Store-bought cookies just never taste as good as homemade. Isn’t this always true? Could it be that the extra dose of hands-on love makes homemade cookies that much more special?
I love cookies and have been making cookies most since I could stand. I still cherish my first Betty Crocker’s Cookie Book. Its colorful pages are to this day encrusted with pieces of dough, sugar, and other cookie ingredient goodies.

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

Do you love cookies but never have enough time to whip up a batch? Then try out this baker’s trick. When you do have time, make up a few batches of your favorite cookie doughs then roll them each into logs. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap then label and freeze them. Now, whenever the cookie craving hits you or guests stop by, just pull out a roll, slice, and then bake. Voila! Instant cookies will be ready for that after school snack, cookie craving, special guest, or any fun occasion.

I love experimenting with cookie doughs and see how the flavors bake together. How about taking your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and adding hazelnuts, instead of walnuts? Next time, try adding lavender and lemon zest or even herbs in a shortbread cookie. What about a pinch of cayenne pepper to gingersnaps for a sassy twist? Add a splash color to white chocolate macadamia cookies by stirring in dried cherries to the dough.

At my Dish D’Lish® cafes the S’mores Cookies are the most popular cookie. Chocolate dough is studded with toffee bits and finished with a topping of marshmallows and graham crackers  – baked till gooey good!

Everyone has a favorite. Mine is my Mom’s Oatmeal Gumdrop Jewels. My mom has made these cookies ever since I can remember. One of my favorite memories is having the important job of cutting up the gumdrops…and taking a sneaky quick bite every so often!

So get that glass of milk or cup of coffee ready, it’s time to bake up these sweet delights! -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 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon 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 © Dish D’Lish®

My Mom’s Oatmeal Gumdrop Jewels
To make this task a bit easier, try snipping them into pieces with clean, wet scissors.

Makes approximately 6 dozen cookies.

2/3 cup butter
1/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons buttermilk
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups flour
2 cups oatmeal (rolled oats)
1 pound spiced gumdrops, cut up into approximately 1/4-inch pieces}
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream butter, shortening, sugars, eggs and vanilla. Mix in buttermilk. Sift together dry ingredients and blend in. Mix in oatmeal, gumdrops, walnuts and raisins. Chill 2 hours, then drop by tablespoonfuls on a greased baking sheet. Bake 10 – 12 minutes or until golden.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

 

It’s no secret Seattleites are fond of their coffee! We love our brew any time of day and any form we can find it. With that in mind, Dish D’Lish took the passion (and sometimes necessity) for that daily dose of caffeine and developed a tasty new seasoning blend that focuses on those unmistakable and complex flavors.

Aptly named, Rain City Seasoning is the 3^rd addition to our Dish D’Lish seasoning blend collection and we partnered with two Seattle favorites, Caffè Umbria Coffee Roasters and Theo Chocolate. Caffè Umbria’s delicious coffee is ground fresh for every batch of seasoning and Theo Chocolate’s cocoa nibs are of the highest quality, fair trade, and perfectly toasted. We then blend these together with 2 types of salt, dried orange peel, allspice, peppers, and other spices to deliver a versatile and d’lish seasoning!

Rain City Seasoning is perfect for chicken, rubbed on steak, salmon or pork loins, sprinkled on roasted root vegetables, squash or adding an extra bit of “wow” to a dark and delicious BBQ sauce. But the uses don’t end there! Cocktails can use this blend as a rim or spice ingredient for Bloody Marys or to add a savory take on a smoky margarita made with mescal.

Coffee not your thing? Try Our Other Seasonings:

French Seasoning Salt is a salty and savory seasoning that is the perfect all-purpose blend with 3 types of salt, garlic, onion, pepper, paprika, herbs, and spices. It really allows meats, seafood, poultry and vegetables to shine anytime.

The Cha Cha Chipotle Lime Seasoning is our slightly spicy and citrusy seasoning. We combine chipotle and dark chili powders, salt, lime, onion, garlic, and spices together to form a seasoning you will do the Cha Cha for! This seasoning is perfect for adding depth and flavor to poultry, meats, seafood, and veggies when grilling, roasting or sautéing.

 

 

Savory Roasted Squash

The rich coffee notes in the Rain City Seasoning bring out the sweetness of the squash. Snazz up this tasty side dish with a sprinkling of blue cheese, pomegranate seeds and toasted hazelnuts.

Makes about 6 servings.

1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. dry vermouth, white wine or apple juice
6 cups peeled 1 1/2-inch cubed winter squash, such as Hubbard, Butternut or Acorn
1 Tbsp. Dish D’Lish Rain City Seasoning

Preheat oven to 357⁰

In a large bowl whisk the oil, brown sugar and vermouth together. Then add the squash and stir to coat well. Sprinkle the squash with the Rain City Seasoning and then toss to coat.

Lay the squash out in a single layer on a sheet pan. Roast the squash for about 25 – 35 minutes until they are tender and the edges are caramelized.

Dish D’Lish Rain City Seasoning Chef’s Notes:

For an average size steak or salmon fillet use 1 tsp. per side

Rub 1 – 2 Tbsp. on a whole chicken before roasting.

Sprinkle on grilled pears or peaches, serve on goat cheese spread crostini for a quick and easy appetizer.

 

Seattle Wine & Food Experience has been THE epicurean weekend to sample the best food and wine the Pacific Northwest has to offer. Back for its 8th year (February 20^th and 21^st), this year’s event is bigger and better than ever.

 

Saturday evening kicks off with Pop! Bubbles & Seafood experience located at the elegant McCaw Hall. Pop! features the bounty of the Pacific Northwest’s seafood paired with sparkling wines and Champagne. This is sure to be a sparkling evening!

 

At Sunday’s Wine & Food Experience get ready to sip and taste your way through an amazing event line up!

Some favorites and must check outs are:

• –‘Brews and Ewes‘ – where select breweries are paired with top chefs’ lamb creations! Yum!
• -“Riesling Challenge” at the Ste. Michelle’s booth – you can and determine which wine pleases your palate – Dry, Off Dry or Sweet.

No matter which day you decide to attend (or maybe make a weekend of it!), you’ll have the opportunity to try hundreds of wines, beers, ciders, and local chef dishes. Now, doesn’t that sound like fun? Visit event website for info on tickets and full line-up of exhibitors.

Cheers! -Kathy

Ballard, long known for its rich Scandinavian heritage, has a new exhibit at the Nordic Heritage Museum called SKAL (pronounced “sk-OOL”) Scandinavian Spirits.

This exhibition explores the cultural history of Scandinavian libations, the most famous being aquavit (sometimes spelled “akvavit”). I can tell you that it’s delicious! And being a good Scandinavian myself, I’ve drank my fair share of it and I am thrilled to see this sip become hip.

But what is it? Aquavit, like vodka, is a spirit distilled from either grain or potatoes. After distillation, it is distinctive flavor comes from a blend of herbs and spices like caraway, fennel, and dill.

Great for sipping, I also like to add this into cocktails from Nordic-themed Bloody Mary’s as well as in my Citrus Scandi (aquavit, vodka, Cointreau, orange, and fresh grapefruit).

Citrus Scandis & fresh oysters with a Citrus Splash!
For recipes, check out this episode of Liquid Kitchen.

What’s really exciting is that the Northwest is producing some pretty great aquavit: Portland’s House Spirits produces Krogstad and in Seattle the Old Ballard Liquor Company crafts several unique styles of aquavit.

Old Ballard Liquor Company proprietor Lexi is also the visionary behind the pop-up restaurant Tumble Swede, which celebrates a mash-up of Scandinavian and Pacific Northwest cuisine. Make sure to keep an eye out for her next pop-up.

So stop on by the Nordic Heritage Museum the exhibit runs until February 28th.

Skal! -Kathy

 

In 1895, the US Federal Commissioner of Labor combed through the census to gather info on laborers. There were 55,000+ men behind the bar and only 147 women. That all changed after Pearl Harbor when Rosie the Riveter was matched by Bessie the Bartender!

Did you know that one of the most famous bartenders in history was a woman? London -1899, Ada Coleman created the Hanky Panky Cocktail and soon became the head bartender at the illustrious American Bar in The Savoy Hotel.

Ada making her Hanky Panky cocktail at The Savoy

Back to today: on January 31st (mark your calendars) some serious stirring and shaking is about to happen in Seattle, thanks to the return of Speed Rack. This all-female speed-bartending competition raises money for breast cancer education, prevention, and research.

Women bartenders from Seattle and Portland will go head to head in round robin mix-offs, while the crowd sips and cheers their favorite contenders on! This is defiantly a spirited event – in all ways.

The Winner of the upcoming Seattle event will then get the opportunity to compete in the Grand Finals, where the champion will be crowned Miss Speed Rack USA!

I’m looking forward to judging and seeing all our NW ladies shine! Make sure to get your tickets! -Kathy

Hanky Panky Cocktail
Makes 1 cocktail

1 1/2 oz gin
1 1/2 oz red vermouth
2 dashes Fernet Branca
Garnish: orange peel twist

Measure the gin, red vermouth, and Fernet Branca into a mixing glass. Fill with ice then stir. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with an orange peel twist.

Last summer, the Liquid Kitchen hosted the Fairmont Tastemakers in developing and finalizing their global cocktail menu – “Classics. Perfected.” Check out the article from Hotel F&B (UK) introducing the mixology team and covering the brands used for the program.

 

Every year, Flavor & The Menu Magazine reaches out to an esteemed panel of experts (which I’m thrilled to be a part of!) for insight on hot trends to look out for the new year. The Top 10 Trends issue is full of great ideas of flavors to watch. Check out these hot trends:

Butter Goes Bold covers a number of ways in how butter can enhance a dish. Interested in making a bolder butter – check out my section
Best Practices for Bold Butters!

Vegetable Forward points out how veggies are becoming focal points for dishes combining culinary technique, texture, and flavors (think charring, oven-roasting, etc.). It’s not just food too; the garden-to-glass movement is going beyond herbs and including fresh veggie juices and purees.

Dairy is on the move with Soft Cheese Sensations – adding a textural and almost neutral in flavor. Think burrata, mascarpone, ricotta, and stracchino – milky with a luscious mouth-feel on toasts, flatbreads, pizzas, and other dishes.

Sriracha is the trending hot sauce these days, but what’s next? Hot Harissa explores the next step in “heat” flavor with this complex chili paste – great on chicken thighs, roasted veggies, or as a flavor compliment to ketchup.

Citrus on Fire looks at charring citrus fruits – think lemons, grapefruits, etc. Doing so adds a savory note, while at the same time balancing the sour levels, caramelizes the fruit, and adds a great visual appeal to dishes.

There are a lot of drink trends on the rise and everyone is looking at tea. Check out some of my tips in It’s Time for Tea, for ways to include tea into cocktails and fun drinks.

Eating a healthy breakfast is the key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and gets your metabolism jump started for the day. But many of us just don’t have time to get it together in the mornings. This is where quick smoothies come in!

Now you have probably seen a lot of people drinking green things these days, such as juice, smoothies and kale is the star of the green! It’s reportedly among the most nutrient dense foods on the planet and very high in fiber – so perfect in helping you feel full.

But sometimes purchased juices and smoothies can be really high in calories and sugar. With all that sugar, that kind of defeats the purpose.

Here is my favorite go to Green Smoothie:

•1 – 2 leaves of Kale torn up
•1/2 a ripe banana
•Tiny touch of honey or maple syrup (not too much now or leave it our entirely)
•1/2 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt (or fat free coconut milk for a dairy-free option – this is the fresh refrigerated coconut milk)
•3/4 – 1 cup of ice

Tear the kale leaves up and drop into a blender cup. Add in the rest of the ingredients. Blend it up until totally smooth and brilliant green – I have a Vitamix blender and LOVE it!

You can add other healthful additions right before blending, too. Think matcha powder, flax seeds, goji berries, and even almond butter or organic coconut oil. These all are great smoothie boosters and great for you.

So go Green and Jump start your day with a homemade smoothie! –Kathy