Good things do come in small packages; sliders are a tasty example of that testament. These two-bite (sometimes one-bite!) wonders are popping up everywhere from restaurant menus to food trucks!

If you’re a slider fan and want to make them at home, don’t worry! They are super-simple to make. Belltown’s Macrina Bakery makes fresh, little slider-sized buns and there are grocery store mini-bun options and alternatives, too.

Lamb sliders!
(Photo from Kathy Casey’s Sips & Apps, Chronicle Books – Angie Norwood Browne)

Lamb, salmon, buffalo, tuna, sliced steak … anything gourmet burgers can do, sliders can do. They aren’t your average burgers and flavor combos are endless from barbecue pulled pork on ‘slaw to deep-fried clam fritters with a citrus aioli.

For your next get-together, set-up a DIY slider bar. Put out a few different mini-patties, some great local mini-buns, and lots of fun condiments – spicy chipotle mayo, horseradish aioli, blue cheese, tarragon mustard, pickled red onions, zingy slaw, and even grilled pineapple – yum!

For the last days of summer, think small and dish out big flavor with sliders! -Kathy

Lamb Sliders with Zingy Spread and Arugula & Roasted Peppers
I also like to top the hot burgers with dollops of soft goat cheese for a tasty variation.

Makes 16

Zingy Spread
3/4 cup mayonnaise, or use 3/8 cup mayonnaise and 3/8 cup plain yogurt
1 1/2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic

Burger Mixture
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons minced onion
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 pounds ground lamb, or substitute beef

Accompaniments
16 small slider buns
Thinly sliced red or sweet onions
Roasted peppers, cut in strips
Baby arugula

To make the spread: Mix the ingredients together well. Cover and refrigerate, for up to 2 days, until needed.

To make the burger mixture: In a bowl, mix the pepper, mustard, rosemary, onion, garlic, vinegar, and salt. Mix in the lamb until thoroughly combined. Divide the mixture into 16 portions. Shape into patties, about 2 inches in diameter.

Heat a medium or large nonstick skillet or sauté pan over medium-high to high heat. Working in batches without crowding the pan, sauté the patties until just done, about 2 -3 minutes per side. (You can also grill the patties)

If you want to serve the buns warm, wrap them in aluminum foil and reheat in a 375-degree F oven.

To serve, split the buns and spread with the Zingy Spread. Place the patties on buns and top with onions, roasted peppers and arugula as desired. Close the burgers and secure with picks.

Recipe adapted from; Kathy Casey Sips & Apps, Chronicle Books

The Seattle Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier (the organization of women leaders in food, beverage and hospitality) along with the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute are hosting a progressive and educational dinner on Thursday, September 27th from 5:30pm – 8:30pm.

Fish Tales & Pike Ales is an informative discussion and walk-around dinner about the virtues of wild seafood and attributes/advantages of frozen seafood and will be held at the Pike Brewing Company. Professional fishermen, cook book authors and other seafood experts will be on hand to answer questions and lead conversations.

There will be an assortment of Alaska-sourced seafoods and dishes prepared by Les Dames members. Beverage pairings will be provided by Pike Pub and Washington wineries.

Make sure you get your tickets in advanced as this will be a tasty event!

This week on Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen, I make my Bloody Good Balsamic Mary! Have a summer’s bounty of garden goodies? Use them in my creative Bloody Mary recipe. Housemade Bloody Good-infused Vodka along with a tasty Balsamic Mary mix (made with my Vitamix Bar Boss Advance blender) makes for the perfect Sunday brunch drink. Don’t forget to get creative with the garnishes!

To life! -Kathy

The Morton Report recently posted a fun interview that I had with them about my involvement with the Urbanspoon Guides! You can read the article by clicking here.

S’mores – just saying that d’lish word brings up tasty memories of the great outdoors and great times.  They’re the quintessential campfire treat – whether you’re deep in the woods or just “camping out” in the backyard.

S’mores are all about personal preference. How do you stack your goodies? How brown (toasted or burnt) do you like your marshmallow? Dark or milk chocolate…. do you add anything else to the campfire trifecta? Do you use special homemade or gourmet flavored ‘mallows?… There’s lots of ways to mix up and personalize this classic!

For example, switch out regular graham crackers for your favorite cookie – how sassy delicious does a gingersnap s’more sound? My personal favorite is a traditional s’mores with raspberry jam slathered between the cookie and the gooey, ‘mallow.

Can’t head outdoors? Try baking up one of my D’Lish S’mores Cookies!  They’re one of the most popular cookies at my Sea Tac Airport Dish D’Lish cafes: chocolate dough is studded with toffee bits and finished with marshmallow topping and graham cracker crumbs for that campfire feeling on the go!

A Pile of my S’more Cookies available at my Dish D’Lish cafes!

You can even drink a s’more, too! Try my S’more Hot Cocoa once the sun goes down and it’s a bit chilly out. Hot cocoa, with a graham cracker crumb rim and a topped with a big fat marshmallow will keep you toasty!

My S’mores Cocoa! Yum!
(Photo from Kathy Casey Cooks Favorites)

Gather your friends and family around a toasty campfire and take a bite out of a gooey s’more or whip up something s’more-licious in your kitchen! -Kathy

Dish D’Lish S’mores Cookies
These are the most popular cookie at my Dish D’Lish Cafes! The marshmallow graham cracker topping makes them gooey delicious!

Makes 10 jumbo cookies

Dough
8 Tbsps (1 stick) butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
One 8-ounce package toffee baking bits

Topping
1 cup mini marshmallows
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

To make the cookie dough, in a mixing bowl, cream the butter, shortening, sugars, egg, and vanilla well. Sift the flour, cocoa, soda, and salt together in a small bowl. Mix into the butter mixture. Stir in the toffee bits.

In a large piece of plastic wrap, roll the dough into a 3-inch-diameter log with flat ends. Wrap well and refrigerate the dough to chill for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days.

When ready to bake, preheat an oven to 350°F. Line 4 or 5 baking sheets with baking parchment (see Chef’s Note, below).

While the oven is heating, make the topping. Combine the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix with a rubber spatula or spoon until the marshmallows are thoroughly coated. The mixture will be very sticky.

Cut the chilled dough into 10 equal slices. Place 2 or 3 slices on each prepared baking sheet. (When baked, these cookies spread to about a 5-inch diameter, so bake only 2 or 3 per pan.) In the center of each cookie, place about 1 heaping tablespoon of topping, using it all.

Bake the cookies for 18 to 20 minutes, or until just done. Let cool on the baking parchment until totally cooled and easy to remove.

Chef’s Note: If you’re short of baking sheets, just lay out the dough slices on additional pieces of baking parchment. When a pan of cookies is done, remove the pan from the oven, slide the parchment with the baked cookies onto a rack, place the next parchment sheet of dough on the pan and bake.

Recipe ©Kathy Casey Dish D’Lish®

S’mores Cocoa
Perfect for kids of all ages – but for the adults try spiking it with a shot of your favorite bourbon or rye. If you’re going for a double s’mores experience, Three Olives Vodka makes a new s’mores flavored vodka which would be fun to add a nip of.

Makes 1 drink

Chocolate sauce, in a squeeze bottle
Graham cracker crumbs
2 Tbsp Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate and Cocoa or 2-3 Tbsp high quality chocolate sauce
3/4 cup steamed or hot milk
Garnish: large marshmallow

Rim a coffee glass or mug with chocolate sauce. Then press rim into graham cracker crumbs.

Place chocolate in mug; carefully stir in hot milk. Top with a large marshmallow and drizzle with chocolate sauce.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen™

Seattleites, it’s time to party. Not just any party…but to celebrate the Seattle Center’s Big Birthday Bash! So mark your calendars for Saturday, September 8th from 11:00am – 3:00pm for this grand occasion!

Admission is free and there will be things for the entire family to enjoy. From the SeaFair Pirates wandering around (yargh, matey!), a vintage car show, free rides at the Wells Fargo Advisors Playway, and five music & art stages as well vintage merchandise booths. A tasty group of food trucks (Curry Now, Jemil’s Big Easy, Here and There Grill, Kaosamai, Charlie’s Buns and Stuff, Caribreoso, Skillet Street Food, and NOMAD Curbside) will be there as well just in case you want something to nibble on!

I’ve been asked to be a guest judge for the CupCake Palooza Contest and look forward to tasting all those cupcakes! Zippy!

Hope to see you there! -Kathy

This week on Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen, I make a Gin with House-made Bitter Lemon and Soda! Home-made syrups give an added to touch when shaking/stirring up cocktails, both in the overall quality and flavor of the drink. And it’s super easy to make my House-Made Bitter Lemon when using the Vitamix Bar Boss Advance: cut up whole lemons (peel and all!) and pulse with sugar and water until smooth. Add this syrup with some gin and Perrier Natural Sparkling Water and you’re ready for some laid-back summer sippin’!

To good health! -Kathy