Gourmet Caramel Apples 2010

Family Reunion

20th Annual Lenti ~ Fioretti Family Reunion was held at The Brenner Ranch, Sunday, October 17, 2010. Great food, great people, perfect weather. Many thanks to all of the guests, the cooks and our hosts, Teri & Chuck for an excellent and joyful event! Family cooks, please be sure to submit your recipes to me ASAP for inclusion in the Family Keepsake Cookbook. Thank you!

Click here to see the food (& a few people LOL).

Love, Katie

Left Hander - Fall Wine Pick 2010

MOLLYDOOKER (Aussie for "Left Hander") WINES from South Australia are winning awards and rave reviews all over the world for their incredibly fruity, big and delicious wines. These wines will be your new favorites, believe me! I LOVE every one I have tried! The happy vintners, Sparky & Sarah Marquis produced a total of TEN wines from their 2009 vintage that have a rating of over 92/100 points!!! FIVE of them are priced at $25.00 per bottle. (There's also a white verdelho, "The Violinist" which I have not yet tried). Check it out and let me know what you think! You can find Mollydooker wines at Binny's or Costco or check your local liquor store or wine shop. They can also be purchased online and carefully shipped to your front door. Cute, retro labeling and easy access screw tops make this fabulous wine an even nicer experience. The most affordable wines ($25.00 per bottle) are spectacular and popping up on great wine lists in great restaurants for between $60.00 and $70.00 per bottle.

Affordable 2009 Vintage REDS you MUST experience:

The Scooter ~ Merlot ~ 95 points ~ "shirazy", opulent and luscious

The Maitre'D ~ Cabernet Sauvignon ~ 94 points ~ full bodied and generous, like moi'

The Boxer ~ Shiraz ~ 95 points ~ mouthful of flavor

Two Left Feet ~ Blend of Shiraz, Cab & Merlot ~ 96 points ~ velvety, rich and truly loved (by me) Yes Yes Yes

Truth be told, I have not yet had the pleasure (longing, though) of experiencing the pricier

2009 Blue Eyed Boy (except for Mark, lol) 98 pointer Shiraz-a-matazz

or the

2009 Gigglepot 94 pointer Cab

or the

2009 Carnival of Love 98 pointer Shiraz

or the

2009 Enchanted Path 97 pointer Shiraz/Cab blend

or sadly, the illustrious

2009 Velvet Glove 99 pointer Shiraz.

I have a dream . . .

Katharine Fioretti

KATIE'S PASSION KITCHEN

10-10-10

"I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food" . . . W.C. Fields

Stay Tuned

Here are a few upcoming feature stories: (i.e., I don't have time to post these on this beautiful morning, LOL) . . .

Stay tuned for my upcoming post on supple, delectable and downright fabulous Mollydooker wines from down under. G'Day mates!

Whole grain goodness... See what I can do with this $1.17 bag of whole wheat grain from Rubino's.

Low & Slow

A method (and recipe) for braising beef short ribs until they are fall-apart tender.

Stay Tuned To KPK

Tuning Out Now,

Love, Katie

Beets & Beet Greens

B4

After

Photo #1: Unadorned, organic, and visually dramatic, the washed beets . . . draining on paper towels.

Photo #2: Roasted and sliced, the beets are joined by crisp greens, radish matchsticks, sweet onions, chevre, medium-cooked eggs and pine nuts. The salad was later drizzled with a sweet and tangy homemade strawberry balsamic vinaigrette. The dressing looked a lot like chocolate syrup in the photos, so I didn't want to scare anyone with those pics, but it was seriously delicious . . . and dark.

Photo #3: A mouthwatering tangle of sauteed beet greens, stems and all, piled on top of a thick slice of buttered Italian bread. This is the food I love.

Buy some beets. Roast them and keep them in the fridge all week.

For interesting information plus easy directions on how to roast beets, see my post entitled "Beet Street" under "Passion Posts".

Pump up the color in YOUR life today.

Color = Healthy.

Color Your World,

Love, KATIE

Baked Eggplant or.... Melanzane Romano or..... Aubergines Au Gratin or.... Nightshades with Cheese... U Choose

I'm sure I'm not the only one who needs eggplant, am I? It's one of those cravings you just have to satisfy. Here's a fast and delicious way to love your eggplants and enjoy them without all of the time-consuming steps of preparing a traditional Eggplant Parmigiana. No frying. No greasy eggplant slices that suck up all of that oil like little sponges. You don't even have to make a homemade sauce. Not even a prepared sauce. I promise you . . . it's delicious. I believe that eggplant was made for the grill. And a little cheese can't hurt.

Melanzane al Formaggio*

2-3 medium, firm eggplants, sliced about 1/2" thick

olive oil

kosher salt

1 can of whole peeled tomatoes or tomato sauce (I love Dei Fratelli) or your favorite homemade or store-bought sauce (how easy is this?)

Hard grating cheese (Parmesan or Romano or Grana Padano)

Also, use any other cheese you have on hand (I used some interesting and delicious Sartori Bellavitano - from Wisconsin, actually!) and a few chunks of Chevre goat cheese (oh my)

fresh bread crumbs

fresh and/or dried herbs like oregano and thyme

plus a little more olive oil and

a little more grated hard cheese

*yet another name . . . this dish is having an identity crisis.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sprinkle the eggplant slices with kosher salt and drizzle with olive oil. Heat your grill to medium and make sure the grates are clean. Grill the eggplant slices on the grill until they have nice grill marks and flip easily...... about 5 to 10 minutes. Flip and grill for another 5 minutes.

Remove from grill and set aside. Spoon some sauce onto the bottom of a baking dish. Place the eggplant slices on top of the sauce in a single layer. Top with some freshly grated cheese(s) (your choice). Spoon on more tomato sauce. If using whole canned tomatoes (I did tonight....), chop them up with a knife and fork or gently squeeze them to break them up. Then, another layer of eggplant slices, more cheese, more sauce. In the meantime, mix together some fresh breadcrumbs (I think I used about 2 cups) with some grated hard cheese (about 1/4 cup), a pinch of salt, some freshly ground pepper and some herbs (tonight, I used fresh thyme and dried oregano). Drizzle in a bit of olive oil (about 2-3 tablespoons). Mix well. Spread evenly onto top layer. The oil will give your bread crumb topping a nice crunch. Pop into the oven and bake for about 30 minutes until crusty on top and bubbly underneath and around the edges. Let rest a few minutes. Serve with a salad and some heavy and rustic bread. You will be full and happy. Really delicious.

KPK Inside Info

Grill the eggplant when you have the time (like a day in advance). Keep it in the fridge and assemble the dish the next day. I'm sure it will be great. Take a few extra minutes when you have stale bread and toss it into the food processor. It only takes a minute to make bread crumbs. Toss them into a ziploc bag and keep them in the freezer. You will always have fresh bread crumbs on hand.... for stuff like this OR meatballs OR meatloaf OR for topping anything that needs some love. OK. Also, use whatever the heck cheese you have in your fridge. I'm sure some cheeses wouldn't be ideal but a lot of cheeses would be awesome. Use your judgement. You can also make this dish with zucchini and it is just as delicious. I guess when you add sauce, cheese and crumbs, you can't be too far off from greatness. This is one of those "throw together" dishes where all of the flavors just work in harmony. You really can't mess it up. Make some tonight, improvise and enjoy!

Pictured here with a salad of arugula, thinly sliced celery, homegrown cherry tomatoes, red onion, tiny cucumber slices, pitted kalamata olives and fresh basil in a simple olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing. Thick slices of amazing ciabatta bread from Whole Foods functioned as transporters from posateria to bocca ....plate to mouth. LOL.

Don't forget the vino rosso. Oh yeah.

Give in to a craving today. You'll be so glad you did... and then, you'll thank me.

Love, Katie

Roast Your Sprouts Peeps

I know it's still warm out but I couldn't help falling into fall this week with a fall menu full of fall food and feeling very fall-ish. I fell 4 fall Tuesday night. Main course: Grilled turkey breast (roasted, really - on the grill) with a lot of savory seasonings, freshly picked herbs (like lemon sage, thyme, Italian parsley and oregano) and aromatic vegetables, served with reduced pan juices. Sides: Mashed sweet potatoes with chevre, cream and fresh chives, "Persian" cucumber and sweet onion salad with homemade blue cheese and fresh herb dressing, and finally, the topic of this post...... oven roasted brussels sprouts.

BTW, next time you quickly blurt out "brussel" sprouts, remember, it's brusselS sprouts. Yes, there's an S on the end.... you know, like the city... in Belgium. It's friggin' hard to say out loud. You really have to slow it down. I'm sure the ones we eat come from Northern California, though, no doubt. It all started in the U.S. with an Italian artichoke farmer in San Mateo County somewhere in the early 1900's. I guess they were thinking "why should the Europeans be the only ones that get to eat these little cuties?"

BS Tips (LOL): Try to buy them super fresh. Some farmer's markets sell them on the stalk! What a treat! Make sure they're small and tight. Huge and loose is not good. I'm bad. Remove any brown or discolored outer leaves. Trim the stalks so they're not below the bud. Rinse thoroughly with water and dry completely with paper towels or a towel.

Roast Your Brussels Sprouts Peeps

(too simple)

Brussels Sprouts

Olive Oil

Kosher Salt & Pepper

Prep:

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees

As above, wash, dry, trim

Cut each sprout in half lengthwise

Toss with olive oil, and s & p

Toss onto a sheet pan

Place sprouts cut-side down for maximum contact : )

Pop into the oven

Don't toss 'em. Let 'em get brown and caramelized (like in the top photo)

Let them roast for awhile (like 20-30 minutes or so - check in & peek underneath one)

When they're brown, flip them with a spatula

Let them roast for another 10 minutes or so

Serve

Add a drizzle of olive oil if you wish

Sprinkle with your favorite finishing salt, like coarse kosher, gray sea salt or fleur de sel

Salt matters.

I love these.

From Brussels With Love, Katie

Liquid Lust

Always in search of a new "wine cocktail", I was googling around online when I came across an intriguing recipe for a sangria-type cocktail named "Liquid Lust". Now, combining a flowery and blushy tequila with wine and fruit juice immediately sounded refreshing and delicious to moi', so I was quickly on the hunt for what has become my newest favorite late summer cocktail ingredient . . . drum roll please........ ROSANGEL. A reposado tequila from Gran Centenario, aged in port barrels and infused with hand-picked hibiscus flowers. OMG. C'mon now. I was never really a tequila girl amidst the mobs of Patron'-swillin'-party-animal-salt lickin'-lime suckin'-girls-gone-wild (like my friend Tammy, can't stop LOL) . . . I am a wine girl.

Since my new discovery, I think I might now be a wine and tequila girl. This fruity and floral luxury liquor is sure to be popping up in future KPK cocktails as a new favorite ingredient for years to come. Treat yourself to a bottle today by placing an order with Binny's Beverage Depot at 708.226.9902 (in Orland Park for locals).

On Rosangel's website, there are a few interesting recipes to try ... The recipe for "Rosangel Pink Sangria" is identical to the cocktail recipe I found on a different site under the name "Liquid Lust" and that's the name I like best...It's funny re-reading the recipe now because when I made it the first (and second) times (both last week)...... I apparently didn't notice the last ingredient, club soda, therefore, those first two pitchers were seriously powerful and I toned them down with more cranberry juice and orange juice than the recipe called for. Now, I understand. Duh. That was BEFORE a sample. LOL. None of my guest taste-testers seemed to mind. They loved it!

Liquid Lust

1/2 bottle of Rosangel

1/2 bottle of white wine (your choice- I used Pinot Grigio the first time & Sauvignon Blanc the second time)

1/2 cup white sugar*

1 ounce orange juice (if not fresh-squeezed, I love Tropicana with lots of pulp)

1 ounce cranberry juice (I like the "no-sugar added" Ocean Spray)

2 oranges, sliced

1 lemon, sliced

1 lime, sliced

1 bunch of grapes (I like red, purple and green)

1 apple, thinly sliced or cut into cubes (love Honeycrisp, Pink Lady or Granny Smith)

1/2 liter of club soda

Everyone into the pool..... all ingredients into a punch bowl or large pitcher. Stir until the sugar is melted. Taste-test. Use your judgment. Too boozy, add more juice, not boozy enough, add more booze. How hard is this? Want it more limey? Um. You get the picture. I love this combination. Play with it. Adjust it. Change it up. Make it your own. Serve it on the rocks with lots of fresh and beautiful fruit & maybe a sprig of something special : ).

*A note about sugar . . . Bar Sugar (aka Superfine Sugar, hmmm, hey, that could be a great nickname) is finer and dissolves quicker than regular sugar. OR, you can buy organic sugar (it's light brown) pretty much anywhere now and use that if it makes you feel better. Or.....for a lovely treat, try organic agave syrup. I'm really into it and have been using it to sweeten everything. I mean, what the heck do you think tequila is made from? Last note and KPK tip (you've read this here before ~ make a simple syrup by heating equal parts of sugar and water just to a simmer. Cool completely and store in the fridge to sweeten your life (and especially your sangria) easily without waiting for sugar to dissolve. That way, you can start drinking a few minutes sooner. LOL.

Drink Lust Today

(heck, ask Jimmy Carter! ~ he understands)

Katie's Passion Kitchen

Bringing Liquid Lust to YOUR Passion Kitchen

Buttermilk Waffes with Plum Compote

Inspiration: 2 plums ripening on the KPK counter & some buttermilk in the fridge left over from baking coconut cupcakes . . .

I love to toss fruit into a pot with a drizzle of water and a spoonful or two of brown sugar or white sugar. I do this with plums, apples, nectarines, peaches, pears.....It works well with pretty much any fruit.... I squeeze in a little lemon juice and then throw in a chunk or more of lemon. Oranges work well too. The pith in either citrus fruit will naturally thicken the compote without adding corn starch or anything....Natural pectin. Simply cook over medium heat (or low) just until the fruit softens and the the juice thickens. It happens in no time! You can then add a bit of vanilla if you wish, or cinnamon (which pairs well with apples and actually, plums too!). On Sunday morning, I was content to use the plums, a few orange and lemon wedges, and a thinly sliced, tart green, Granny Smith apple. A little sugar and it was sweet-tart and delectable. So, next time you have some fruit that needs to be eaten, think of making a simple compote. It can top waffles, pancakes, english muffins or bagels and for sure.... ice cream, right? How about pound cake, ice cream and warm compote? Chilled compote mixed with your favorite yogurt. Friggin' delicious. Many possibilities. Also, think of adding dried fruit like cranberries, cherries or raisins. Excellent! You can add nuts too, and you can go nuts, if you like.

Ok.... here's the basic waffle recipe.......

Homemade Buttermilk Waffles*

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 tablespoons sugar

~ ~ ~

3 eggs, beaten

1/2 stick of butter, melted

16 ounces (2 cups) buttermilk

Preheat your waffle iron according to your directions. Spray with non-stick spray, if required. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients until well combined. In another bowl, mix the eggs and melted butter, and then add the buttermilk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and still until combined. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Ladle the batter into the iron, as directed by the waffle iron manufacturer. Mine calls about two cups of batter to be poured and then smoothed out with a rubber spatula. Close the iron and cook until golden brown. Serve immediately or keep in the oven set at "warm" on a foil-lined pan until ready to serve.

*adapted from Alton Brown's basic waffle recipe

Spoon on some warm compote, serve with fresh fruit, sprinkle with powdered sugar if you like. Snap a photo. Dig in!

Make waffles for dinner tonight

Love, Katie

BIKE NIGHT POSTPONED ~ YIKERS BIKERS! NOT AGAIN!

8/17 NEWS Update: Postponed until further notice due to scheduling conflicts...... We may be better off doing a last minute, unplanned, unscheduled, soiree'. Hey, I'm spontaneous! So, um, see you whenever! LOL.....Katie's Passion Kitchen (and Brigitte Bardot) host Bike Night, Thursday, August 19, 2010. Bikers are invited to show up hungry and enjoy a night of eating, drinking and macho merriment. Menu and photos will be posted . . . post party.

Looking forward to cooking for all of you manly bastichas.

Love, Katie