Peanuts! In addition to being the core ingredient in a classic PB&J sandwich, they pack a serious nutritional punch and are really, quite healthy – when eaten in moderation.

Peanuts are rich in monounsaturated (MONO-Un-Saturated) fat, the type emphasized in heart-healthy diet. They are also a good source of vitamin E, protein and antioxidants. When roasted, peanuts’ antioxidant content are boosted and are similar to those found in blackberries and strawberries!

Did you know that they are not actually in the nut family? They’re grain-type legumes, related to beans, lentils, and peas, and grow underground!

Speaking of growing, did you know that peanuts grow here in the northwest? That’s right! Farms like Alvarez located in Mabton and CB’s Nuts in Hansville have grown peanuts for years. You may have bought their delicious peanuts at a farmers market or in your local grocery store! Check out Agrilicious (agg-ree-LISH-us) – a great site for finding who’s growing what locally…. like peanuts.

A bounty of peanuts perfect for snacking!

Peanuts are great in sweet and savory dishes from classic peanut butter cookies to scattering on phad thai noodles. One of my favorite snacks to make is my Five-Spiced Sesame Peanuts great to much on while sipping a cocktail.

Here’s to the mighty peanut! -Kathy

Five-Spiced Sesame Peanuts
If the nuts lose their crispness after cooking, re-toast them in a 350-degree oven for a couple of minutes before serving.

Makes about 4 cups

1 egg white
1 Tbsp. water
1 pound (about 3 1/2 cups) salted, dry-roasted, skinless peanuts
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. black sesame seeds
2 Tbsp. white sesame seeds
2 tsp. five-spice powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg white with water until foamy. Add the peanuts and toss to coat. Transfer the nuts to a strainer, shake, and let drain for at least 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, sesame seeds, five-spice, cayenne and salt. Add the drained peanuts and toss to coat thoroughly.

On a large baking sheet with sides, spread the nuts out in a single layer. Bake for 45 minutes. Stir the nuts with a spatula and spread them out again. REDUCE THE TEMPERATURE to 200 degrees and bake for 45 to 55 minutes longer, or until dry.

Loosen the nuts from the baking sheet but do not remove them from the sheet. Cool to room temperature. Be sure to let the nuts cool completely and become crisp. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios® – www.KathyCasey.com

Oh honey! That amazing sweet and flavorful product our wonderful bees give us!

I love bees, but I use to be afraid of them until I had a couple of hives in my urban garden and there were a LOT of bees! Honey bees go about their business and are busy, busy zooming around the everywhere. They are on a mission so make sure to not get in their flight path.

Did you know a bee will only produce about one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime? Wow!

The United States alone has 300+ varieties of honey. The variety depends on the type of blossom the bees are collecting nectar from. In the northwest, we have one of my all-time faves – blackberry honey!

My Liquid Kitchen 5130 Honey harvested from my Ballard urban garden!

If you are like me and love to whip up creative beverages and cocktails – then swap out your simple syrup for honey syrup – take 2 parts honey and 1 part hot water and mix together until they are combined. It will store for over a week in the refrigerator.

Try adding it to a summery drink like a tall Lemony Collins or a Watermelon Honey Limeade, or in a delicious salad dressing like below!

There are some great recipes on The National Honey Boards site as well as.

Cheers to a sweet summer! –Kathy

Local Greens with Blackberry Honey Vinaigrette, Toasted Hazelnuts & Chevre
Makes 4 servings

8 cups local, mixed baby greens
Blackberry Honey Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
1/2 cup fresh blackberries or raspberries
1/4 cup (1 ounce) chopped toasted hazelnuts
2 ounces chevre-style goat cheese, crumbled

Blackberry Honey Vinaigrette
1/4 cup fresh blackberries
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. honey such as wildflower or blackberry
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp. canola oil or light olive oil
pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. kosher salt

Combine all the vinaigrette ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Refrigerate until needed. Can be made up to 3 days in advance.

To serve salad: Toss greens with dressing and divide among 4 plates. Scatter with berries, hazelnuts and goat cheese. Serve immediately.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios® – www.KathyCasey.com

Many people think of lavender as scenting soaps, spa treatments and perfumes, and it’s well-known for its calming and relaxing properties. But lavender has also enjoyed a long history in the culinary world.

For the lavender lovers, the 19^th Annual Sequim Lavender Festival is this weekend!

In fact, it is experiencing quite resurgence. Chefs, bakers and mixologists alike are using this member of the mint family to spruce up savory dishes, sweets, and cocktails.

Lavender is best used sparingly to let its fragrant flavour subtly shine and not to overpower. When added to an herbaceous seasoning mix like Herbs De Provence, it gives a unique note to grilled proteins like chicken or pork.

A sprinkle of lavender into your favorite sugar cookie recipe adds a delicious floral note, like in my Lemon & Lavender Shortbread Cookies.

Beautiful Lavender growing in our urban garden at the Food Studios–Liquid Kitchen

If you are a jam maker try adding a pinch or two of lavender to your next batch of strawberry jam. I also love it infused in a little local honey and drizzled over cheese or a sprinkling in the filling of a berry pie.

For a super-refreshing drink, whip up my Lavender-Mint Lime Cooler – made with an easy to make lavender simple syrup. Drink it over ice or with a splash of gin, vodka or silver rum for summertime sipping perfection.

Here’s to lavender!–Kathy

Lemon & Lavender Shortbread Cookies
A wonderful not-too-sweet cookie with big flavor.

Makes 12 cookies

1 stick butter, softened
2 tsp fresh lavender
1 Tbsp. lemon zest, finely minced
1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. local honey

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter, lavender, lemon zest and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the flour and mix until just combined. Add the honey and then mix until dough just comes together.

With lightly floured hands roll dough into a 2” round cylinder and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled.

When ready to bake preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Slice dough into 12 even slices with a sharp knife and place on a baking sheet pan.

Bake shortbread in middle of oven approx. 10 minutes or until bottom of cookies are pale golden. Remove from oven and remove cookies to a cooling rack.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios® – www.KathyCasey.com

Lavender-Mint Lime Cooler
Zesty lime syrup and fresh mint make for a refreshing drink, perfect for any patio party or sunny afternoon.

Makes 7 cups – serves 8 to 10

3 Tbsp. finely minced lime zest (with no white pith)*
8 – 10 large sprigs fresh lavender
8 large sprigs fresh mint
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
————————————
1 1/2 cups fresh-squeezed lime juice
3 cups water (or substitute soda water if serving right away)
Garnish: lime wheels and fresh lavender sprigs

Combine the zest, lavender, mint, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a quick boil over high heat. Boil for 1 minute then remove from heat. Let sit for 30 minutes to allow the mint to steep and the syrup to cool.

Remove and discard mint from syrup. In a large pitcher, combine the cooled syrup, lime juice, and water. Serve over ice in a tall glass garnished with lime wheels and mint. Keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

* Zest is the outer peel of the fruit – with no white pith attached. You can remove the zest from the fruit with a fine zesting tool that makes long, very thin, pretty strands, or you can peel off the zest with an ordinary potato peeler, being careful not to get any white pith, and then finely mince it.

Recipe developed by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen® – www.LiquidKitchen.com

Cherries just say summer to me and are perfect for this Red, White, & Blue holiday weekend. Cherry pie, cherry cocktails, cherry salad – I WANT IT ALL!

The only other challenge to cooking with cherries is pitting them. If you are pitting a lot of cherries, it’s best to get a large plunger pitter. I like the kind that clamps onto the side of a picnic table – the outdoors are the ideal place to do this messy chore.

Stem the cherries, then load up the hopper and start punching the plunger down. The only hitch is that, by the time you are finished, you are usually freckled with pink dots! So wear an old shirt—cherry stains are hard to get out, and this can sometimes be the pits!

For quick pitting projects, you can also use a wooden chopstick to poke out the pits.

This weekend try layering fresh pitted cherries with pieces of shortcake, whipped cream and some blueberries in little half pint jars for a d’lish Red, White, & Blue Cherry-Berry Shortcake! –Kathy

Photo by Kathy Casey Food Studios®.

Red, White, & Blue Cherry-Berry Shortcake
This recipe is super-cute layered in wide-mouth half pint canning jars for a country picnic theme. The recipe is best made up a couple of hours in advance and refrigerated. Top with whipped cream right before serving.

Makes 8 servings

2 cups fresh cherries, pitted
1/3 cup cherry or strawberry jam
8 shortcakes, torn into pieces OR 1 purchased pound cake, about 10.75 oz, cut into 1” cubes (about 5 cups)
1 pint fresh blueberries
3 cups lightly sweetened whipped cream
8 fresh cherries for garnish – or maraschino cherries

Pit the cherries, and cut them in half. Toss with the jam and let sit for 20 minutes.

Divide the cake between eight 10-oz glasses or wide mouth half-pint canning jars. Evenly distribute the cherries over the cake then scatter with the blueberries. Top each serving with whipped topping and garnish with a cherry.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios® – www.KathyCasey.com