buy all of the wonderful vegetables you like where they are fresh, bright and impeccably arranged for your produce shopping pleasure. Thank you Pete! So glad you're in the neighborhood.

Creamy Celeriac, Potato & Leek Soup

Ingredients

about 2 tablespoons of butter & 2 tablespoons of olive oil

3 leeks, white and light green parts, trimmed, rinsed, cut vertically & thinly sliced

2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 large celery root (celeriac), peeled and cubed

about 6 cups of chicken broth (48 oz.) or a combination of chicken broth & vegetable broth

(I recommend: Swanson's 100% Fat Free)

kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Here's how to cut the celeriac: Cut off each stem end with a sharp chef's knife. Then, quarter, and slice off the spongy core (if any). Cut each quarter in half lengthwise and peel by cutting the skin off of each wedge with a sharp paring knife. Cut into cubes.

Melt the butter and oil in a pot.

Add the sliced leeks. (Make sure you rinse them well to rid them of any sandy soil after you cut them vertically. Then, pat them dry and slice them into thin half moons. If you've never cooked with leeks, you'll always cook with them now.

Cook for a short while until they begin to wilt a bit.

Add the cubed potatoes & celery root.

Cook a little and add some salt and pepper.

Add the broth.

Simmer until vegetables are tender.

Check for seasoning and let cool a little.

Blend a little or blend a lot, depending on your preference for creaminess/chunkiness. Check and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed.

Serve.

KPK Reference Tidbit: If you'd like to expand your vegetable knowledge and bring more from the ground into your life, pick up the fabulous book, VEGETABLES From Amaranth to Zucchini, The

Essential Reference, by Elizabeth Schneider. She describes celeriac as an "earthy prize - a pitted and whorled planet with snaggly rootlets, imbued with herbaceous pungency." How can you NOT love that? It's a coveted encyclopedia which is continually referenced in Katie's Passion Kitchen.

Enjoy your soup and stay tuned for more comforting and wintery meal ideas. Thank you for stopping by Katie's Passion Kitchen.

Winter warmth,

Katie

Chilly? Eat Chili

2010-01-31T09:20:00.008-06:00

Chili is such a fun way to experiment with flavors by adding your own personal twist to an old traditional recipe or by revamping a recipe completely. I have found that many folks are really proud about their chili creations as evidenced by the many, many chili competitions and cook-offs across the country. My sister, Teri, has won many such local contests with her mouthwatering version made with ground turkey, chunks of beef and lots of fresh peppers. The guys at the dealership show off their chili machismo with annual chili competitions. Unique renditions from everyone. I think that's why it's so much fun to make. Throw your personality into a pot today! LOL.

The inspiration for this recipe comes from a few different places. I combined whatever was already filed somewhere in my brain (stored from several big pots of chili over the years) PLUS a few methods borrowed from a wonderful batch of Chicken Tortilla Soup I made awhile ago PLUS the February 2009 Bon Appetit magazine cover recipe which paid homage to a Texas "bowl of red". That cover inspired Mark to do the cooking that weekend. The recipe featured

beef, mole paste, ancho chile powder, cumin, masa and apple cider vinegar. Mark demonstrated his first-time beef carving and chili skills on that memorable pot with great success. It was deeply flavored and dark with no tomatoes. The beans, avocado, cheese and onions were served as garnishes. It was very flavorful and unique.

My mom, Amelia, aka Emily, won a Fioretti family chili cook-off a few years ago even though she was up against Teri, the family chili chef and the rest of us. Even though Mom was never a big chili girl, she kicked our butts with a simply delicious basic recipe from, one of her all-time favorite "go-to" cookbooks, The Woman's Home Companion, which she received as a bridal shower gift in 1949. That "Chili Con Carne" recipe consisted of the usual ingredients like onions, bell pepper, beef, canned tomatoes and chili powder. So, I tried to take all of this chili knowledge, from what I have tasted, what I have tried and what I have read, and I came up with this Texy-Mexy-ish spicy combination of flavors. It may seem a bit tedious but I was really happy with the added flavor you get from the reconstituted peppers and by blending some of the vegetables. A few extra steps adds tons of flavor. Give it a shot and see what you think. Or, concoct your own!

Those who know me well know that I love to share what I know & what I do, because I don't see any point in keeping cooking a secret. It's much more fun to share and inspire.

Unchill your chilliness with some chili today! Then, just chill.

Love to all during the chilly, chili season, Katie ~ Here's the recipe!

Katie's Passion Kitchen

Hot Spicy Chili with Beef Brisket & New Mexico Chiles

Olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of the pot)

4 large onions (yellow or white), one cut into large chunks & 3 coarsely chopped

2 green bell peppers, coarsely chopped

4 large cloves of garlic, 1 cut in half and 3 finely chopped

1 lb ground chuck (80/20)

1 lb ground pork

1 1/2 lbs beef brisket, sliced thinly across the grain into generous bite size pieces

5 dried New Mexico chiles (or 3-4 dried Ancho chiles), reconstituted in boiling water, stemmed and seeded (reserve water)

3 fresh jalapeno peppers, sliced thinly

5 fresh serrano chile peppers or fingerhot peppers, finely chopped

2 chipotle peppers (smoked jalapenos) in adobo sauce, seeded

ancho chile powder to taste (I used about 2-3 tablespoons)

hot Mexican chili powder to taste (I used about 1/2 of a small jar)

kosher salt (to taste) - probably around a tablespoon or so for a large pot

2-3 large cans of whole canned tomatoes and their juice, one crushed by hand and the others blended in the blender or food processor

water

reserved pepper water (strained)

one corn tortilla, cut into fine strips (or torn)

your favorite beans (this batch featured 1 can of light red and 1 can of dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained)

Once you have cleaned and prepped all of the vegetables and sliced the brisket, toss the one onion, cut into chunks, the one clove of halved garlic, the reconstituted peppers, the chipotles, and a few of the tomatoes with some of the juice into a blender or food processor. Blend well. Set aside. Pour a swirl of olive oil into your favorite large pot which has begun to heat on the stovetop. Once the oil is hot, add the onions, green peppers and garlic. I always toss the onions (and in this case, the green pepper) into the pot first as kind of a "bed" for the garlic since the garlic burns easily. Cook the vegetables for a bit until they start to become tender. Add the brisket slices and the ground beef and pork. Brown and stir. Add the blended chile mixture, the hot peppers, both chili powders and salt. Cook and stir for awhile to get the flavors to mingle. In the meantime, blend some of the remaining canned tomatoes and juice with the strained pepper water (or plain water). At this point, you can toss some additional hot peppers into the blender depending upon the level of heat you are going for! Blend well and add to the pot. Add about a half can of water to the pot also. Add the remaining tomatoes, crushed by hand, and bring the whole shebang to a nice boil, while stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Reduce to a simmer now and let simmer for at least one to two hours with the lid ajar. I continually taste-test for heat, salt, and "brightness" of flavor. I thought I was satisfied with 2 cans of tomatoes for awhile, and later added more because I felt that the flavor was not bright enough or "tomatoey" enough. You can also add additional sliced jalapenos (seeds and all) at this point and possibly a bit more chili powder if you think it's too wimpy. Tear up or thinly slice your corn tortilla and toss it into the pot. It thickens the chili very nicely and adds just enough of a corn meal / masa type flavor that gives the chili that "Tex/Mex" aroma and personality.

Serve hot with your favorite chili condiments. I served it with crunchy tortilla chips, cubed avocado, thinly sliced sweet onion rings, thinly sliced fresh jalapeno pepper, sour cream and two cheese choices: shredded sharp cheddar and crumbled queso fresco.

KLF

Katie's Passion Kitchen

developed and written October 20, 2009

posted on Katie's Passion Kitchen January 31, 2010

Katie's Passion Kitchen Coming To Your Dealership Today!

2010-01-25T00:18:00.011-06:00

I cannot seem to stop feeding people. At the dealership, I often think of what few options we have for fairly healthy, fresh, fast and delicious food in our area. Slim pickins'. Then, I think, well, I can surely go home and whip up something nice for my co-workers, right? It won't take long. Maybe I can make a big pot of lentil soup or a tuna and cannelini bean salad? You get the picture. Plus, my boss, Tim, has been encouraging me to start selling lunches at NSH. So, I made lunch three times during the past week or so for interested employees at Nissan of South Holland. On Day 1, I arrived with 8 sandwiches on freshly baked Ciabatta bread. Most of the "sammies" were made with smoked turkey breast, creamy Danish havarti cheese and some tender greens. A few others were made simply with hard boiled eggs, sharp cheddar cheese & mayo, or eggs with slightly hot grilled peppers. 5 Bucks.

Day 2 was "Corned Beef Day". I made 18 sandwiches. Mostly corned beef and baby swiss or corned beef and dill havarti. A few others were smoked turkey with cheese and some fresh greens. Organic, artisan baked loaves from Whole Foods on Roosevelt Road. Pumpernickel and Tuscan. Crisp Romaine lettuce and Vlasic dill pickle spears were served on the side. I made hot and spicy mayo with Sriracha and fresh lemon juice plus a tangy mayo made with Dijon mustard, fresh horseradish and white balsamic vinegar. The special mayos, Miracle Whip, yellow mustard, Dijon mustard and plain mayo were all on hand for self-service. 5 Bucks.

Day 3 was "Be Italian" day. 19 freshly made sandwiches on

our all-time favorite focaccia bread from Chicago landmark Italian Bakery, D'Amato's, on Grand Avenue. The oily, delectable and super-fresh focaccia rounds were cut into thirds, carefully split, then filled with hot capicola,

salami, mozzarella and provolone cheeses. 6 Bucks. I grilled a huge pan of red, green, orange and yellow bell peppers the night before "Be Italian" Day. At the crack of dawn, I was slicing and lining up the bread, assembly line style, and organizing the lunch

shipping and handling.

"Be Italian" Day came complete with Italian music streaming out of our garage boom box in the dealership lunch room.

If IOUs aren't paid up tomorrow, KPK special delivery

service may be cancelled, even though K had a lot of fun with KPK on wheels. Hey, does Mickey D's have an eat now/pay later lunch special?

Eat well at YOUR office today!

Love, Wit & Humor From the KPK Author,

Katie

In The Kitchen With Sammy

2010-01-17T07:38:00.027-06:00

Meet Sam Fioretti. 12 years old. Food aficionado. Musician. Life lover. I LOVE this kid. A long awaited chance to spend the entire day cooking with my nephew, Sam, happened on New Year's Eve! Check this out. This guy loves sushi, raw oysters, goat cheese, fresh scallops, frog legs, hot chili and an amazing variety of ethnic dishes. He has a real appreciation for food from the simple to the exotic. Gotta love a guy with an adventurous and highly tuned palate. Mom and Dad, Sharon and Louie, have raised four boys with incredibly fearless appetites. Sam is spending more and more time learning the ropes with Louie on the weekends, preparing really fun and ambitious meals like homemade pasta and meatballs, all types of seafood dishes, homemade gnocchi and more. I'd like to think he's a chip off the old aunt.

With abounding drive and enthusiasm, Sammy and I planned and shopped the night before our cooking day, discussing ideas for what we would cook and how much we would be able to accomplish before heading out to our respective New Year's Eve parties. Sam had already read the cookbook, The Silver Spoon for Children, a Christmas gift from his Aunt Peggy, from cover to cover. We kicked around recipe ideas and decided to prepare a variety of appetizers to share with our families and friends at the evening's festivities. Sam was bringing his "apps" to his Aunt Peggy & Uncle Harry's party and Mark and I were headed to Lars & Tammy's as well as Brian & Sue's.

Our New Year's Offerings included:

Honey Balsamic Roasted Pearl Onions - Little pearls, blanched, peeled, dressed and slow roasted until sweet and sticky.

Oven Roasted Tomatoes - If you know me, you know I love these. Plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise, seeded, drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with herbs, slow roasted until sweet and intensely flavored.

Bacon Wrapped Sea Scallops - Carefully cleaned, inspected and patted dry by Sammy, wrapped in bacon and crisped up on the grill. Individually served on butter lettuce leafs with Sriracha mayonnaise and a wedge of avocado. A KPK fave.

Every party needs Cheese Balls - Goat cheese and cream cheese are combined, formed into small balls by hand (Sammy's hand), rolled in chopped parsley with a bit of lemon zest for freshness and served with crostini.

Marinated Roasted Peppers - These babies did not get peeled in time to make it to Peggy and Harry's, but they did make it to Lars & Tammy's. Red, yellow and orange bell peppers, blistered on the grill (whole), steamed, peeled, and marinated in olive oil and red wine vinegar with fresh basil and garlic. I love these. Peeling them makes them delectable, easier to eat, and easier on the stomachs of those pepper peeler peeps out there. I seem to know a bunch of peeps that like their peppers peeled. Say that 10 times fast. Hey, if it takes longer, I'm all for it. LOL.

Crostini - Great vehicle to get the apps from Point A to Point B. This time, we used whole grain French bread, thinly sliced, brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with kosher salt and baked until crisp.

Nutty Caramel Bars - Shortbread cookie crust topped with a honeyed buttery caramel and a boatload of toasted pecans, almonds and walnuts. The next night at Teri's, we dipped the little bars in melted double chocolate for a more decadent treat.

So, when all was said and done, we were pretty productive and had much fun along the way. Sammy learned a few tricks from me and I learned a lot from the "Bammer", including his description of the sheer unctuousness of a sushi Sunrise Roll topped with a quail egg! Who knew?

Our day together ended in a busy flurry of packaging the fruits of our labor, figuring out our last minute presentation details and shipping off the steaming hot scallops in a car full of fresh smelling family members. LOL. Catering is fun. We had a lovely and memorable day. I knew it was a great success when Sam told me that he planned to save some money and buy himself a Microplane zester. =D (Big Grin).

Love and Happy 2010 from Katie's Passion Kitchen,

Katie

Christmas Cookies 2009

2009-12-23T10:10:00.006-06:00

Keep It Green

2009-12-18T08:10:00.010-06:00

Trying to keep it green is a challenge for us all during the crazy red & green holiday season. Try not to fall into the fast food, easy junk, eating-on-the-fly, cookie monster diet rut during this busy, busy time. Roast some broccoli tonight. OMG, I am NOT kidding. I'm all about vegetables and high heat. I love to fry asparagus, grill eggplant, onions, peppers, squash, zucchini, mushrooms, etc. and i LOVE to roast a million vegetables in the oven. Easy, exaggerator. The possibilities are endless and the method is simple. Douse with olive oil, generously sprinkle with kosher salt, toss onto a sheet pan and roast at a high temperature, like 425. Don't remove them from the oven prematurely, ok? Let the dry heat of the oven do it's thing. Use your judgment on the amount of time. I think I had the broccoli in the oven for about 20 or 25 minutes. Maybe longer. I did turn the pieces over once. You WANT caramelization. C = F. Caramelization Equals Flavor. This method works for so many vegetables, it's pretty foolproof. Hey, if you have a problem, don't blame me. Just sayin'. Try this method with cauliflower, fresh halved brussel sprouts, carrots or whatever you like during this cold wintery season. Elevate your veg from bland to fab tonight.

If you were hoping for a little broccoli nutritional value information, your hopes have been answered. Broccoli is loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber AND it's packed with anti-carcinogenic stuff called isothiocyanates. That means it helps to fight and prevent cancer. It is soooooo good for you. Did you know that broccoli has more calcium than a glass of milk? It might even have more Vitamin C than that glass of OJ you had this morning. Don't ask me about quantities and specifics, OK? This is not the Weggie Wikipedia. Look it up.

Love, Katie

In complete contrast, I will be throwing in an obligatory cookie post sometime between now and Xmas. Ha Ha! Call me Jekyll Hyde. It's cool, LOL.

Eat More Green, Feel Mo Betta,

Happy Holidays My Friends,

Green Love,

Katie

Little Flower Cauliflower

2009-11-16T21:13:00.009-06:00

For a refreshing and delicious "salad", try this tonight. You won't be sorry. The colors. The flavor. The aroma. Healthy AND beautiful.

Cavolfiore Insalata ala Fioretti

One head of cauliflower, steamed

One head of broccoflower, steamed

One or two roasted red peppers (jarred is fine), cut into thin strips

2 cloves of fresh garlic, each cut in half

the juice of 1/2 fresh lemon

olive oil (about 1/4 cup)

fresh herbs, finely chopped (if you have them on hand)

kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

While you're steaming the vegetables, cut the peppers into thin strips. Place them in a bowl with the garlic and squeeze in the fresh lemon juice. Add the olive oil, herbs, salt & pepper. Mix together and let the flavors mingle. The garlic will nicely flavor the dressing without overpowering. Arrange the cauliflower and broccoflower on a platter. Drizzle the pepper strips and dressing onto the hot vegetables, sprinkle with a little more salt & pepper to taste, if you like. Allow to cool to room temperature. Serve.

Ciao for now,

Katie

Move Over, Mrs. Prindable

2009-10-28T21:44:00.016-05:00

AN APPLE A DAY . . .

Nothing against Affy Tapples, it's just that these may be a tad more decadent. Tons of caramel, toasted pecans and tons of chocolate. But you're like, hey, that's a turtle . . . and I'm like, no it's not, silly, it's an apple. It's GOOD for you! Oh yeah. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Indulge! I had too much fun with these apples. First, the homework. I've made homemade caramel twice and it was good, but there were issues with it becoming too hard and . . .

I was not completely satisfied.

Too much of a P-I-T-A with exact temperature when it's so much simpler to melt store-bought caramels and not worry about the temperature. It makes it the whole process so much more relaxed and fun. And . . . I found a wonderful product (new?/ not sure) but it's caramel "bits" from Kraft and guess what? They're smaller than regular square caramels and they are not wrapped. How nice is that? No unwrapping and they melt faster cuz their eentsy- weentsy. Simple. So, you melt the caramels in a pot with two tablespoons of water per bag of caramels. Each bag of caramels is enough for 4-5 apples.

KPK Tips for making gourmet apples in YOUR kitchen (I know, I know, don't mention it, you're welcome):

1) Dip your apples in hot water to remove the waxy polish. Towel dry and make sure they are nice and dry and wax-free. Unless, of course, you'd prefer your caramel to set up in a nice pool at the base of your naked apple. 2) Guess what, the apples that got poked from the rear ended up turning out nicer than the ones which were poked from the top. LOL. Hey, that's the truth! I can't help it. 3) Toast your nuts. I'm serious. Stop laughing. 4) Set out paper plates of nuts and other various toppings so that you'll be ready to roll. Literally. 5) Be creative with your toppings. You can use everything from dried fruit like tart cherries or apricot bits, coconut, endless varieties of nuts, toffee brickle (Heath bits), mini chips. Sheesh, you could even use cereal. I loaded some of the apples with toasted pecans, toasted walnuts, sliced almonds, dried cherries, Heath bar bits, coconut and mini chocolate chips. Then, I coated the big girls with tons of melted chocolate. I named that particular topping combo "OMG". Don't steal that. 6) Cool the apples quickly after dipping and topping to firm up the caramel quickly. 7) I keep the loaded up final products in either the basement or the garage where it's nice and cool, but not as cold as the fridge.

You don't want condensation on your chocolate from the fridge, do you? Right answer. I don't either. 8) Decorate for the season OR to reflect your personality. Unless you're a dud (or a bad apple) Can't stop LOL. Wow, all of this apple humor is really making me hungry. Might have to go check out the LAST one. It's pictured above, right (with the foofy "white collar"). Kind of like a Mounds bar covered apple. Just coconut and chocolate. Oh yeah, caramel, too. OK, my friends, remember, a caramel apple a day keeps the doctor away. Am I wrong?

Apples & Love from Katie's Passion Kitchen,

Katie

I almost forgot.... KPK Fave Apple ~ The crisp, juicy, sweet/tart, amazingly delicious, seductive . . . (drum roll please . . .) . . . HONEYCRISP!*

*The Honeycrisp apple was born in 1960 when the Macoun apple was crossed with a Honeygold apple as part of the apple breeding program at the University of Minnesota. So, the Honeycrisp has been around about as long as I have. : )