Herb Blurb plus a Recipe for Green Pea Crostini with Prosciutto

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

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

Fresh Fruit Crisp - Easier Than Pie! Way Way!

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!

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!

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!

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

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

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'

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

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