Penne Porcini

My wonderful sister-in-law, Norma, recently called me to find out where to buy porcini mushrooms around here . . . . "Kath, you know the Penne Porcini at Cafe Borgia? . . . The recipe is on their website . . . http://www.cafeborgia.com/ and . . . it's really simple!" For any of you Chicago south suburbanites that have enjoyed the amazing Roman style fare at Cafe Borgia, formerly on Torrence Avenue in Lansing and now located in Munster, Indiana . . . you may have tried their luscious and creamy Penne Porcini. It's simply perfect. An intensely mushroomy, creamy, decadent sauce perfectly coats firm penne pasta in this mouth-watering, memorable dish.

The recipe on their site (shown below) calls for 8 ounces of porcini mushrooms (soaked in water). I would recommend using 2 to 3 ounces of dried porcini mushrooms. Toss them into a bowl and cover with boiling water or super hot tap water. Let them come to life while you're preparing for the rest of your meal, I'd say about 20 minutes or so. The reconstituted "shrooms" will probably weigh around 8 ounces.

Here's the recipe exactly as it appears on their website . . . I've added some pictures to guide you through the steps. It's unbelievably easy and your friends will be so impressed. I believe that fat = easy. Don't you? Fattening recipes are always easier. LOL. Buon Appetito!

Cafe Borgia's Penne Porcini

1 lb. penne pasta

8 oz. porcini mushrooms (soaked in water)

4 tbsp. butter
16 oz. heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

1. Boil pasta in saltwater until al dente.

2. Combine cream, butter and porcini. Simmer.

3. Add pasta to the sauce.

4. Add parmesan cheese to thicken the sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Let me know when you try this recipe. It will not disappoint! You can buy dried porcinis at Trader Joe's, Rubino Imports and other specialty food shops. They usually come in small cellophane bags. Some good grocery stores stock them. If your store doesn't carry them, ask them to order some for you!

Travel Note: A few years back, Mark & I had

extreme pleasure of enjoying a rustic Italian dinner, featuring fresh porcinis in a lovely little spot along northern Italy's Ligurian coast. We were greeted by a young girl who was proudly displaying a big basket filled with amazing fresh porcinis. We were given the opportunity to individually select the mushrooms which they would prepare for our dinner. What an incredible experience! That was the same night we were introduced to Brunello D'Montalcino. A truly wonderful memory.

Shroom Link:An online source with a gazillion mushroom options for fungi-lovers, check out http://www.oregonmushrooms.com/ . I'm "this close" to ordering some fresh, USA porcinis. They grow wild in Oregon and California, however, they are not the same as their European cousins which have a meatier, darker and more robust mushroom flavor. They're prettier though.

Katie's Helpful Shroom Notes: Porcinis do not have any pyschedelic properties. Sorry. By the way, doesn't Penne Porcini sound prettier than Quill Cep? I'd say so. K ~ Everyone ~ Fungi Time!

Love, Katie

Beet Street

You know how I feel about colorful food, right? I found some California grown, orange, organic beets at Meier's the other day with their healthy and beautiful greens attached. I, of course, felt like I had hit the jackpot. I purchased the small, firm beauties along with some red beets and I was so pleased just knowing that I planned to roast them and showcase them in a beautiful and healthy salad. If you've never roasted beets, here's a great method you will appreciate so that you can eat healthy and delicious fresh beets without making a mess! They're wonderful with absolutely no adornment, really!


Simply trim the greens from the beets, trim off the root end (the little tail), scrub them well with a brush and individually wrap them in foil. Line a sheet pan with foil. Place all of your foiled beets on the pan (remember...easy cleanup). Pop them into a pre-heated oven. I heated the oven to 375 degrees. Roast for about an hour. These guys were small. If your beets are really large and firm, you will probably need at least an hour and a half or so. Remove from the oven. Feel one and press it to see if it's done. They will still feel firm .... you might want to unwrap one and slice it to check for doneness. Let them cool down. Unwrap, one at a time and remove the skin. Eat one or two. You won't be able to resist. Slice them and admire the concentric rings. Kind of like a slice of a tree trunk. Natural beauty. AND... a bounty of nutrition. Lots of potassium and fiber plus low in calories. Yippee!!! I used them in this salad right away, but you can chill them in the fridge at this point or, marinate them in a little oil and vinegar with some onion. Sky's the limit. Go ahead and experiment. Live dangerously.




Let's talk about the beet greens for a moment, shall we? I carefully cleaned the beet greens, while warming a little olive oil, a small clove of smashed garlic and some red pepper flakes in a medium pot. I added the beet greens to the pot (it will crackle and splatter like crazy because of the water clinging to the leaves) and quickly placed the lid on top. I added a sprinkle of kosher salt. Actually, beet greens are kind of naturally salty when you taste them raw, so you don't need to add very much salt. The greens were done in a matter of just a minute or two. Healthy, delicious and loaded with a plethera of vitamins and nutrients, we didn't take the time to snap a photo. Sorry. LOL. Dark and lovely greens with just the essence of garlic hit the spot on a thick slice of buttered Marconi bread.



Back to the roasted beets & the salad:
These roasted beets were served on a bright combination of mache, frisee, radicchio and baby spinach, along with some thin wisps of sweet onion. A homemade creamy feta and fresh herb dressing topped the salad with some freshly cracked black pepper. The dressing was not healthy. Oops. Ying~Yang. Mayonnaise, sour cream, dijon mustard, freshly squeezed lemon juice, fresh flat leaf parsley, feta cheese, s & p. Life's good. Eat beets.



Almost forgot to tell you about these glazed radishes. Don't knock 'em til you try 'em. OMG. Kind of sweet, kind of not. Think cabbage, potato, parsnip and carrot all combined into a little pink powerball of flavor. Unusual and delicious side dish. Throw cleaned whole radishes into a pot or saute pan with a little butter, sugar, drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. Simmer and cook uncovered or partially covered until cooked and the liquid turns into a glaze. If you have too much evaporation, simply add a little water and keep simmering until these puppies are tender. Really delicious!

Here's Katie's Passion Kitchen Motto for the New Year:

WINE

AND

DINE

IN

NINE

Love, Katie

Good Spirits

Get your hummingbird on with St~Germain ~ ~ ~ Check out my new favorite French liquer artisinale. Made from freshly handpicked elderflower blossoms, this lovely spirit pairs well with sparkling wines like Prosecco, Cava or Moscato d'Asti. The fragrance is divine and the flavor is a delightful blend of fresh fruit and flowers. It is refreshingly sublime and would be a superb addition to otherwise ordinary cocktails. Try it out today in your passion kitchen. Merci bien!

The St~Germain Cocktail

2 shots of champagne or dry white wine*

1 1/2 shots St~Germain

2 shots sparkling water or club soda

Stir ingredients in an ice-filled glass, mixing completely. Think of Paris circa 1947. Garnish with a lemon twist.

*try Prosecco, Cava, Moscato d'Asti or a nice crisp Sauvignon Blanc

Stay Fresh My Friends

Leading up to Christmas and throughout the whole season, we're filling up on cookies, fudge, cheesecake, cheeseballs, dips, chips, not to mention a whole lot of imbibing.......which brings me to FRESH! We need it! Salads, fresh fruit and veg and generally, anything of color.... The more colorful your food, chances are, the higher the nutritional value. So, eat your greens and make sure you don't skimp on the simplicity of fresh and colorful food in your diet. Your body will thank you.

Here are a few snacks/treats I prepared during the month of December to keep it delicious and nutritious . . .First, super fresh Guacamole, ala Playa del Carmen. Mark & I had THE best tableside guacamole at a cool open air restaurant in the heart of Playa del Carmen when we visited there in November 2006. It was a memorable preparation and I believe I have nailed it! I've been preparing it this way since then with a few variations. It's shown here with some crunchy tortilla chips and some cubes of queso Chihuahua.

Start with perfectly ripe avocados. I prepare each ingredient first and then combine everything all at the last minute before we dive in. Finely chop some sweet onion (like Vidalia or Oso). Finely chop some grape or cherry tomatoes. Finely chop a nice hot Serrano pepper or a firm jalapeno. Cut a lime in half. Cut the avocados in half lengthwise and remove the pit by "whacking" it with your sharp knife and then turning your knife. It will come out very easily. Mash the avocadoes in a bowl with either a fork or an old fashioned potato masher (assuming you don't have the traditional Mexican mortar and pestle get-up called a molcajete). Add the chopped onion, tomato and pepper. Add kosher salt to taste and a bit of freshly ground pepper. Add a swirl of olive oil (sssshhh.....it's a secret). Blend together with a fork until well combined. Taste for salt. Seriously, peeps, salt is the key. Good salt. Add more salt if needed and then a really generous squeeze of fresh lime.........It will wake up your gwok fo shizzle. Plus, did you know that limes have no seeds? Thus, no hassle with squeezing directly into your dishes. Who knew? One more tip. Lemon works well also! It's excellent. I swear! I love it both ways! OK. Grab your favorite chips and pig out. We actually eat guacamole for a late night dinner sometimes with (you know) a big fruity glass of Sangria. Oh Gee KT, What a surprise! Salute!

K. Here's more fresh for ya . . .

I don't really like humdrum. I do like froo froo though. We love tuna salad and who cares about mercury? Anyway, Foof up your tuna salad so that it looks happier and brighter, plus always try to add some green to your meal. In my mind, it helps cancel out all of the bad stuff. Psychological, you say? Hmmmmmm........ could be. OK. No time to cook? Throw together some tuna salad really quickly. Bumble Bee Albacore is my personal favorite for combining with mayonnaise (Hellmann's)..... A little sweet chopped onion and I'm happy. Pile a scoop of tuna salad on top of a mound of lacy and beautiful frisee', top with fresh carrot shreds (come on, it only takes a second) and sprinkle with paprika. Voila'. It's not humdrum anymore! Note: I'll talk more about tuna in a future post. If you're gonna have it "straight-up", you MUST try canned Italian tuna in olive oil for a moist and delicious treat. Look for Genova "tonno" in the can at most grocery stores or, for the ultimate treat, As do Mar tonno trancio intero.... the "primo tonno".

One more for your repertoire ~

If you have not already tried Burrata cheese, your time has come. Fresh, cream filled mozzarella. OMG. No kidding. I FINALLY found this cheese at Trader Joe's and I was, of course, thrilled! Bring back summer with an incredibly flavorful and fresh salad of Burrata, torn basil leaves, the best tomatoes you can find, kalamata olives, a sweet and dark balsamic vinaigrette and a generous sprinkling of kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Don't forget the fresh pane'. Buon Appetito!

Love to all & may your holiday season be brimming with everything that keeps passion in your daily life.

XOXO,

Katie

Katie, You're Glowing (It's The Pasta)

This pasta is so delicious, I think it almost made me cry. What the? Jamie Oliver's "Fresh Tagliatelle with Sprouting Broccoli and Oozy Cheese Sauce" rocked our world Sunday night. This dish is pasta divinity. Silky, tender ribbons of homemade pasta in a glistening sauce of cheese and cream (plus a couple of egg yolks) really epitomizes the idea of enjoying the fruits of your labor. OMG. Although I closely followed Jamie's methods, I did take the liberty of using broccoli rabe (rapini) instead of purple sprouting broccoli (since I don't have any of that on the "back 40"). I also used whipping cream in place of creme fraiche ( it's tough to find at the local stores and I didn't plan far enough in advance to make a homemade batch). I adapted the recipe and provided it below with my personal tweaks, although I stuck to his directions pretty closely ...



Fresh Tagliatelle with Broccoli Rabe & Cheese Sauce

Serves 4

For the pasta ~

4 large free-range or organic eggs

2 cups unbleached flour, plus extra for dusting

kosher salt

For the cheese sauce ~

1 cup whipping cream

5 ounces of sliced Fontina cheese

5 ounces of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

1 bunch of broccoli rabe (rapini)

2 large free-range or organic egg yolks

a small bunch of fresh herbs, leaves picked

(I used thyme and flat leaf parsley, but a number of other fresh herbs would be great too ~ like fresh oregano, marjoram or summer savory)

The beauty of this dish is partly its mere simplicity. The sauce ingredients warm slowly right in your serving bowl which is set directly on top of your pot of boiling water. How clever is that? I used a nice large pot for the water and chose a shallow, but large bowl which would rest well on top of the pot, without touching the water. This would really be a fast and delicious dish if you didn't have the time to make the homeade pasta. Just buy some of the nice fresh pasta in the refrigerated section of the store (or I'm sure it would be great with frozen tortellini or gnocchi ).

Directions:

Crack the eggs into the food processor and add the flour and a generous pinch of salt. Whiz it up until it starts to rumble. The dough comes together really fast. Touch it. If it's sticky, add a bit more flour and pulse it again.

Take the dough out of the processor and shape it into a ball. Knead it a few times on a floured surface with floured hands. Divide it into four equal parts. Run each of the four pieces of dough through a pasta machine, moving the rollers closer together each time (about 4 or 5 times) until you have 4 silky smooth, thin sheets. Dust each sheet well with flour and fold each one over and cut into 1/2 inch wide ribbons. Gather the ribbons together with a little flour and toss them between your fingers to make your pile of tagliatelle.

In your pasta bowl, place the Fontina and Parmesan cheeses, the cream, salt and pepper. Place the bowl on top of your pot of water. Bring the water to a boil. The cream and cheese will begin to melt nicely. In the meantime, cut the dry ends off of the rapini. I also cut the stalks diagonally or split some of the thicker stalks with a knife so that they cook evenly. Leave the florets whole. When the water comes to a boil, set the pasta bowl aside and add a generous amount of salt to the water (heaping tablespoon or so) and the rapini. While the rapini starts to cook, lightly beat the two egg yolks with the fresh herbs and add the mixture to the warm cheese sauce. Mix well. Add the pasta to the pot when the water returns to a boil. Cook the pasta and the greens in the water until aldente. It only takes a few minutes for the pasta to cook.

Drain the pasta and the greens in colander. Reserve some pasta water in case you need to loosen the sauce. Add the drained pasta and rapini to the cheese sauce and mix well. The egg will cook from the heat of the pasta. Toss again to to be sure that every strand is coated with this glorious cheesy and delicious sauce. I found that the sauce was at first a little loose and then thickened up a bit and absorbed into the homemade pasta perfectly. I did not need to add any pasta water. Jamie Oliver suggests finishing the dish with some additional freshly grated Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil. I found it to be perfect with no futher enhancements. Buon Appetito!

Caramel Learning Curve

Caramel is fun, but I really need more experimentation. The temperature thing is really important, I think. These apples have chewy and delicious caramel for those with healthy choppers and/or excellent quality dental work. I will try and try again until I get the caramel to be the absolute perfect consistency... not too soft and not too hard and chewy. I will nail it one of these days. E-mail me your favorite recipe if you know of a tried-and-true way of achieving caramel perfection, ok?

This caramel was made from scratch with brown sugar, butter, sweetened condensed milk and light corn syrup. Vanilla was added once the caramel began to cool down. These guys got rolled around in a lot of love... for example, toasted sliced almonds, coconut, mini chococolate chips, toasted pecans, hazelnuts and walnuts. I know you can feel that love. Then, a bunch of them were drizzled with melted cocoa-y chocolate and squirted with even more white chocolate. You can click on the pix for enormous close-ups if you're really hungry.

Love to all . . . from Katie's Passion Kitchen

Daylight Savings Time = Kitchen Energy aka Tagliatelle, Ricotta, Tomatoes, Apples

Wow! I must have really benefited from that extra hour . . . I had major food ambition today. I started the day reading a few pages of Jamie Oliver's "Jamie At Home" cookbook which is a beautiful tribute to "garden to table" cooking. He is such an inspired and passionate cook with an incredible flair for bringing out the best of simple fare. Rustic, yet elegant, his cooking is really creative, healthful and delicious. http://www.jamieoliver.com/

OK. So, I'm all over the board this morning, right? During our morning walk, I talked Joann's ear off about free range hens and organic eggs, my beautiful, but disappointing caramel apples (the taffy was too hard and chewy), the pure beauty of homemade ricotta cheese and the origins of junket and rennet, why it's important to slow-roast "winter" tomatoes and "don't you think Fontina cheese is absolutely luscious?" Poor Joann. I was a fountain of food love.

So, here's what that led up to........First stop after an invigorating walk on a perfect November morning: the grocery store....just for a few things. (This turned out to be about 90 minutes of inspiration gathering which included inspecting, reading, roaming, sniffing, squeezing, comparing, pondering, and searching for items like creme fraiche' and sumac). Then came checkout explanations to the befuddled young check out associate who had never heard of fennel or rapini and couldn't find them on his produce list.

Now, I'm talking to my mom on my way home, giving her the lowdown on my plans for the rest of the day. Ready?

1) Homemade Ricotta Cheese
2) Oven Roasted Tomatoes
3) Caramel Apples (to redeem myself from Friday's batch)
4) Fresh Homemade Tagliatelle Pasta with Rapini and Fontina Sauce

I cannot tell you how gratifying it was to make fresh pasta. Wow! It was defintitely a highlight in my repertoire. I am already looking forward to doing it again. Anyone interested in making any of the things you see here, please POST your requests or send me an e-mail, ok? I would LOVE to hear from you.

Thank you so much for your interest in me, my cooking, my ideas and my blog. You're always welcome and at home in Katie's Passion Kitchen.

Love, Katie

Bella Pasta

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

Super Fresh Homemade Organic RicottaPlum tomatoes are drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with kosher salt, fresh thyme leaves, and dried oregano... slow roasted in a 300F degree oven until intensely flavored and slightly chewy (about 2 to 2 1/2 hours). They're served here on a bed of arugula, topped with fresh, homemade ricotta cheese, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, olive oil and freshly ground black pepper.

Caramel Apples

Here are some of my caramel apples (the Halloween batch) ... they look great, except the taffy was too hard, even though I followed the directions by heating the caramel to 248 degrees. So, I tried again today and removed the caramel from the heat at 240 degrees. Still really chewy, but definitely better. LOL. Anyone out there have a caramel apple recipe with caramel that stays creamy and doesn't get too-too chewy? Please send it to me. Thank you! In the morning, I shall post some shots of the new and improved batch. Practice makes perfect, right? Candy's tricky.

P.S. Click on any (or most) photos shown in each post for a gigantic close-up, then use the back button on your browser to get back to the page...

XOXO, Katie

P.S. Tonight, I will post the recipe for the pasta with my comments and recommendations. Buon Appetito!

"FlavorFall"

Soup. Chili. Gumbo. Winter squash. Roasted birds. Apples. Pears. Cranberries. Pumpkins. Comfort food, right? I gave in to fall Sunday night, acknowledging that summer had come to an end, the air was brisk, and I needed to change tracks with my cooking. It was hard to stop thinking of spring asparagus, garden tomatoes (thank God we have a few left), Italian green beans, fresh peppers, zucchini, July bing cherries and summer barbecues. Now, we're moving into a whole new territory.

Switch tracks with me as it's time to fill the air with cold weather comforting aromas like cinnamon and allspice, slowly braised roasts. fiery chilis, pumpkin pies, homemade breads and the simple homey (not as in "hey, homey, whatz up?"), but the simple homey fragrance of roast chicken on a chilly Sunday night.

Sunday Night Dinner Menu

First Fall Meal of 2008

Northwoods Cocktails

Lemon Roast Chicken with Croutons

Roasted Orange Cauliflower & Brussel Sprouts

Acorn Squash with Butter & Brown Sugar Glaze

Smashed Red Potatoes

Note: We were way too full for dessert!

Fall for fall.

Love, Katie

XO

Bread Love ~ Blog Abandon

Hello friends and foodies! I miss you! And... I miss my blogging adventure. I have been an industrious maniac over the last few weeks. When Katie's in demand, all of this activity, unfortunately, results in blog NEGLECT! I hate when that happens. I intend to plug in a few updates on my page over the next week to give you some news and inspiration so that we can get started on our changing season and the colorful flavors of autumn.

After reading Ina Garten's Barefoot in Paris for at least the second time a few weeks ago, I was compelled to order this delectable bread from the world famous Poilane Bakery in Paris. On a Tuesday morning, I received a message from Kenny O'Neal at the dealership (complete with the French accent) . . . "Bonjour Madam, your bread has arrived." I was ecstatic! It did not disappoint. Five 4 1/2 pound loaves of dense, chewy french sourdough bread with the lovely signature "P" carved into the crust. I unwrapped one of the neatly twisted paper bags and inspected the first perfect loaf. Dark and heavy, Poilane's breads are made from stone ground grey flour, spelt and French sea salt. The dough is naturally fermented and the loaves are baked in wood burning ovens. They ship bread all over the world! I swooned from the smell of fresh French bread in my little South Holland finance office. Life is good. I couldn't wait to celebrate.

Have you every had a bread and butter "toast" (I mean toasting with bread instead of champagne, for example)? That's exactly what we did the night it arrived. Since that memorable day, we have eaten much of our wonderful French bread, toasted and loaded with butter and sometimes topped with cheese and our late season homegrown beefsteak tomatoes. We also "gifted" some to a few lucky bread lovers. How can people say that bread is bad for you? Impossible. You know I am definitely NOT a carbo-phobe. P.S. We have one quarter of one loaf left in the freezer. I might have to bust that out for tonight's dinner.

Love, Katie

P.S. Check out the Poilane website if you'd like to place an order..... Click on the link under "Katie's Online Faves" on the right side of my page . . . many of my favorite places are listed in alphabetical order right here in Katie's Passion Kitchen. It's between Penzey's and Roni Benise. Kinda just like me. Bon Appetit!

Summer Fare

WOW! Don't you LOVE summer? Gardens are exploding with an abundance of fresh vegetables. Farmers markets and grocery stores are brimming with zucchini, squash, corn, tomatoes, peppers, melons, peaches and nectarines. Abundanza! I want to make it all and I want to eat it all. Since my last post, I will tell you what I've been cooking (we actually enjoyed some meals without taking pictures!! ~ the nerve ~ LOL). In the last few weeks, I've been in tomato heaven, thanks to Joey's amazing harvest. Yellow tomatoes, golden tomatoes, plums, cherries, little "light bulbs", early girls, best boys, etc. I have some tomato plants also, but they can't compare to Joey's perfect, healthy, fat, shiny, unblemished, bright, colorful, succulent, organically grown tomatoes. What? Ya think I have adjectivitis? LOL. OK. Sliced tomatoes and fresh mozzarella on toasted ciabatta bread with butter, mayo, fresh basil and a little kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper. Those little "sammies" were a lunch special at the dealership last week. Fresh and simple. What else you ask? I made a really filling and delicious Chicken Parmesan, inspired by the article in this month's Bon Appetit' magazine about Mario Batali's kitchen staff dinners. I flattened some chicken breasts and gave them the flour~egg bath~panko treatment, fried them in olive oil and butter, layered them up with homemade marinara sauce, asiago, parmesan and fresh mozzarella and baked them in the oven. Excellent and definitely not for dieters. I also made two different kinds of onion soup. Onion Soup Gratinee' right from the pages of Jacques Pepin's "The Apprentice: My Life In The Kitchen" book. AMAZING recipe. Easy and incredibly satisfying. Plus, a creamy and decadent onion soup, inspired by Emeril and his "7 Onion Soup" ~ I didn't use 7 different onions, but I did follow his methods by starting out with bacon (I know), caramelizing the onions, simmering in stock with fresh herbs, adding cream (I know) and blending with an immersion blender. The result was this creamy, intensely flavored soup, garnished with crumbled bacon (I know), finely shredded swiss, fresh snipped chives and cracked black pepper. OMG. It rocked. I also made some very tart lime bars. Oven roasted summer vegetables. Ground sirloin burgers with finely chopped portabella mushrooms and vidalia onions. Huges pans of "grill-fried" garden variety peppers. Pappardelle pasta with fresh summer vegetables. Lots of salads spiked with everything from Gorgonzola to pine nuts. And we're still savoring each and every tomato in every way possible. I even had a tomato sandwich before I went to bed last night! I plan to power-walk 10 miles this afternoon to compensate for all of this eating. Cream and bacon fat = better get your a _ _ in gear.

Today is Sunday, August 31, 2008. While "Lucky B" was checking out the Lake Michigan coastline from about 2500 hundred feet on an early morning flight in his friend, Pete's high wing Citabria sport plane, I was in Katie's Passion Kitchen, baking up a summery flashback nectarine pie. Hope he remembered to take the Bonine. No shi_, I started baking this pie in 1991. LOL. E-mail me if you'd like the recipe. (Click on my pic) and I'll send it to you. It's really really quick, easy and it SCREAMS summer! Can you hear it? Love and Summer Cheers to All! Katie


Oh, yeah, check out these little video demonstrations of the author and her pastry tool. Very educational. LOL.







Tonight's Dinner

I will try to be brief. (It's not easy for me, what can I say?) . . . Lime was the star of the show tonight. The menu: Grilled marinated flank steak, roasted marinated red bell peppers and how about a deconstructed Italian guacamole salad? LOL .... The steak was marinated in freshly squeezed lime juice (and the limes too!), fresh garlic, olive oil, s & p. The peppers were charred, steamed, peeled, and then marinated in olive oil, garlic, freshly picked herbs, kosher salt, red wine vinegar and freshly squeezed lime juice. The salad is one of my favorite (and maybe surprising to some) combination of flavors . . . chunks of ripe but firm avocado, small wedges of homegrown red and yellow tomatoes, fresh basil, thinly sliced vidalia onion, crumbly gorgonzola cheese, olive oil, freshly squeezed lime juice, kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper. I can eat endless quantities of that salad with an entire bag of hard and crunchy salted tortilla chips. El Ranchero or the other ones in the brown paper bag. I also threw a bunch of lime slices in tonight's Sangria which featured both cherry and apricot liquers. Oh yeah, one more thing . . . I made a warm fruit compote with red and purple plums, lemon slices, red and green grapes and turbinado sugar. A tart and sweet treat on top of Ben & Jerry's dense and rich vanilla ice cream. OK... I'm actually getting sleepy now. By the way, I did get my miles in . . . Not 10 though....more like 5.

Love to all, Katie