Homemade Ricotta

You will never buy it again.

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

1 quart 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.

Fromage' Rock Stars: Click HERE for the printable version of this recipe.

With love, by the whey,

Katie

KATIE'S PASSION KITCHEN

What To Bake?

March 8, 2012 Update: My brother, Franki, laughingly asked me the other day, "Why is there a pile of potpourri in the middle of all of these cookie pictures?" I explained that I was having difficulty that day trying to properly caption all of the pictures that I had uploaded into this post. Blah blah blah. Long story short. I blew off the need for captions and simply posted the images. So, today, I feel the need to quickly list what's shown below, in order of appearance:

1) Coconut cherry thumbprint cookies, 2) Grand Marnier & Chocolate Biscotti (baked loaves, before slicing and re-baking) 3 & 4) Earl Grey shortbread cookies 5) whole Chai tea from Teavana (the potpourri, lol) before it was ground up into a powder in the coffee grinder - more specifically White Ayurvedic Chai and Samurai Chai Mate 6,7,8 & 9) Chai tea shortbread cookies, 10) toasted coconut and 11 & 12) Cashew & Chocolate Toasted Coconut cookies. There you have it. The reason for the "potpourri". Thank Franki. Love you !

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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

Ingredients, method and story forthcoming . . .

B4 We Go Vegan

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

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

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

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

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

Pecan & Fresh Herb Crusted Goat Cheese Salad

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.