Kalamata Olive Bread with Gorg & Walnuts

Kalamata Olive Bread with Gorg & Walnuts

Monday, December 10, 2012

Knee Deep in Cookies, Birds, Glitter & Frou Frou








To anyone who's enjoying KPK cookies (visually or otherwise), please feel free to stop by and throw out the dead mums that are still on my front porch. Much love and holiday cheer to all! : ) LOL,

Long Love & Short Bread, Katie
Happy Holidays 2012
I'll get back to you sometime soon : )

Monday, November 12, 2012

Piri Piri Query

Piri Piri Vegetable Bean Soup with Brown Basmati Rice
I am now in love with Piri Piri. I made this killer pot of soup last night with a Piri Piri blend that was given to me by my friend, Joann who purchased the precious farrago of flavor from the Dual Specialty Store, a spice shop in New York City. Keep in mind that she was in NYC several MONTHS ago and FINALLY brought me my spices after much textual harassment like  . . . " . . . bring me my  #%*$&#!  ALEPPO PEPPER NOW!!!!! . . . " I guess you had to be there. Joann's been toting these awesome spices and forgetting to give them to me for awhile. I told her that I was miffed because I had to sub paprika for aleppo pepper in a recent request for authentic Middle Eastern style lamb kebabs . Joann brought me three interesting blends. Honestly, I'm not usually into spice blends, but I'm SOLD on this mouthwatering Piri Piri concoction.  My other aromatic gifts include a trio of Aleppo/Halaby/Marash (which are all peppers, by the way) ~ a Syrian blend ~ AND a bag of golden wonder which brings pure joy to my accessory olfactory system (i.e., makes my schnozz as happy as a pig in doodoo), the Vadouvan Spice Blend. This blend includes cardamom, cumin, clove, fenugreek, nutmeg, mustard, turmeric, curry leaf and red pepper flakes. I cannot wait to try these blends!

Back to the Piri Piri blend. First of all, piri piri (or peri peri) is pepper pepper in Swahili. You can read up on the origins back to Portugal and so on, but basically, it's the delicious African Bird's Eye Chili (pepper). This particular blend exudes the amazing flavors of South Africa . . . paprika, black pepper, ginger, garlic, onion, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, turmeric, sesame, oregano, cardamom, nutmeg and mace. I KID YOU NOT, I added this blend to a pot of soup and I was instantly hooked! It was love at first waft, not to mention first slurp. I was making a pot of what my brother Lou calls "Got-To-Go" Soup, meaning, everything's got to go (like whatever's in the fridge and whatever else that's in the pantry or on the shelf that needs to be consumed while it's still fresh). I had a hankering for a great bowl of soup yesterday.

So, I started with a little bit of olive oil in the bottom of my favorite soup pot. I added sliced shallots (about 4 large) that I had from the farmer's market. They were beautiful. I added one medium, roughly chopped sweet onion, a large sliced carrot, a few bay leaves and about a quarter of a head of purple (red) cabbage, thinly sliced. After letting everything cook with a bit of kosher salt, pepper and cayenne, I added one large can of whole tomatoes, with their juice, crushed by hand, one 48 ounce box of Swanson 100% fat free chicken broth, one 32 ounce box of Swanson Organic Vegetable broth, a few new yellow potatoes, cut into large cubes (unpeeled) and about a heaping 1/2 cup of brown Basmati rice. Remember, this soup was all about what I had on hand. I love cooking "off the shelf".  I also added about 1/2 can of water (to rinse out the tomato can). This is when I decided to go for it with the Piri Piri blend. On one hand, I was worried about "ruining" a whole pot of soup with an unknown outcome. On the other hand, I was ready to try something new. So, I added about a heaping teaspoon of the delectable mix. It smelled fabulous and the broth tasted fabulous, like immediately! I let the soup come to a boil and let it continue to boil (or high simmer) until the rice and potatoes were tender. This actually took 20-30 minutes, I think, for the rice to really cook. During this time, I tasted the soup several times because I LOVED the flavor. I adjusted the salt and added more cayenne pepper and black pepper. It tasted so delicious, I added about another heaping teaspoon of the Piri Piri blend. The last thing I added was one can of rinsed and drained cannelini beans and one can of rinsed and drained black beans. I usually add canned beans to soups last since they are already cooked. They just need to heat through. Once the rice was tender, the soup had thickened nicely from the rice and potatoes and the beans made the soup even more filling and healthy. I CANNOT wait to experiment further with these incredibly fragrant and flavorful spices. I want to make another pot of soup now but I may try something else like Piri Piri Grilled Chicken or something. I know this will be an addiction. OK. Don't tell anyone but I actually ate like 4 bowls of soup. They were small. Not. It was impossible to stop. That happens.

So, here's the moral of the story. Try something new today or this weekend when you have a chance to cook from scratch. Changing up your spices can transport you to a different country with a shake. You can go to the Far East, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, India, South America, or in this case, South Africa, in a pinch! (or a teaspoon) : ) --------- xo

Heat up your life - and your soup,

Love,

Katie

This just in: After I published this post, I was back in KPK concocting another simmering pot of exotica using the Vadouvan spice blend, fresh spinach, multi-colored organic quinoa and chick peas. OMG I can't wait to tell you about it . . . when I get back from Pondicherry. PEACE!


Saturday, November 3, 2012

Salad Sublimity

 Marinated Haricots Verts and Roasted Tomato Caprese
I know what you're probably thinking. Is "sublimity" a word? Ha! YES. Don't you like the title "Salad Sublimity" much better than "Sublime Salads"? Anyhoo, let's discuss Salad Creativity. Salad Inventiveness. Salad Happiness. Salad Satisfaction. Salad-Outside-The-Box, Salad Love, if you will. What constitutes a salad? The ubercoolness of salads is that it DOESN'T MATTER ! ! ! They're so non-committal. So free-wheelin'. So all-over-the-board. When you go home tonight and you KNOW you need to be eating something GREEN, please think of something other than iceberg lettuce and an under-ripe, mealy pink tomato with some bottled dressing that has too many ingredients . . . like xanthan gum, for example. I know that stuff's in a lot of things from salad dressings to medicines to friggin' drilling mud to concrete (really!) and I understand that it's a USDA approved food additive, but, if you want viscosity, use your dang whisk! Nuff Sed. OK. Gettin' back down off that high horse.
Warm Gnocchi & Broccoli Salad with Spinach and Tomato
Roasted Turkey Breast Salad
with lots of vegetables and
homemade ranch dressing
Be creative tonight. Think about all of the things that you might have on hand to lead you up the path to "Salad Sublimity". Peas in the freezer. Cannelini beans in the pantry. Interesting cheese in the fridge. Onions in the bin. Maybe a few potatoes somewhere. Eggs? Carrots? Mushrooms? Celery? Apples? Pears? Beets? Nuts? Berries? Herbs? Cabbage? Lettuce? You get the picture. If poached chicken with mayo is a salad, and apple chunks with strawberries is a salad, if tuna, onions and mayo are a salad, if "macaroni" and Miracle Whip is a salad, if apples, peanuts and Cool Whip are a salad, etc., ANYTHING can be a salad! You are the creator! The architect! The Salad Queen or King! Think about the flavors you love. Consider combining cooked vegetables with raw vegetables. Cooked protein (like chicken or fish or eggs) with raw vegetables and/or cooked vegetables. Think about textures. Crispy. Crunchy. Velvety smooth. Hard. Soft. Chewy. Think about sweet, savory, tart, salty. Hot. Cold. Room temperature.
Roasted Beets and Pink Grapefruit Salad




After being forever influenced by the book "Fit For Life"about 20 years ago, I am always thinking about the proper combining of foods, according to Harvey & Marilyn Diamond. They're vegetarians, right? Among a lot of other stuff, they advocate something like a diet that consists of 70% high water content foods. To me, that's raw fruits and vegetables. They also explained their theory about the importance of not eating starches and proteins in the same meal, having to do with slowing your digestion and zapping your energy and so on. I'm just going by my memory and my personal interpretation of the book. Wow, talk about the condensed version. What I walked away with was this "forget traditional sandwiches" idea and goodbye to meat and bread at the same meal. Say no to meat and potatoes (at the same time). Then, my choice was always like . . . do I want to eat meat or bread with my salad????? Of course, bread always won and still wins. I love bread. I gave it up for Lent once. That won't happen again.
Traditional Greek Salad with "Pop's" Homegrown Oregano
Now, think of the amazing salad options! After reading that book, one of my absolute favorite salads became the KPK (B4 KPK) Fried Potato Salad. OMG. I haven't made it in awhile. Imagine your favorite greens. Romaine is what I was into at that time, I believe. Slices of sweet onion. Sliced potatoes, fried in olive oil and sprinkled with kosher salt, crushed red pepper flakes and freshly ground black pepper. Pile the hot crusty potatoes onto the greens and onions. Top with homemade ranch or blue cheese dressing. More freshly ground black pepper. Ridiculously good. I know what you're thinkin' again! Don't judge. We all know that the dressing is fattening, but if it's homemade, it's definitely better for you than the mass-produced, processed, gummier stuff. You can make a killer dressing with fat free Greek yogurt, buttermilk (which is LOW FAT, my friends), lots of fresh herbs, a bit of white balsamic vinegar, kosher salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Obviously, if you add some sour cream and some mayonnaise, it will be even more fantabulous, just more fattening! My KPK logic is that if you're eating a huge pile of GREEN, you can get away with the stuff that's NOT GREEN! I know it's wrong, but too bad, too sad. If you have leftover baked potatoes, make this salad by slicing them and frying them in olive oil. Mmmmmm. Oh, bummer. I have no pictures of the Fried Potato Salad. Guess I'll have to make one and resist it long enough to snap a few good shots.
Cherry Tomato and Onion Salad with Polpette di Zucchini

Lately, I'm on a kick with steaming vegetables like carrots, green beans and new potatoes separately, dressing them and then piling them  on platters with raw vegetables like red cabbage, fresh spinach, avocado slices, tomatoes and more. The KEY is that you dress each vegetable separately so that everything is delicious and flavorful on its own. Whether it's simply oil and vinegar or lemon juice & herbs, dress them first. When you pile everything separately rather than mixing it all together, your salad will have much more eye appeal and make a striking and naturally beautiful presentation. No need for a curly parsley garnish here, that's for sure!

Isn't nature magnificent? 

COLOR YOUR DIET. EAT A GREAT SALAD EVERY DAY. 
 A KPK Signature "VIBRANT" Salad

LOVE, KATIE

Wow, that was a long post, Katie, haha ~ lqtm. Seriously, I have way too much more to write here about salads. It's another passion problem . . . but, it's 2:12 am (hey, 2/12, that's my birthday) and it's time (way past time) to hit the K P Pillow. Night foodies  : ) ~ Colorful dreams . . . . .

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Making KPK Te de Canela

Making KPK Te de Canela for a crowd.  Grab your biggest pot. I use a 16 quart Farberware. One of my faves. Fill it almost to the top with cold water. Toss in a huge bunch (a few handfuls) of fresh basil, about 2 1/2 cups of sugar (I use organic) and 20-25 Mexican cinnamon sticks. Canela! You can find Canela in most grocery stores in the aisle with the bags of dried peppers and other spices; this is usually in the ethnic aisle or the Hispanic aisle of aromatics! Inexpensive, large cinnamon sticks that don't even smell like cinnamon when you rip open the bag (?) I was shocked because there was no aroma wafting under my nose like you would expect when you open a bag of "ordinary" cinnamon. It actually smelled kind of like dill. I was like, huh? Then I was like WT? JK. I think the canela is much more mild and mellow for tea. Slightly citrusy even.The flavor AND the AROMA blossom after boiling the sticks in water and then steeping. I love this tea. I especially love it with a nice big squirt of fresh lime. We serve this at the market with a fresh squeeze and then we throw in the scrunched lime wedge along with a fresh basil leaf. The lime adds a nice fresh and tart twang to the sweeter, heavier flavor of cinnamon. So, back to what you need to do. Stir the pot (I happen to know some pot-stirrers). Bring to a boil. Reduce to a low boil/high simmer for about 20 minutes or until the cinnamon sticks unroll and the tea becomes a nice dark amber color. All of the basil will be wilted. Let cool, strain and reheat later or strain into a cup right away, add lime (or lemon) if you wish (and/or honey would be great if it's not too sweet). Enjoy. For me, one delicious cup delivered not only a lovely treat, but a full-blown mock-hormonal hot flash. Hey, I don't make this _ _ _ _ up. Have a fab day today and once it gets a bit colder out there, indulge in some Te de Canela. We promise our customers at the market that it will be sure to warm their cockles. I know. I overuse that word.

Notes: If you don't like sugar. Go without. I like it. : ) - or use less . . .

Also: I have made this tea with fresh mint, but I like the basil betta! P.S. This was inspired by a phone call from Franki telling me that he was having a cup of wonderful tea that one of the cooks threw together at Fio's while working in the kitchen. I tried it with ordinary cinnamon and I think I made it a bit too strong. After a speedy Google-fied hot cinnamon tea research blast, I found my way to the Mexican Canela at the grocery store. And she lived happily ever after.

Oh, also, I have done much cinnamon research in the past after being intrigued by a Fine Cooking article which had me taste-testing and baking with Chinese vs. Indonesian vs. Viet Namese Cassia Cinnamons. Too much to talk about here. Let's just say it turned me into kind of a Cinnamon snob-freak for a moment of time. Someday, I can bake you a batch of Espresso & Chocolate Mini Chip Cookies with Chinese Cassia Cinnamon (I think I like long names). They rock. Really, they do.

OK. I'm done.

Cinnamon Love to All, um, I meant . . .
Canela Amor to All, (don't hate me cuz I'm bilingual)

Katie



Tuesday, October 9, 2012

In The Soup Loop

Making Peruvian Vegetable Soup

I LOVE SOUP SEASON. Get geared up for making flavorful, healthful and beautiful soups for lunch, for dinner, or a cozy late night "snack". There are so many great soups out there and still so many I've yet to discover. If you stock a few staples (what? not those staples, silly), you can make soup in a snap anytime. It's so easy and it's so delicious! Today, I'm going to share an easy and wonderful soup recipe that's quick, versatile and sure to satisfy. This Spinach and Rice Soup is going to quickly become one of your favorite dishes. Promise. Before the recipe though, I'd like to share with you a few tips to help you cook "off the shelf". Everyone will think you're a soup afficianado and you'll earn tons of respect from your friends who simply aren't "In The Soup Loop". As you know, I just want to make you look good. So, I just spent a bunch of time thinking of all of the things that are important to have on hand..... stuff that I have in KPK at all times. While I was typing away on the keyboard, I had a flashback that told me that I wrote about this in the past. BINGO! Here's the link to my "Soup Scoop" article which contains a great list of items to stock up on so that you're ready to make a fab pot of soup when the urge strikes! That link also features a ridiculously SIMPLE and DELICIOUS recipe for another all-time favorite soup . . . Potato & Arugula. You'll love it. When you're finished reading there, simply click on the "back" button and come back to finish reading THIS article!

Try this when you have 15 minutes!

Spinach & Rice Soup
Spinach & Rice Soup
I added just one carrot and one potato to the recipe here

1 10-ounce bag of fresh spinach (I love DeJong's Spinach for use in soups because it doesn't wimp out, plus they grow it right in our backyard - what a bonus!)
3 tablespoons of olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of your pot)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped finely, minced, grated or crushed (how's that for options?)
1 small fresh red chile, seeded and minced (or some red pepper flakes ~ no prob)
heaping 1/2 cup of risotto rice (either Arborio, Carnaroli or Vialone Nano )
1 1/2 quarts of either vegetable broth or chicken broth (your choice ~ see how easy this is : ) ~ a 48 oz. box of Swanson 100% fat free chicken broth is perfect
S & P (aka kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper)
Freshly grated Pecorino Romano for serving, if you have it on hand . . . if not,  it's still great  : )

OK - Let's keep this as simple as possible. Prep first. Wash and dry the spinach unless it's already washed. Peel and chop the onion. Peel and finely chop or mince the garlic. Prep the chile, if using. OK. That's done. Now, heat the oil over medium heat in a nice pot. Add the onion, garlic and chile. Cook for about 5 minutes until tender. Stir in the rice and coat well with the onions, garlic and oil. Pour in the stock. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, uncovered. While the soup is simmering, coarsely chop the spinach if it's the hearty, thicker spinach (I just cut it quickly into ribbons by piling it up and running the knife through it a few times. If you're using tender baby spinach - there's no need for chopping). The rice should be nearly done now. Add the spinach and cook about 5 more minutes until tender. Check for seasoning. This means add salt & pepper to please your palate. Now, I challenge you to eat the whole pot. I bet I could. Serve with grated cheese if you like. Or not.  Also, a few notes, you can use HALF the amount of spinach if you want, you could add a grated or finely chopped carrot if you like, you can add a cubed potato, if you like........ Make it your OWN. It's just a great, simple, soup and you can monkey with it, cool?

Below is a shot of a bowl of Chick Pea, Potato & Spinach Soup that was our first soup of the fall season at the Frankfort Country Market (just a few days ago on October 7th). A spicy and delicious vegetarian soup that is now an official member of the KPK soup repertoire. Freshly ground coriander and cumin add amazing aroma and flavor while cream and tahini add thick and glossy richness. I found the recipe in a book entitled "The Soup Bible" which Mark gifted to me over 10 years ago; I came across it while in search of a recipe for a classic Indian soup, Mulligatawny. Right! The one made famous by the Soup Nazi on Seinfeld. Click here for a few laughs.



Chick Pea, Potato & Spinach Soup... with Indian spices 
The photo at the beginning of this post was taken while prepping for a  Peruvian Vegetable Soup which was inspired by my dear friend, Uma, who described it to me after enjoying it in many restaurants on a recent trip to Peru. Her enthusiastic description of this aromatic and healthy soup prompted me to try it out and I was so pleased that I did. Extremely healthy quinoa, a variety of vegetables like green beans, onion, squash and zucchini, flavored with freshly grated ginger, cumin and hot chile pepper. Served with fresh cilantro, some diced onion and a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime. Fabulous. I'll have to make it again, keep track of the ingredients and post it here on the KPK blog for you. First, I'll need to get Uma's thumbs-up blessing on the flavor and authenticity.
Starting a pot of  Chanterelle & Barley Soup

Eat some soup and warm YOUR cockles,

Love,

Katie

I'll be posting more great and easy soup recipes as I make them, photograph them and eat them all!

Saturday, September 29, 2012

KPK At The Market, Sunday, September 30th

SPECIALS FOR SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30TH AT THE MARKET

GRILLED EGGPLANT with SHEEP'S MILK FETA & FRESH BASIL 
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!

PECAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES plus our KPK "Chia Flowers" and the KPK "5G" will all be available for sale this Sunday, September 30, 2012 from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
at the FRANKFORT COUNTRY MARKET in historic downtown Frankort, IL

Saturday, August 25, 2012

KPK Special for August 26, 2012

How about a fried organic egg and a slice of a red, juicy summer tomato with a little freshly made basil mayonnaise on top of some grilled and crusty, garlic-rubbed ciabatta?    YES! Just like sittin' in the kitchen. Stop by for a taste of summer in the kitchen.
KATIE'S PASSION KITCHEN
 "KPK At The Market Bruschetta Bar"
 serving from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm, tomorrow,
 Sunday, August 26th
 at the Frankfort Country Market.
 Be our guest for a KPK favorite and a little love. 

Saturday, August 18, 2012

KPK At The Market Avocado & Garden Tomato Bruschetta

Juicy, ripe garden tomatoes and creamy avocado slices are tossed together with freshly squeezed lemon juice, olive oil, sheep's milk feta cheese, thinly sliced red onion and fresh basil. This is kind of like a deconstructed, international guacamole served on a chunk of crusty, olive-oiled, garlic-rubbed, grilled ciabatta bread. It's definitely a favorite in KPK. Come out to the Frankfort Farmer's Market for a big juicy bite.

Also on sale this weekend are the soon-to-be-famous KPK 5G Cookies ! ! ! These svelte, crispy cookies are made with WHOLE grains like wheat, oats, rye, barley, triticale and even flaxseed! The original 5G includes dried tart and chewy cherries. Two new cookies this week are the KPK 5G with Pistachios & Cherries PLUS the KPK 5G with Chinese Cassia Cinnamon, toasted Pecans & Chocolate. Try them all and bump up your fiber while you enjoy some satisfying grindage. LOL. We love these cookies. : )

Our popular Chia Flowers will be available this weekend also, in limited quantity. Hurry there!

Come out and see us at the Frankfort Country Market, every Sunday from 10:00 am til' 2:00 pm. We love to feed you : )

Keepin' it Fresh & Keepin' it Fun ~

KPK At The Market

Love, Katie

The Frankfort Country Market is held every Sunday thru October from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm, rain or shine. Located in historic downtown Frankfort, Illinois, just southwest of the intersection of Rte. 30 and Rte. 45 (La Grange Road).

Saturday, August 4, 2012

KPK Special for August 5, 2012

CLASSIC CAPRESE Bruschetta!

Juicy ripe tomatoes, beautiful whole basil leaves, fresh, creamy mozzarella. What the heck else can you ask for? Oh, a little hot Capicola, you say? We've got the "hot-cop" for anyone who's interested. We are serving these summertime flavors on our crusty, olive-oiled, garlic-rubbed, grilled ciabatta bread tomorrow, Sunday, August 5th at the Frankfort Country Market. 

Savor the flavors of summer with KPK At The Market.

Also, I'd like to say Happy Birthday to my niece, Stephanie, aka "Sleepy Boo". Thanks for sacrificing sleep and late Saturday nights for your Auntie K!  Love you Boo.

Come out to Frankfort for some delicious summer juiciness : ) & say Happy Birthday to Steffi! 10:00 am - 2:00 pm in historic downtown Frankfort..... We are at the far end of the "new lot" . .  aka the VIP lot.

Summer Love,

Katie

P.S. Big hugs to WAYNE for saving the day. Great tomatoes!!!

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Radicchio & Garbanzo Salad

Radicchio and Garbanzo Salad

New fave. Made from what I had on hand last night. Super fresh tasting. Filling. A little sweet. A little hot. This will liven up your buds. Try it tonight!




Ingredients:

Red Onion - about half of a medium onion, thinly sliced
Radicchio - one head, cleaned, trimmed, sliced thinly
Red Jalapeno - about half of a pepper, thinly sliced (more or less depending upon your hot pepper love) ~ I cut each slice in half and used the seeds too . . .
Garbanzo Beans - one can, rinsed and drained
Fresh Basil - a large handful, stems removed, gently sliced into large pieces - or . . . whole small leaves
Tomato - one medium, cut into bite sized chunks (or cherry tomatoes, halved)
Gorgonzola - a handful of crumbled Gorg
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Olive Oil
White Balsamic Vinegar

This just happens to be one of those combinations that really pops! You know the little dishes of sweet-hot vegetables you get at the Thai restaurant? Little shreds of cabbage and carrots with sliced onion and jalapeno? That's kind of what this reminds me of . . . The basil and the white balsamic vinegar give it the sweetness. The garbanzos add heft and make it really filling. The jalapeno adds that super zippy and flavorful BAM! Onions, I love.  The cheese gives it a little creamy bite now and then but it would be just as delicious straight-up vegan without the cheese. If you are a cheese person, feta or farmer's cheese would be great too.  I went about 50/50 on the oil and vinegar because I think the vinegar really keeps this salad tasting lively. You can add your own twist and enjoy. With these types of ingredients, how can you go wrong?

Have fun with your salads and remember to "eat the rainbow" for great nutrition. Color your diet today.

Garbanzo Beans: Great for you! High in dietary fiber, manganese, folate and iron . . . You need these little guys in your diet! They're filling and delicious. aka Chick peas, Ceci beans . . . Hummus anyone?

Radicchio: Low in calories, rich with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and fiber . . . Eat some NOW!

Enjoy the Colorful Summer,

Katie

Saturday, June 30, 2012

KPK At The Market NEWSFLASH

KPK At The Market NEWSFLASH!

This Sunday, July 1, 2012


Tonno e Fagioli Special 

Tuscan style tuna and cannelini bean salad with raddichio, red onion, fresh basil and tomato in a light, summery, vinegar and oil dressing. Served piled high on crusty, grilled and rubbed ciabatta, of course! You MUST try one!



KPK can now take your credit card with Square!

Low on cash? Not a prob. Swipe it : ) !











Chia Flowers 4 Sale 


Gourmet pecan and chia seed shortbread cookies are buttery, tender and crisp and make you feel better about having your cookies and eating them too!  Perfect with tea, coffee, milk or Silk!












If you need a Gluten-Free Bruschetta option, read this!



We've got your back. KPK At The Market is now offering a delicious bruschetta option for our special customers. We will prepare fresh and healthful bruschetta on "oiled, grilled and rubbed" gluten-free bread, just for you. Just ask. We'll hook it up, hot off the grill. Really delicious!


See you at the market!


Katie & The KPK Mojo Crew


The Frankfort Country Market is held every Sunday thru October from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm, RAIN or SHINE. Come out and see us in historic downtown Frankfort. We're in the "new lot" cuz we're newbies.  : )


Wednesday, June 27, 2012

KPK At The Market ~ Grilled Eggplant Special & THANK YOU!

Here's a shot of last Sunday's Grilled Eggplant Special. Hey, who doesn't love melanzane? This bruschetta featured grilled eggplant slices, cut up just a bit, lovingly piled onto oiled, grilled, garlic-rubbed ciabatta, and finally topped with fresh basil and sheep's milk feta cheese.

THANK YOU SO MUCH
TO EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT TO SEE US ON SUNDAY (AND/OR ANY PREVIOUS SUNDAY) AND TO ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS WHO ARE DIGGIN' OUR BRUSCHETTA! WE LOVE FEEDING YOU!


THIS WEEKEND, CHIA FLOWERS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR SALE, AS WELL AS OUR FEATURED DRINKS, THE WHITE GRAPE LIME COOLER AND our SUPER POPULAR HERB-INFUSED LEMONADE TEA. 



SEE YOU AT THE MARKET!


THE FRANKFORT COUNTRY MARKET IS OPEN EVERY SUNDAY FROM 10:00 am - 2:00 pm, RAIN OR SHINE. Take a drive to historic downtown Frankfort this Sunday : ).
Love, Katie  . . . and . . . thanks again!  

Friday, June 8, 2012

KPK Chia Flowers and More !

NEW! KPK Chia Flowers this Sunday, June 10, 2012 at the Frankfort Country Market. Buttery and crisp shortbread cookies with toasted pecans and organic chia seeds. Get your cookie fix AND your fiber! This weekend's menu will again feature a lovely seasonal special . . . fried asparagus bruschetta. We're making a lot more this weekend! Our standard bruschetta items will be served along with  a new refreshing "mocktail", the White Grape Lime Cooler. The popular Herb Infused Lemonade Tea remains available, fresh edible orchid and all! Take a peek here below . . . and, we'll see you at the market!




WHITE GRAPE LIME COOLER

. . . a Kamikaze Flashback . . .


The Frankfort Country Market is held every Sunday thru October from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm, rain or shine. Take a ride to historic downtown Frankfort.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

KPK Biscotti LOVE

Gourmet Biscotti now available at "KPK At The Market" 

These premium quality cookies are now available for purchase! Made with the finest quality ingredients like whole toasted almonds and walnuts, Grand Marnier and Nocello liqueurs with fresh orange zest and cocoa . . . these crisp cookies are begging to be dunked. Coffee, tea, milk, anyone? 

Come and see us this Sunday at the Frankfort Country Market in historic downtown Frankfort. We're looking forward to serving you!

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Zucchini Ribbon Salad

Here's a pretty and delicious salad that you can make while your grill is heating up this summer. Only a few ingredients and all you'll need is a vegetable peeler (or a mandoline). Try it and then add a few tweaks if you like and make it your own! Just say YES to colorful food : ) . . . 

Zucchini Ribbon Salad

3 small zucchini, washed & dried, ends removed
Parmigiano Reggiano, shaved - see below
dried oregano - a generous two pinches, rubbed
olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 small or medium ripe tomato, washed, dried, thinly sliced

Slice the zucchini lengthwise, using a vegetable peeler. You'll get the hang of it after a few slices. Place slices into a bowl as you slice. Add shards of Parm by slicing into the bowl, also using a vegetable peeler. Add a generous drizzle of olive oil and dried oregano to taste. Rub the oregano as you add it to release the flavor. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Allow to mingle for at least 15 - 30 minutes. You will see transformation take place. The zucchini will release water. The cheese will become kind of hydrated from the juices of the zucchini liquid and the oil. The oregano, salt and pepper season everything nicely. It's a mildly flavored salad that allows the zucchini to shine. Once you can see the difference in your salad . . . the slices of zucchini become more pliable and look more like ribbons instead of stiff slices and there's more liquid in the bowl.......then, add your thin slices of tomato and toss gently. Transfer to another bowl, leaving the juices behind, if you like. There will be quite a bit of liquid. If you're like us, take a sec to dunk some bread in bowl #1 and sop up the flavors! Enjoy! I'm sure this delicious salad is going to end up topping some crusty grilled ciabatta bread at "KPK At The Market's Bruschetta Bar" when zucchini is abundanza later this summer!

Ribbon Love,

Katie

Thursday, May 24, 2012

KPK At The Market May 27th


PEPPERS ARE BACK !

KPK At the Market Menu for Sunday, May 27th


This weekend's Bruschetta Bar menu will still include the Classic Tomato & Basil Bruschetta, the Baby Bella & Gorgonzola Bruschetta and returning from one week off: the Sweet Pepper Tangle Bruschetta, back by request.
See You At The Market!

We will also have lots of refreshing Herb Infused Lemonade Tea which we will be serving with a sprig of fresh mint or basil and an edible orchid . . . .  . . . . . or maybe a PANSY!

Frankfort Country Market is open every Sunday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm in historic downtown Frankfort, rain or shine. It's a great time!

Friday, May 18, 2012

KPK At The Market MENU - Sunday, May 20, 2012


KATIE’S PASSION KITCHEN 
  Bruschetta Bar!  
We serve these delicious open- 
face snacks on olive oil 
drizzled, garlic-rubbed, freshly 
grilled ciabatta bread 

FRESH TOMATO & BASIL 
FRESH RED & YELLOW GRAPE TOMATOES & 
FRESH BASIL in a lemony vinaigrette 

BABY BELLA & GORGONZOLA 
SLICED BABY BELLA MUSHROOMS marinated, 
sauteed and topped with crumbled gorgonzola 


 NEW! THIS WEEKEND
eggplant-3.pngGRILLED EGGPLANT 
GRILLED EGGPLANT topped with delectable 
sheep’s milk feta and fresh basil 

TRIO 
ONE OF EACH BRUSCHETTA (#1, #2 & #3) 
more variety/small bites~for those who want it all 

 $4.00 
 for each item on the menu

PLUS . . . DON'T MISS OUT ON THIS WEEKEND'S "COCKTAIL" SPECIAL . . . "WINE-NOT" RED SANGRIA, FRUITY, REFRESHING AND COMPLETELY LEGAL ~ SERVED WITH FRESH CITRUS & A SMILE : )


AND...WAIT, THERE'S MORE ! TRY A FRESH AND SWEET
"DOLCE DUO"
THIS WEEKEND. A FRESH BLUEBERRY BRUSCHETTA AND A FRESH STRAWBERRY BRUSCHETTA. EACH SERVED WITH ORGANIC SUGAR ON WARM & TOASTY BUTTERY GRILLED CIABATTA 

KPK At The Market 
SEE YOU AT THE FRANKFORT COUNTRY MARKET 
~ historic downtown Frankfort ~
katiespassionkitchen.blogspot.com

Mediterranean Fish Stew

Mediterranean Fish Stew
A KPK cross between Spanish style Cod and French Boullabaisse

Smoky Spanish Albondigas Soup

Smoky Spanish Albondigas Soup

Summer Vegetable Soup

Summer Vegetable Soup
aka "Got-To-Go" Soup, inspired by Louie

MORE 4 U

From here, you can continue scrolling down to check out some of my favorite dishes and KPK highlights.

For more posts (articles), recipes, stories and pictures, you can scroll up (in the right column under "What You Missed") and click on 2008, 2009 2010, 2011, 2012 or 2013. As of June, 2013, there are are total of 139 posts in KPK. You can spend more time here when you know where to look, right?! Another way to enjoy my kitchen is to click on any items of interest in the section entitled "Passion Posts", also up above in the right column.

Love, Katie ~ I am so glad you're here! Stay awhile!

Super Healthy Salad

Super Healthy Salad
. . . featuring Roasted Rutabagas (or Swede Turnips, if you wish)

Grilled Corn with Tarragon Cream

Grilled Corn with Tarragon Cream
Click on the image to link to a simple and lovely recipe at Fine Cooking

Cinnamon Pecan Katies

Cinnamon Pecan Katies
Yes I Did

Forbidden Rice Salad

Forbidden Rice Salad
Black "Forbidden Rice" from China is delicious and loaded with antioxidants

Pasta with Hot Pancetta, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Parmesan & Power Greens

Pasta with Hot Pancetta, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Parmesan & Power Greens

Indian Carrot Salad

Indian Carrot Salad

Fluffy Milk Chocolate Mini Cupcakes with Softly Whipped Cocoa Cream

Fluffy Milk Chocolate Mini Cupcakes with Softly Whipped Cocoa Cream

Asparagus & Mozzarella Frittata

Asparagus & Mozzarella Frittata

Grilled Eggplant is Layered Up for an Eggplant Gratin with Fresh Basil and 4 Cheeses

Grilled Eggplant is Layered Up for an Eggplant Gratin with Fresh Basil and 4 Cheeses

Oven Roasted Plum Tomatoes

Oven Roasted Plum Tomatoes

Oven Roasted Herb Butter Turkey Breast, Gemstone Potatoes & Buttery Peas

Oven Roasted Herb Butter Turkey Breast, Gemstone Potatoes & Buttery Peas

Egg Ribbon Salad with Pancetta & Shaved Parmesan

Egg Ribbon Salad with Pancetta & Shaved Parmesan

Fresh Strawberry Slices & Whole Raspberries tucked into cream cheese frosted vanilla cupcakes

Fresh Strawberry Slices & Whole Raspberries tucked into cream cheese frosted vanilla cupcakes

Bacon Wrapped Sea Scallops

Bacon Wrapped Sea Scallops
an outdoor grill regular at the crib

Smokin' Beets

Smokin' Beets

Roasted Beet & Potato Salad

Roasted Beet & Potato Salad

Rosemary Flatbread

Rosemary Flatbread

"Hola" from Mi Pueblo, San Jose, CA

"Hola" from Mi Pueblo, San Jose, CA

Rapini Frittata

Rapini Frittata

Healthy Portabella

Healthy Portabella

Italian Tuna & Cannellini Bean Salad with D'Amato's Focaccia

Italian Tuna & Cannellini Bean Salad with D'Amato's Focaccia

Fried Asparagus

Fried Asparagus

Day Off Breakfast

Day Off Breakfast
Boiled Eggs & Whole Grain Toast ~ Simple Pleasures are the BEST!

Last Minute Lentil Soup

Last Minute Lentil Soup
with carrots, celery, and a little kale . . . topped with a heap of conchigliette pasta and parmigiano reggiano

A Sampling of Christmas

A Sampling of Christmas
KPK Pecan Shortbread Cookies and Almond Cookies