Christmas Cookies 2009

Keep It Green

Trying to keep it green is a challenge for us all during the crazy red & green holiday season. Try not to fall into the fast food, easy junk, eating-on-the-fly, cookie monster diet rut during this busy, busy time. Roast some broccoli tonight. OMG, I am NOT kidding. I'm all about vegetables and high heat. I love to fry asparagus, grill eggplant, onions, peppers, squash, zucchini, mushrooms, etc. and i LOVE to roast a million vegetables in the oven. Easy, exaggerator. The possibilities are endless and the method is simple. Douse with olive oil, generously sprinkle with kosher salt, toss onto a sheet pan and roast at a high temperature, like 425. Don't remove them from the oven prematurely, ok? Let the dry heat of the oven do it's thing. Use your judgment on the amount of time. I think I had the broccoli in the oven for about 20 or 25 minutes. Maybe longer. I did turn the pieces over once. You WANT caramelization. C = F. Caramelization Equals Flavor. This method works for so many vegetables, it's pretty foolproof. Hey, if you have a problem, don't blame me. Just sayin'. Try this method with cauliflower, fresh halved brussel sprouts, carrots or whatever you like during this cold wintery season. Elevate your veg from bland to fab tonight.

If you were hoping for a little broccoli nutritional value information, your hopes have been answered. Broccoli is loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber AND it's packed with anti-carcinogenic stuff called isothiocyanates. That means it helps to fight and prevent cancer. It is soooooo good for you. Did you know that broccoli has more calcium than a glass of milk? It might even have more Vitamin C than that glass of OJ you had this morning. Don't ask me about quantities and specifics, OK? This is not the Weggie Wikipedia. Look it up.

Love, Katie

In complete contrast, I will be throwing in an obligatory cookie post sometime between now and Xmas. Ha Ha! Call me Jekyll Hyde. It's cool, LOL.

Eat More Green, Feel Mo Betta,

Happy Holidays My Friends,

Green Love,

Katie

Little Flower Cauliflower

For a refreshing and delicious "salad", try this tonight. You won't be sorry. The colors. The flavor. The aroma. Healthy AND beautiful.

Cavolfiore Insalata ala Fioretti

One head of cauliflower, steamed

One head of broccoflower, steamed

One or two roasted red peppers (jarred is fine), cut into thin strips

2 cloves of fresh garlic, each cut in half

the juice of 1/2 fresh lemon

olive oil (about 1/4 cup)

fresh herbs, finely chopped (if you have them on hand)

kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

While you're steaming the vegetables, cut the peppers into thin strips. Place them in a bowl with the garlic and squeeze in the fresh lemon juice. Add the olive oil, herbs, salt & pepper. Mix together and let the flavors mingle. The garlic will nicely flavor the dressing without overpowering. Arrange the cauliflower and broccoflower on a platter. Drizzle the pepper strips and dressing onto the hot vegetables, sprinkle with a little more salt & pepper to taste, if you like. Allow to cool to room temperature. Serve.

Ciao for now,

Katie

Move Over, Mrs. Prindable

AN APPLE A DAY . . .

Nothing against Affy Tapples, it's just that these may be a tad more decadent. Tons of caramel, toasted pecans and tons of chocolate. But you're like, hey, that's a turtle . . . and I'm like, no it's not, silly, it's an apple. It's GOOD for you! Oh yeah. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Indulge! I had too much fun with these apples. First, the homework. I've made homemade caramel twice and it was good, but there were issues with it becoming too hard and . . .

I was not completely satisfied.

Too much of a P-I-T-A with exact temperature when it's so much simpler to melt store-bought caramels and not worry about the temperature. It makes it the whole process so much more relaxed and fun. And . . . I found a wonderful product (new?/ not sure) but it's caramel "bits" from Kraft and guess what? They're smaller than regular square caramels and they are not wrapped. How nice is that? No unwrapping and they melt faster cuz their eentsy- weentsy. Simple. So, you melt the caramels in a pot with two tablespoons of water per bag of caramels. Each bag of caramels is enough for 4-5 apples.

KPK Tips for making gourmet apples in YOUR kitchen (I know, I know, don't mention it, you're welcome):

1) Dip your apples in hot water to remove the waxy polish. Towel dry and make sure they are nice and dry and wax-free. Unless, of course, you'd prefer your caramel to set up in a nice pool at the base of your naked apple. 2) Guess what, the apples that got poked from the rear ended up turning out nicer than the ones which were poked from the top. LOL. Hey, that's the truth! I can't help it. 3) Toast your nuts. I'm serious. Stop laughing. 4) Set out paper plates of nuts and other various toppings so that you'll be ready to roll. Literally. 5) Be creative with your toppings. You can use everything from dried fruit like tart cherries or apricot bits, coconut, endless varieties of nuts, toffee brickle (Heath bits), mini chips. Sheesh, you could even use cereal. I loaded some of the apples with toasted pecans, toasted walnuts, sliced almonds, dried cherries, Heath bar bits, coconut and mini chocolate chips. Then, I coated the big girls with tons of melted chocolate. I named that particular topping combo "OMG". Don't steal that. 6) Cool the apples quickly after dipping and topping to firm up the caramel quickly. 7) I keep the loaded up final products in either the basement or the garage where it's nice and cool, but not as cold as the fridge.

You don't want condensation on your chocolate from the fridge, do you? Right answer. I don't either. 8) Decorate for the season OR to reflect your personality. Unless you're a dud (or a bad apple) Can't stop LOL. Wow, all of this apple humor is really making me hungry. Might have to go check out the LAST one. It's pictured above, right (with the foofy "white collar"). Kind of like a Mounds bar covered apple. Just coconut and chocolate. Oh yeah, caramel, too. OK, my friends, remember, a caramel apple a day keeps the doctor away. Am I wrong?

Apples & Love from Katie's Passion Kitchen,

Katie

I almost forgot.... KPK Fave Apple ~ The crisp, juicy, sweet/tart, amazingly delicious, seductive . . . (drum roll please . . .) . . . HONEYCRISP!*

*The Honeycrisp apple was born in 1960 when the Macoun apple was crossed with a Honeygold apple as part of the apple breeding program at the University of Minnesota. So, the Honeycrisp has been around about as long as I have. : )

KPK Special Report

It's 12:13 am and time for a KPK Special Report. I think I have a weird food twitter thing happening. Recent dishes in the KPK . . .

Hot Spicy Chili with Beef Brisket and New Mexico Chiles - This chili was developed using the usual chili suspects like onion and green pepper with some new tricks and ingredients I learned from a recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup. Really Texy-Mexi and flavorful.

Joey's Garden Green Bell Peppers Stuffed with Italian Sausage, Risotto, Tomatoes & Cheese - This was a dish that evolved without a recipe and with conflicting thoughts of cooking or not cooking the filling. I think the extra steps paid off with a juicy, flavorful filling of spicy sausage and moist risotto.

Polpette di Melanzane - Eggplant, grated Pecorino, garlic, fresh bread crumbs, fresh parsley and a beaten egg. Shaped into balls, dusted with flour, fried until brown in olive oil. I intend to perfect this recipe in my quest to replicate Uncle Benny's fond memories of the delicioso polpette di melanzane from the "old country". I think I'll pick Uncle Tony's brain in the next step of my research.

Kale - Geeez, I love kale. It's delicious and addictive. OK. Here it is. Wash the kale. Shake off the water. Heat some olive oil in a nice big frying pan. Add a bit of butter. Add the kale. Add a sprinkle of kosher salt. Cover the pan. Cook and crackle until the kale actually browns a bit. Toss it around with your tongs. Cover and cook a little longer. Eat it ALL. It is sooooo good for you. It's a little chewy and it doesn't wimp out like spinach does when prepared in the same manner. It needs nothing else. Don't bail on kale. Eat your greens, will ya?

Salads - I really do try to keep the salads new and fun by changing them up all the time with different vegetables, new dressing ingredients and interesting combinations. This salad featured little "light bulb" pickled tomatoes that we bought at the Farmer's Market in a jar labeled "Martini Pickles".

Um, I must work in the morning, so I guess I'll hit Katie's Passion Pillow. I'd rather make caramel apples but I think I'll save that project for later this week. My brain is in the caramel apple think-tank once again. In search of caramel perfection. It can be done.

Until then, I wish you good food, good friends and good health. Thank you for stopping by Katie's Passion Kitchen where you are always a welcome guest. Come back soon! My kitchen is always open.

Katharine Fioretti

Katie's Passion Kitchen

Soup Scoop

Here's the scoop. Stock your pantry. Stock your fridge. You can make a delicious and nutritious soup right off the shelf in a snap!

Here's what's usually in stock in Katie's Passion Pantry:

Dei Fratelli whole canned tomatoes (Fioretti family favorite)

Swanson 100% Fat Free Chicken Broth (Fine Cooking Magazine's Taste Test Winner)

Vegetable broth

Beef broth

Beef and/or Chicken Stock

Star brand porcini mushroom cubes

Dried porcinis

Dried peppers (like Ancho and Guajillo)

Canned beans ~ cannelini, light and dark red kidney, garbanzo, red, black, pinto

Dried pasta ~ many shapes and sizes to suit all of my soup moods

Rice ~ Arborio, Carnaroli, long grain

Olive Oil ~ Filippo Berio is my everyday go-to olive oil, but I am constantly experimenting with other brands for various uses ~ I don't use the extra-virgin for everyday cooking.

Fresh garlic

Onions ~ red, sweet, yellow, cippoline

Shallots

Potatoes

Dried Beans

Dried Split Peas

Dried Lentils

Katie's Passion Fridge Staples

Eggs

Carrots

Celery

Various greens like kale, escarole, arugula or spinach

Cheese (endless varieties but always a hard grating cheese like Grana Padano, Parmaggiano Reggiano or Romano ~ save the rock-hard rinds and toss them into your soup pot to add richness and delicious flavor

I made this wonderfully delicious potato soup for Mark & I a week or so ago from what I had on hand and I swear, it's one of our all-time favorites. Peasant food is where it's at. You don't need to be fancy to eat well. That's for sure. My dad always says that if you have potatoes and eggs, you will never go hungry.

Potato Soup with Arugula

This is so easy, I can hardly call it a recipe. It's just so basic. Here's what you'll need:

Butter

Onions

Fresh Sage

Potatoes

Chicken Broth

Arugula (or spinach or any green of your choice!)

Toss a few tablespoons of butter into your favorite soup pot. Melt and add a few sliced onions. Sweat the onions until they begin to soften. Add some chopped fresh sage. I'm lucky enough to still have fresh sage in the garden. Add cubed potatoes (I used around 5 medium russet potatoes) and about 6 or 8 cups of chicken broth or a combination of chicken and vegetable broth. Simmer until potatoes are tender. Check for salt and adjust seasonings by adding kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. When the potatoes are tender, add the arugula (or spinach) and stir. The greens will quickly wilt and become tender. If you don't overcook, they will remain a beautiful bright green. Serve with freshly ground black pepper, a crumble of cheese if you like (farmer's cheese pictured) and a swirl of olive oil if you like. Honestly though, the basic flavors of this soup are delicious without adornment.

Watch for upcoming posts about Ribollita with Lacinato Kale and an incredibly delicious Chicken Tortilla Soup with lots of garnishes and tons of flavor. Both delicious. The tortilla soup was such a treat that I didn't take the time to photograph it before we dove in. Sad, but true. I guess I'll have to make it again for a photo shoot. Oh darn, I guess we'll suffer through it. LOL.

So, here's the scoop on soup. Stock well to eat well. Keep it simple. Enjoy the most simple foods from the earth and you can't go wrong! Mangia Zuppa!

Love & The Soup Scoop,

Katie

Portabella Mushrooms Stuffed with Goat Cheese

2 large Portabella mushrooms

olive oil

balsamic vinegar

kosher salt & freshly ground pepper

Filling ~ about 2 oz. of goat cheese (1 oz. each)

Topping ~

about 1/2 cup of fresh bread crumbs

some freshly grated cheese (a few tablespoons)

finely chopped fresh herbs (about 2 tablespoons)

a pinch of kosher salt & a few grinds of black pepper

a couple of tablespoons of olive oil

Preparation ~

Preheat the oven to 425. Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel. Scrape out the gills of the mushrooms with a spoon, cut out the stems and reserve. Line a small cookie sheet with foil (for easy cleanup), place the mushrooms, caps down on the cookie sheet and drizzle with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Rub around in the oil and vinegar on both sides and roast in pre-heated oven for 10 minutes, caps down. Meanwhile, finely chop the stems. Mix the bread crumbs, grated cheese, herbs, finely chopped stems, s & p and olive oil in a small bowl. Once you have removed the mushrooms from the oven, let cool. Top each mushroom with goat cheese (about one ounce on each mushroom, broken into chunks) and then top with the crumb mixture. Pop back into the oven for about 6 minutes until the bread crumbs are brown and crisp and the goat cheese is oozy. Serve alongside or on top of a simple salad. Tonight, I used baby arugula and thinly sliced red onion, dressed with olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon juice, s & p, and shards of Parmesan. With some fresh bread and butter, this was a filling and delicious late night meal. It would make an elegant lunch, too!

This is the type of meal that's a cinch, providing you have the stuff on hand. I always try to have fresh bread crumbs in stock (I keep them in a zip-lock bag in the freezer). Thankfully, fresh herbs are still plentiful in the yard. Goat cheese lasts a long time in the fridge. Keep some on hand for fast appetizers or to add to a salad. I try to always have fresh greens on hand in the fridge. Arugula tonight. Or....baby romaine, mixed greens or a mixed herb combination. Something tender and delicate. Lemons.... always on hand. Olive oil. Never without it. Hard cheese like Parmesan or Romano. Always. If you're stocked, you will ALWAYS have something wonderful to eat!

Stay stocked. Stay inspired. Stay with me.

Wishing you a fully stocked life and a fully stocked pantry,

Love, from Katie's Late Night Passion Kitchen

Katie

aka Katharine Fioretti

Note: The lovely orange nectar in the glass is actually Prosecco with a splash of Aperol, an ice cube, and a nectarine slice. Gorgeous color for this time of year and a refreshing late night sip.

Farmers Market Soup with Turkey Meatballs

From a recent trip to the European Farmers Market in Chesterton, I had some nice large bell peppers, a huge sweet white onion, and some bright and beautiful round yellow squash. With carrots and celery on hand along with a couple of potatoes, I knew I had the basics for a nice late summer vegetable soup. I sauteed chopped onion with sliced carrots and celery in olive oil, in a large pot. Chopped bell peppers were added to the aromatics along with some chicken broth and beef stock. I once read that combining chicken and beef stock/broth together produces a slow-cooked, veal stock flavor that is really delicious, so I have often combined the two in soups with excellent results. To brighten the flavor of the broth, I added a can of whole tomatoes, crushed by hand and 4 small but potent fresh red chiles, sliced, seeds and all. What a difference between fresh chiles and dried crushed red pepper flakes. Wonderful freshness. As the soup simmered away, I quickly mixed a pound of ground turkey with freshly grated Parmesan, fresh bread crumbs, salt, pepper, one egg and some chopped freshly picked parsley from the yard. As I rolled marble sized balls and dropped them into the simmering pot, I wished I could have taken a sip of wine from the glass that was calling my name. My hands, were, of course, too gooey to pick up my glass. Pity. Patience is a virtue. I had to wait. Pinch, roll, drop, pinch, roll, drop. You get the picture. Making tiny meatballs for soup is a bit time consuming. You really must resist the temptation to make the meatballs progressively larger in an effort to finish the job faster. Patience. The wine?

Panilonco 2007 Reserve Carmenere from Chile. Red wine-winos . . . make a note. This wine is light but lush. It's smooth. It's food-friendly. It goes down easy. I think it would be an excellent choice for red-wine-newbies. It is lovely to me from the first sip. Silky tannins is what they say. I LOVE this wine and I think you will too! Try it today. Guess what friends? It's only around 5 measly bucks at Trader Joe's!!! You'll thank me for this, I know. I really really like it, so feel free to bring a bottle if you're coming over for dinner any time soon.

Back to the zuppa now. The turkey meatballs are simmering. I cut the squash and a couple of potatoes into bite size cubes and added them to the pot. Check your seasonings and add salt and pepper to taste. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add kosher salt and your favorite pasta. I found this really beautiful pasta at Jewel. Check it out when you have a chance. The brand is Culinary Circle, which I believe is a Jewel brand name. The pasta is authentic bronze cut pasta made in Italy of semolina flour. Look for the white bags that look like waxed paper. The pasta I used in the soup is called "Trottole" and they are shaped like large rings that kind of wind around a center stem. I am very selective when it comes to pasta because I am not a happy camper when the pasta turns to mush. Don't you hate that? This pasta holds its shape and stays firm and al dente'. Just like it should. Tip: I never cook the pasta in the broth unless I am making a small batch which will be eaten in one meal because the noodles will S W E L L and become softer and softer from sitting in the broth, and before you know it, your rich and wonderful broth will be absorbed into the pasta and disappear! I learned this from my mom, Emily, many, many years ago when I amazed myself by re-creating her homemade chicken soup for the very first time. I was ecstatic, needless to say. My mom often makes orzo or acini de pepe pasta for her chicken soup. Always in a separate pot.

So, the soup was served with the pasta and topped with a generous amount of freshly grated Parmesan and freshly ground black pepper. I baked a loaf of Asiago cheese bread from Jewel (you can buy those frozen and bake them yourself, if you like) and we had the pleasure of dunking buttered cheesy bread into our healthy vegetable soup, LOL.

I can barely breathe right now. Talk about swelling.

La cuisine, c'est quand les choses ont le goût de ce qu'elles sont

Good cooking is when things taste of what they are. What a wonderful and simple statement. Curnonsky was the most celebrated writer on gastronomy in France in the 20th century. He advocated simple food over complicated, rustic over refined, and often repeated the phrase,La cuisine, c'est quand les choses ont le goût de ce qu'elles sont. I have always believed this to be true, as well. Take for example, the grand simplicity of a perfectly ripened, home grown tomato.

The amazing beauty, flavor and freshness of this luscious fruit is truly a highlight of late summer. Chewy, crusty bread, the awesome tomato, fragrant, tender, freshly picked basil, a sprinkle of kosher salt and you have a memorable, summertime treat that you can only dream about in the dreary winter months. At the office yesterday, many of us enjoyed home grown tomatoes, thickly sliced and served up on buttered, mayonnaised, toasted, country Italian bread. Topped with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and a few basil leaves, we happily finished off a couple of loaves of bread, a variety of tomatoes, an abundance of freshly picked basil, a few hunks of fresh Asiago and some aged Grana Padano. It was a fun and lingering snack time that could only be held at this time of the year. Thank you to brother, Joe, for contributing so much goodness from your healthy and productive organic garden. We enjoyed your cucumbers and tomatoes! We eagerly await each year's crop and appreciate each and every bean, zucchini and tomato. And, thanks, also, to Ray's Quality Greenhouse in Steger, IL where I purchased my awesome tomato plants this year. Heirloom tomatoes like "Rainbow Striped" and "Lynn's Mahogany Garnet" are beautiful and delectable tomatoes. The "Brandywine" is also an amazing, sweet, pinkish, weighty and flavorful tomato. It matures s l o w l y. I'm trying to do the same. In the large closeup above, the smaller red tomatoes with metallic olive green stripes are "Lynn's Mahogany Garnets", the large golden tomatoes pictured front center and right are the "Rainbow Striped". The big beefy tomato in the background is a "Brandywine". I just picked those this morning and set them on the patio step for their photo shoot. The "Rainbow Striped" is probably my favorite. A large, beautiful golden yellow tomato with a sweet, mild flavor and few seeds. Smooth skin with a pinkish red bottom and a round swirl of the pinky red in each mouth-watering slice. Amazing tomato. I wouldn't think of cooking with any of these because their pure flavor must be enjoyed "au naturale" at the peak of ripeness......

Simple food, pure and true flavors. Enjoy all that summer has to offer as we wind it up for 2009. September is a wonderful month to savor what the earth is still gifting. Enjoy it all . . . Et surtout, faites simple! . . . And above all, keep it simple!

Wishing you love and life's simple pleasures,

Katie

www.katiespassionkitchen.blogspot.com

September 2009

Labor Day Weekend in KPK

Red Plum Cherry Crumble Bars

Delicious Sweet Corn with

Basil Butter

Ponchatoula Strawberry Cupcakes