Sabzi

Sabzi

In Persian cuisine, meals are often served with a plate of fresh herbs, first as an appetizer and then to enjoy throughout the meal. This would be perfect served alongside shish-ka-bobs or other grilled meats or fish. It would compliment any spicy or heavier main courses and would be fabulous with rice dishes too. Adding fresh herbs to your table will give you and your guests the wonderful option of adding vibrant, green freshness to the meal. A bit of basil, cilantro or fresh parsley can really wake up some grilled chicken or beef.

 Grill a few flatbreads like naan or pita and make a simple cucumber and mint yogurt sauce. Pile your grilled food onto the bread, add fresh herbs, onions and more, top with the yogurt sauce and enjoy!

 I love to serve fresh, uncooked vegetables with all meals if and when possible for a healthy balance. This is a beautiful way to showcase seasonal herbs especially when there’s so much goodness coming from the ground! All of the herbs shown here are homegrown. The Sabzi platter, pictured above, features basil, Greek oregano, mint, Italian parsley and French tarragon. Sliced and whole fresh radishes, whole walnuts, chunks of feta cheese, homegrown hot peppers, red onion and a few lime wedges round out the selection. Do your own thing. Add what you like and be creative.  Assembling a platter like this takes no time at all and adds crisp, clean, raw freshness to your passionate table. 

Nooshe Jan,

Katie

"Pinkled" Onions

I know "pinkled" is not a word. But these stunningly bright, magenta pink onions, are in fact, pickled with fresh lime juice and they are, in fact, PINK! So, this photo was taken on a recent Thursday afternoon during an unwind following a "Mexicali Feast" lunch preparation. As we sat down to sample some Mexican style shredded chicken, some chunky guacamole and a few chips, I was thrilled and fixated on the beauty of these gorgeous, pickled onions.

Here's an easy share. If you want to impress your friends and family with these beautiful "pinkled" onions, do this:

Super Easy, Fresh & Fast

"Pinkled" Onions

1 red onion, peeled, trimmed & sliced

 into very thin slices

Boiling water

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt

Toss the sliced onions into a non-reactive bowl. Pour boiling water over the onions. Count to 10. Really! Drain in a colander and shake off excess water. Toss drained onion slices back into the same bowl. Add lime juice. Add salt. Toss to combine. Cover and place in fridge for about an hour. These will keep for at least a week in the fridge if stored in an airtight container. This easy gem of a recipe is adapted from Mexican food aficionado & chef rock star, Rick Bayless.

If you're doing an ordinary and simple "taco night" or you're grilling marinated skirt steaks or chicken, these onions would be a beautiful and naturally amazing side to add to your menagerie of toppings. Your friends will think you're the coolest and you can explain that you're into naturally pink food, brilliant color, mouthwatering flavor  . . .  and coolness, of course.

; ) Pink Wink & Love,

Katie

P.S. Here's my complete menu from that afternoon's "Mexicali Feast" lunch:

Mexican Style Chicken

Slowly simmered chicken seasoned with the Mexican flavors of freshly ground

 cumin and coriander plus tomatoes, Jalapeno and Serrano peppers;

 served with warm tortillas & lots more!

Mexican Style Rice

White rice prepared with annatto, tomatoes and spices

Rojas con Crema

Roasted Poblano chiles, cut into strips and simmered with Vidalia onions

 in Mexican crema (sour cream) with a bit of goat cheese

Mayacoba Beans

Tender, little Canary beans to pile onto your tortillas

Homemade Guacamole & Tortilla Chips

Homemade KPK guacamole made with perfect avocados, finely diced Vidalia onion,

 tomato, Serrano peppers, fresh cilantro and freshly squeezed lime juice

Fresh Vegetable Complements

Red onions pickled in fresh lime, pickled red jalapenos, garden tomatoes, queso fresco cheese,

jicama sticks, fresh sliced radishes, fresh cilantro, shredded iceberg lettuce

Fresh Fruit

Pineapple, mango, raspberries and blueberries

Authentic Mexican Bakery Specialties

A fun selection from strawberry empanadas to Mexican puff pastry twists

KPK At The Market

KPK At The Market Menu for Sunday, August 18, 2013

Avocado & Tomato Bruschetta Special

KPK Hummus, Mediterranean Style

Tomato & Basil Bruschetta

Baby Bella & Gorgonzola Bruschetta

Sweet Pepper Tangle Bruschetta 

The TRIO (all three of the above)

Plus all three of our most popular cookies: 

5 G

Chia Flowers

Chocolate Dunked Pecan Shortbread 

Our next market day (after this) is not until September 15th!!!! Hang out with us and enjoy this beautiful weather! Hope to see you there! 

P.S. Happy Birthday to my brother, Joe!

Love, Katie

TOP 3 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT KPK THIS WEEKEND

1) We will be OPEN for BIZ at the

 FRANKFORT COUNTRY MARKET 

this SUNDAY, August 4th from 10 am - 2 pm

2) KPK HUMMUS, Mediterranean Style

debuts this Sunday in limited quantities...

 served with  hot-off-the-grill

 NAAN bread

3) AVOCADO & TOMATO 

Bruschetta 

THIS SUNDAY'S SPECIAL &

LAST YEAR'S BIGGEST SELLING SPECIAL : )

SEE YOU AT THE MARKET!

LOVE, Katie

Peppers

Over the weekend at KPK, we inspected, washed, dried, cored, seeded, cut and sauteed over 60 lbs. of colorful sweet bell peppers on the grill. We love peppers : ). They're naturally sweet and just so delicious. Include them in your diet and eat as much colorful food as you possibly can. At KPK, we love to color your world with nature's beauty. The scoop:

COLORFUL FOOD is so important

for you. Did you know that red fruits and

vegetables like red peppers, tomatoes, beets

and cherries contain lycopene or

“anthocyanins” that may help reduce the risk

of several types of cancer? These powerful

antioxidants that help protect cells from

damage are also linked with keeping our

hearts healthy.

Orange/yellow fruits and vegetables are

usually colored by “carotenoids”. These foods

are reported to help reduce the risk of cancer

and heart disease and can help improve

immune system function.

Eat your GREENS and get “chlorophyll”. Some

greens like green peppers, spinach, peas and

cucumbers contain lutein. Lutein works with

“zeaxanthin” found in red peppers, corn,

grapes and egg yolks to keep your eyes

healthy. Together, these chemicals may help

reduce the risk of cataracts and age-related

macular degeneration which can lead to

blindness if untreated.

At “KPK At The Market”, we love presenting

vibrant, inspired and naturally beautiful food

on the main stage. We appreciate locally

grown produce and combine few quality

ingredients and simple methods to highlight

the vegetables and feed you the rainbow.

Enjoy something beautiful to eat every day. Even if it's something as simple as a perfect cherry or a sweet ear of corn.

 We look forward to preparing something 

colorful and delicious just for you on our next day out

 at the Frankfort Country Market:

SUNDAY, JULY 21, 2013

Thank you to all of our awesome market customers, friends and family

 for a great day yesterday.

 Hope you enjoyed our Summer Antipasto Bruschetta Special : )

See you at the market!

Love, Katie

KPK Roasted Roma Bruschetta THIS WEEKEND!

Oven roasted Roma tomatoes, bursting with intense flavor that comes from sloooooooow concentration. These beauties are combined with cool, creamy Ricotta cheese and freshly torn basil on our crusty, olive-oil brushed, garlic-rubbed, ciabatta bread. We'll add some delectable hot Capicola if you like : ) ~ One of our most requested specials! Stop by and see us this Sunday, June 30th from 10:00 am til' 2:00 pm at the Frankfort Country Market.

SSSHHHhhhhhhh, TOP SECRET

KPK VIPs: ask for KPK Gourmet Pecan Shortbread Cookies (with lots of Ghirardelli CHOCOLATE) - we're keepin' em' cool in the truck - in limited quantities for those "in-the-know".

We may have a few other treats up our sleeves too. Can't wait to see you. Rain or shine!


See you at the market!    Love, Katie

KPK At The Market 2013

BIG HUGS AND MANY THANKS to all of our wonderful family members (actual family, extended family, farmers market family, friends family, work family, walking family and more) who came out in support of KPK's first day at the 2013 Frankfort Country Market in beautiful Frankfort, Illinois. Thank you for sharing Father's Day with us and stopping by for a Fried Asparagus Bruschetta Special, an Herb Infused Lemonade Iced Tea or the KPK TRIO. We had a blast and were very touched and excited to FEEL THE LOVE : )

Looking forward to our next day at the market . . . Sunday, June 30th. If you can't make it, come on out the following weekend on Sunday, July 7th! We'll let you know about our seasonal specials and we're baking some extra COOKIES too!

Stay posted with KPK right here (or on our Facebook page) for more updates.

Thank you everyone!

Love,  Katie

Blog Jilt

My blog feels jilted. The guilt is overbearing, LOL. Lots of cooking and not much writing. Will catch up soon. I cannot wait to share some recipes, tips and ideas with you. Gearing up for the market this week. Hope to see y'all in Frankfort next Sunday, June 16, 2013 from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. Love, Katie 

Here's what's been cookin' in KPK lately . . .

Roasted Beet & Orange Salad with Fresh Mint Leaves, Feta & Pistachios

Mediterranean Style Creamy Hummus with Parsley Oil, Lemon & Toasted Pignoli

Black & White Chocolate Pecan Shortbread Cookies

Umbrian Style Onion Soup with Pancetta, Tomatoes, Fresh Parsley & Eggs

Spring Fava Beans

Fuzzy Fava Interiors

Roasted Eggplant for Polpette di Melanzane (Fried Eggplant Balls)

Cooling Grains for Taboulleh (pictured here Barley, Quinoa & Millet)

Moroccan Style Carrot Salad with Sheep's Milk Feta, Raisins & Fresh Parsley

Oozing, boiling hot pan of  Pecan Caramel Bars . . . eventually cooled and dipped in Ghirardelli Chocolate, oh my

Pecan Shortbread, Chia Flowers and Macadamia Chocolate Cookies

Polpette di Melanzane (Fried Eggplant Balls) 

KPK At The Market ~ Summer 2013

KATIE'S PASSION KITCHEN will be returning to the Frankfort Country Market in beautiful, historic downtown Frankfort, Illinois this summer on alternating Sundays. Mark your calendar for the above dates and bring your appetite to our "KPK At The Market" BRUSCHETTA BAR. We are bringing back last summer's favorite seasonal bruschetta, gourmet cookies and some new flavors for 2013. We are so excited to be back in Frankfort and looking forward to a fun and delicious summer with all of our market customers. Last year was a blast and we can't wait to see you starting June 16th!

Stop by for a

 KPK Fresh Herb Infused Lemonade Iced Tea

 and say hi!...

Love, Katie

Pineapple Cheeseball

OK. I am pretty sure that cheeseballs are out. I personally happen to know some cheeseballs that are whacked out. This particular cheeseball is way in. Here’s a totally retro recipe that you can adjust to your liking and have fun decorating. I bet you either have this recipe, ate it, made it, or your mom or grandma or next door neighbor has it, etc. It’s been around for a long time. Just like this author.

Delicious.  Easy.  Adorable. I know it’s fattening, but you don’t have to eat the whole thing and it’s for a party, right? The pecans help add goodness like antioxidants and vitamin E and monounsaturated fatty acids and fiber. That’s how you can justify eating the cheese which contains a mere 80 fat calories for every 100 calories per serving, LOL. Mere. 

Lately, we have been enjoying some sweet and juicy pineapples which apparently triggered the KPK spontaneous need to “theme-up” a lunch and search for all things pineapple. KPK NOTE: Peak pineapple season is March thru July FYI.  So, whilst googling around for pineapple recipes, I happened across a few of these adorable pineapple “cheeseballs” even though I wasn’t looking for dip recipes. So this cutey pops up in a few places on the web,  including, of course, Pinterest. Which means, btw, that this pretty appetizer is gonna be popping up all over the potluck / party circuit. This is my first. Loved it. Sharing it. I did read many versions of pineapple cheese spread recipes and there are many with these very same ingredients with few changes. Make it as shown or vary it according to your personal tastebuds.

Bring it to YOUR next potluck, book club or office party. Everyone will love it AND you, ya cheeseball!

Pineapple "Cheeseball"

2 - 8 ounce packages of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened

1/4 cup of finely chopped bell pepper (I like red and green)

2 tablespoons of finely chopped onion (I like sweet onion)

1 - 15 ounce can of crushed pineapple, well drained OR about 1 cup of fresh, finely chopped pineapple, well drained

1 cup of finely chopped toasted pecans*

1  teaspoon of seasoned salt (or more, to taste)

Whole toasted pecans* for decorating

1 attractive pineapple top (not to discriminate)

Easy cheesy directions:

Mix all of the ingredients, except for the last two, duh. Chill in the fridge. Mound onto a serving platter in the shape of a pineapple (as shown). Place and lightly press the toasted pecans onto the mound of cheese as shown. If you're like me, eat one, place one, eat one, place one, and so on. It's so fast. Add the pineapple top. You're done. Serve with crackers (another duh, sorry). I recommend making the cheese spread the night before and then assembling your pineapple before your party. Here's one of my favorite pineapple tricks that I learned long ago from my friend Tammy and her daughter, Meghan: Twist off the top!!!!!! That's it! Grab your pineapple and simply twist off the top, as you would a jar lid. It twists right off! Isn't that cool? Here's another picture to help illustrate the mound of cheese, the placement of the pecans and the twisted off pineapple top, before full assembly.

Another tip for you: Start at the bottom. See? I do this stuff FOR YOU so that you don't have to think about the details. Just enjoy the fruits of my labor. In this case, the pineapple. 

*Toast your pecans whole in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Cool completely. They will be so much more flavorful than NOT toasting. Trust me. No question about toasting vs. non-toasting when it comes to nuts. Do a taste test and you'll agree.

KPK Interesting Pineapple Fact: If you eat a lot of pineapple, you'll taste sweeter. Ponder that, my friends.

Love and Pineapple Passion,

Katie

Oh, and btw, I understand that you can find this recipe in 50 words or less elsewhere on the web, but where else can you get all of this deep pineapple hodgepodge? 

Uh oh, I can't stop. One more thing you need to know . . . During the winter holidays, use whole toasted almonds (don't talk to me if you don't toast them), and make smaller cheeseballs, shaped like PINECONES!  I know, right? You are soooo welcome! 

Recipe Update Bulletin: I just modified the recipe, changing the amount of canned pineapple from 1 8 oz. can to 1 15 oz. can. Reason: More pineapple is better. Period. Now that I've made a few of these, let me give you some KPK insight: For the seasoned salt, try using Essence of Emeril (the original) and then add a generous shake of ground cayenne pepper. The spread is even more delicious after you chill it overnight. I upped the amount of pineapple because 1 cup of finely chopped fresh pineapple (drained) is equivalent to 1 15 oz. can of crushed pineapple (drained). After all, you're presenting it in the shape of a pineapple, right? The pineapple flavor should be pronounced. Using fresh pineapple brings really optimum flavor but it's delicious with canned as well. There you have it. All secrets revealed. OK. Go make one now and don't blame me if you don't toast your pecans, skimp on your pineapple or omit the onion or something. LOL. Enjoy! P.S. The cayenne adds a nice amount of heat that is not overpowering and it does kick it up just perfectly. And. . .enjoy this beautiful spring weather! Ta Ta!