They are also a great place to pick up produce you might not have tried before like nettles (great for flavorful soup) or freshly picked wild morel mushrooms to sauté serve alongside a sizzling steak, or make a rich sauce to top halibut!

Of course, downtown’s famous Pike Place Market is always a fun trip, but hey — new farmers markets are popping up all the time. Check out www.SeattleFarmersMarkets.org to see what’s new in the city!

Before you venture out, here are a few helpful tips:

-Wear comfortable shoes
-Have a couple of large reusable grocery bags with you (for all your great finds!)
-Bring cash (it’ll make the experience quicker and easier)
-My biggest tip is to carry a small notebook to record cooking notes and varietal info from the growers

So get out there and support local farmers markets! Don’t forget to leave a note on this blog with some of your favorite market finds. I would love to hear all about them! –Kathy

Pan-Roasted Halibut with Morel Mushroom Cream
The morel, one of the richest-tasting wild mushrooms, is a spring delight after long NW winters. Just a few morels will do you in a recipe, for their flavor is intense. Serve with sautéed fresh pea vines.

Makes 4 servings

Sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1 shallot, minced
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
1 cup coarse chopped fresh morel mushrooms (about 3 ounces), or 1/2 ounce dried morels, soaked in the white wine and then chopped
3 tablespoons brandy
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of white pepper

Fish
4 skinless halibut fillet portions (6 to 8 ounces each)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

Fresh chives for garnishing

To make the sauce, melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the shallot, garlic, and mushrooms, stirring often, for about 2 minutes, or until the shallot is translucent and mushrooms are tender. Add the brandy and wine and cook to reduce for about 5 minutes. Add the cream and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and slowly simmer, stirring often, for about 20 minutes, or until the sauce is reduced to about 1 – 1 1/4 cups and lightly thickened. Stir in the lemon juice, salt, and white pepper. Transfer the sauce to a blender and blend until smooth but with some texture still, about 30 seconds; be careful, because the sauce is very hot. Set aside and keep warm.

To cook the fish, preheat an oven to 450°F. Season the halibut with salt and pepper to taste. Heat the oil in a large, heavy ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the fillets until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake the fish until just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes, depending on thickness of the fillets.

To serve, place the fillets on warm plates spoon the sauce over them. Garnish with chives.

Chef’s Note: Prized halibut cheeks would be a tasty alternative when available. They range in size from 3 ounces to up to 1 pound each, depending on the size of the fish.

Recipe adapted from Kathy Casey’s Northwest Table.

My 10^th cookbook D’Lish Deviled Eggs has HATCHED! Deviled eggs are always a party favorite and the first to fly off the table. With 54 tried-and-tested (thanks KCFS team!) recipes, my new book takes my love for this people-pleasing appetizer from traditional to creative. From the Classic Picnic-Style to Beet’ing Heart, there is definitely an egg recipe for everyone. Yum! One of my absolute favorite recipes from D’Lish Deviled Eggs is my “California Roll” Deviled Egg”, topped with Alaska King crab – YUM! Try this one out for a sushi-twist! And for more d’lish egg recipes and tips, check out my new website www.DLishDeviledEggs.com for all things Deviled Eggs!

“California Roll” Deviled Eggs – D’lish!
(Book Cover & photo by Kathy Casey Food Studios from D’Lish Deviled Eggs)

For more D’Lish Deviled Egg tips, check out my segment on King 5’s New Day Northwest.

Behind the scenes at New Day Northwest!

Culination!

Out to revolutionize the way people learn how to cook (while also learning about wine and make cocktails of course!), Culination is a cool new e-learning platform that is mobile/tablet friendly, very engaging, and will work with voice command as well. But the Culination team needs your help! If you’re interested and want to learn fun recipes from taste makers like myself, Thirsty Girl’s Leslie Sbrocco, restaurateur Ethan Stowell, PBS cooking veteran Joanne Weir, award winning chef Jason Wilson and others, then help spread the word and donate through the Indiegogo Campaign. Even $5 will help. So please join us and become a Culinator!

If you want to hear all about it in detail then check out pal Siiri Sampson’s blog for the whole scoop!

Tasty Travels & Fun Events

Since January, it has been non-stop traveling and great events like Speed Rack – Seattle! Speed Rack is a Sassy National Competition created by and for female bartenders, pitting them against each other in a round robin style timed challenge – check out this video teaser on YouTube.

Alongside fellow guest judges Rob Roy’s Anu Apte, Drink Boy’s Robert Hess, and Pegu Club’s Audrey Saunders, we watched, tasted and critiqued as these mistresses behind the bar worked their cocktail magic.

The Judges!

The finals are coming up this month in New York – so if you’re in the area on May 16^th, come cheer on the finalists! Make sure to get your tickets soon.

The Northwest Speed Rack Ladies!

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Shortly right after, it was time to fly out the door again – from St. Louis to Boston and then to Las Vegas for the industry annual VIBE Conference! Hosted in the always faboo Las Vegas, this annual event brings in spirits industry leaders and taste makers for a jam-packed two days full of seminars, panels, presentations…and of course tastings!

At the opening Pour It On reception, we teamed up with Monin and William Grant & Sons and crafted a crowd favorite: the Berries & Brimstone cocktail featuring Monin’s new Hickory Smoke Syrup.

Shaking up a Berries & Brimstone!
(Photos by Ernie Sapiro)

First, we mixed the smoke syrup with Everclear to make a flammable mist. We dropped a dry bay leaf into an Old Fashioned glass, spritzed it liberally with the mist, and flamed it to char the leaf. Then we shook up Milagro Reposado tequila and a few fresh blackberries with fresh lime and Monin Blackberry… then poured it over the flaming leaf. This process added a rich layer of flavor to the drink, balancing the sweet, tart and savory.

The following day, I teamed up with my Liquid Kitchen associate Dänny Ronen and bar managers/mixologists Matt Seiter from Sancturia in St. Louis and Kevin Diedrich from Jasper’s Corner Tap in San Francisco, to present a panel on one of the hottest up-and-coming trends – Tapping Potential: Cocktails On Tap!

Seminar in session
(Photos by Heather Jones and Ernie Sapiro)

Kevin and Matt did a “live demo” on tapping a cocktail, and then Liquid Kitchen’s Heather Jones proceeded to serve over 60 cocktails in just a few minutes. The whole process from the tapping demo to serving cocktails in front of the attendees was less than 7 minutes – now that’s some fast service!

Cocktails on Tap Panel with Matt, Dänny, Kevin and myself.
(Photo courtesy of Ernie Sapiro)

And to top off a great week the Fairmont Hotel’s & Resort won the VIBE Vista award for Best Spirits Program for Hotels, Cruise Lines, & Casinos for their FAME program (that Liquid Kitchen created and has managed since 2006) – exciting!!!

Congrats to the Fairmont Hotels & Resorts for winning 2013 Best Spirits Program award!

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Next it was off to Driscoll’s berry farms with an amazing group of top bloggers. I absolutely love berries so I was definitely in berry-licious heaven while learning a lot about berries. We got to taste new varieties of berries right in the fields and met the young “Dr. Strawberry” who shared with us how they are constantly improving Driscoll’s berry varieties – sweeeet! Check out my blog for my tasty Billowing Strawberry Poppy Seed Layer Cake and Strawberry Shag Cocktail recipes.

The next day the group headed to the annual Pebble Beach Food & Wine. I really enjoyed meeting and hanging out with some of my favorite bloggers like the Intoxicologist, Blender Girl, Food in Jars, and Health & Wellness expert Ani Phyo during this tasty weekend full of demos, seminars and parties!

Yes, I LOVE raspberries this much!

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Then it was off to Kentucky for the Beam Pinnacle of Mixology event to lead a fun Pinnacle Cocktails and Techniques Inspired from the Kitchen seminar. Heather Jones and I showed techniques for a “new school” Chi Chi: shaking up fresh Pineapple-Agave, Pinnacle Vodka, and fresh lime – then topped it with Coconut Milk Foam and a “carbonated” cherry – fun!

Preparing for my seminar

Dispensing Salted Caramel Whipped “Mochas!”

Other topics included cocktail umami like in my Garden Oasis cocktail – vodka, hand-pressed basil, celery and cucumber (celery adds a salty touch and an umami note), shaken with a lemon elixir. We garnished this with plumped basil seeds, adding a super cool texture to the cocktail.

We then finished off our presentation with a cool technique I learned from Johannes Roiner, Head of Culinary Strategy at iSi. He taught me that coffee has proteins in it and when combined with a little syrup, liquor, and ice then charged and shaken – you can have a super frothy espresso cocktail. Voila – thus the Salted Carmel Whipped Mocha!

Serious Sippin’ with the Liquid Kitchen

Make sure to stay tuned for my brand new episodes of my Liquid Kitchen cocktail show with Small Screen Network! Filming of Season 4 has just wrapped up. New episodes include: Berries & Bubbles, Pineapple Mezcal Cooler, and more. In the meantime, try my Gin with Housemade Bitter Lemon and Soda for a refreshing springtime drink!

Erwin “guarding” the big bowl of Sparkling Tradewinds Punch with Bitter Truth & Cherry Ice Balls

Behind the scenes of Liquid Kitchen with the Small Screen crew!

D’Lish Book Reads

Here are some of my new favorite reads – I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

The Drunken Botanist by Amy Stewart
Do you ever stop to think about the garnishes, liqueurs and syrups you put in your favorite cocktails? Amy Stewart, author of The Drunken Botanist, definitely has! Amy’s guide to backyard bartending isn’t your standard neighborhood cocktail recipe book. She has uncovered some seriously cool history on some common, and some not-so-common cocktail ingredients, such as corn and agave to barley and lemon verbena. Check out her funny promo vid, too!

The 50 Mile Bouquet by Debra Prinzing
Outdoor living specialist and author Debra Prinzing writes a great read on the slow flower movement in her latest book, The 50 Mile Bouquet. From organic flower farmers to the hot-topic of sustainability, Debra’s book is a great guide for those with a green thumb. I love to garden and this is definitely a must-read!

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Don’t forget to join me on my blog Dishing with Kathy Casey and weekends on KOMO News Radio for all things D’lish, including recipes, tips, and fun events. And grab a copy of Sip Northwest Magazine (available at my Dish D’Lish Seattle airport locations) and check out my Shake Swizzle & Stir column!

Here’s wishing you all a wonderful spring with many tasty adventures! –Kathy

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Follow on Twitter @KathyCaseyChef. Blogging: Dishing with Kathy Casey.
Like on Facebook: Sips & Apps and Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen. Read: D’Lish Deviled Eggs.
Watch: www.LiquidKitchen.tv.

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For more information, visit www.fredhutch.org/chefs.

Most importantly, they’re a great source of protein and perfect for a mid-day snack! Just 10 raw almonds can give you a quick pick-me-up!

I also love them toasted and tossed into basmati rice, sprinkled over yogurt or in my morning oatmeal. And of course, they add a great a great crunch factor to salads like in my Cranberry Almond Crunch Slaw. Try switching almonds in, instead of walnuts, for your next batch of chocolate chip cookies.

Speaking of baking, this summer get creative with your fruit shortcake by whipping up a batch of Cinnamon Almond Shortcakes – top with a bounty of seasonal fruits (e.g.: strawberries, raspberries, cherries, apricots, peaches, grilled pineapple, etc.) and a poof of brown sugar whipped cream – yum! –Kathy

Photo by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

Cranberry Almond Crunch Slaw
Makes about 8 servings

1/3 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sambal oelek or other Asian red chili paste, or a pinch of red chili flakes
4 green onions, thinly sliced
10 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage (about 1 large head)
1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1 package Almond Accents Honey Roasted sliced almonds, or 1 cup toasted sliced almonds

In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, honey, sour cream, salt and sambal oelek. Add green onions, cabbage, cranberries and cilantro and toss until well coated.

The salad should sit for 30 minutes before serving. If making way ahead, refrigerate dressing and salad ingredients separately, then toss together 30 minutes before ready to serve. Toss Almond Accents into salad right before serving.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

Cinnamon Almond Scones
This not-too-sweet, nutty scone is the perfect foil for sweet summer stone fruit shortcake. Serve 6 scones for dessert and then you’ll have 2 extra for breakfast or seconds!

Makes 8 scones

2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
8 Tbsps (1 stick) butter
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 egg
3/4 cup buttermilk, plus more if needed
1 egg white
1/2 tsp water

Preheat an oven to 375°F. Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together into a large bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or 2 dinner knives until the mixture is the texture of coarse crumbs (just like making a pie crust). Stir in the almonds.

In a separate bowl, whisk the whole egg with the 3/4 cup buttermilk until blended. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the liquid into it. Combine with a few swift strokes. The dough should form a ball and all the flour should be incorporated. (If the dough is way too dry, add 1 tablespoon more buttermilk.) Do not overmix.

On a lightly floured surface, pat the dough into a 3/4-inch-thick round. Carefully place on an ungreased baking sheet, then cut into 8 wedges, leaving the sides still touching.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg white and water until mixed, then brush the dough lightly with the egg white glaze.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the scones are cooked through and golden. Let cool slightly before serving.

Recipe adapted from Kathy Casey’s Northwest Table, Chronicle Books.

Well, weed or not, this tasty leaf is full of great health benefits. Just 4 ounces of this green is just 25 calories – wow! It’s also full of vital antioxidants and vitamins – 3 cups gives you 100% of your daily vitamin K needs!

Arugla’s taste is nutty and peppery. Try it tucked into sandwiches, or tossed in a little olive oil and scattered over a sexy cheese pizza. This tasty green also complements meat and seafood beautifully. It makes a perfect bed for a piece of grilled fish or steak.

Of course, it’s great in salads like in my Baby Arugula, Orange & Fennel Salad with Grilled Shrimp & White Balsamic Vinaigrette. It’s also a delicious add-in to a homemade pesto recipe for a robust, peppery edge!

So get your arugula on and dig into this peppery green that’s so good for you! – Kathy

Photo from Kathy Casey’s Northwest Table, Chronicle Books.

Baby Arugula, Orange & Fennel Salad with Grilled Shrimp and White Balsamic Vinaigrette
Makes 6 to 8 servings

Shrimp
1 Tbsp undiluted orange juice concentrate
Pinch of red pepper flakes
2 Tbsps minced orange zest
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsps minced shallots
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbsps minced fennel fronds
1 Tbsp fennel seed, toasted and crushed
2 1/2 tsps kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 lbs large raw shrimp (32 to 40)

Salad
1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed
6 oranges or tangerines
6 cups baby arugula
2 heads baby frisée, torn, rinsed and spun dry
White Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

To marinate the shrimp, whisk all the ingredients, except the shrimp, in a large bowl. Peel, devein, and remove tails of the shrimp then add them to the marinade and toss to coat. Refrigerate and marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

To prepare the salad, finely shave the fennel bulbs with a sharp knife or a mandoline and crisp in ice water for 10 minutes. Spin dry before using. Cut the peel off the oranges, trim away all the white pith, then cut the fruit into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Flick out any seeds. (If prepared ahead, refrigerate the fennel and orange slices separately, for up to 2 hours.)

Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill, or preheat a gas grill to high. Grill the shrimp until just pink and done, about 1 to 2 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, toss the arugula, frisée, fennel, and oranges with enough of the vinaigrette to coat nicely—taste for flavor, adding more dressing if needed.

Serve the salad on a large platter or divide among individual plates, arrange the shrimp on top, and drizzle with a little extra dressing, if desired.

White Balsamic Vinaigrette
The vinaigrette keeps, refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks.

Makes 2 cups

1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsps minced shallots
1 1/2 tsps Dijon mustard
1/4 cup undiluted orange juice concentrate
Pinch of red pepper flakes, or 1 Tbsp harissa paste
2 tsps kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp fennel seed, toasted and ground
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp chopped fennel fronds

In a large bowl, whisk the vinegar, shallots, mustard, and juice concentrate. Whisk in the pepper flakes, salt, pepper to taste, and fennel seed. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking constantly to emulsify. Stir in the fennel fronds. If made ahead, refrigerate until shortly before needed, then rewhisk before using.

Recipe from Kathy Casey’s Northwest Table, Chronicle Books.

Photo by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen®

I like to get creative with mint and experiment with new and exciting combinations like in my Sake Refresh. This cocktail is made with cucumber, mint, vodka, sake and lime – super-refreshing and not-so-sweet. It’s perfectly paired with Asian foods and sushi.

Love mojitos? I know that I do! Lots of mint in your garden and don’t know what to do with it – try making an easy to make mint syrup – sugar, water, mint – boil – steep then strain…. and refrigerate for the next time you mix up that mojito!

In honor of the upcoming Kentucky Derby, I’ve twisted it up a bit with my Apricot Julep. It’s a tasty fruit spin on the classic — enlivened with plumped apricots, bourbon and mint of course, a splash of apricot brandy and a dash of bitters.

For more cocktail inspiration and ideas, make sure to check out my cocktail show at www.LiquidKitchen.tv.

So cheers to shaking it up with fresh mint in your next cocktail! –Kathy

Sake Refresh
Makes 1 drink

1 sprig fresh mint
4 slices fresh cucumber
3/4 oz simple syrup*
1 1/2 oz vodka
1/2 oz sake
3/4 oz fresh lime juice
Garnish: thin cucumber slice

Tear mint sprig and drop into a cocktail shaker. Add cucumber slices and simple syrup. Mash ingredients together with a muddler or the back of a spoon. Add vodka, sake, and lime juice. Fill shaker with ice, and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cucumber slice.

*Simple Syrup: combine 2 cups sugar with 2 cups water in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil then immediately remove from heat. Cool and store refrigerated.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen®

Apricot Julep
Makes 1 drink

6 large mint leaves
1 Tbsp Plumped Apricots with syrup (recipe follows)
1 oz bourbon
1/4 oz apricot brandy
dash of Angostura bitters

In a cocktail shaker, combine mint leaves and apricots with their syrup. Hand-press with a muddler. Add bourbon, brandy and bitters. Fill shaker with ice, and shake vigorously. Pour entire drink into a rocks glass.

Plumped Apricots
Makes about 1 1/2 cups, enough for about 20 drinks

1 cup chopped dried apricots
3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup super-fine sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a heatproof container. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Cover loosely and let sit for at least 8 hours or overnight at room temperature before using. Store refrigerated until needed.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen®

Fran’s Chocolate is a Seattle institution when it comes to sweets. Internationally recognized, Fran Bigelow is truly the Mother of Chocolate in Seattle. From hand-dipped truffles, to sea salt caramels, everyone has their favorite treat. My personal guilty pleasure is the famous Gold Bar – gooey buttery caramel studded with almonds and covered with dark chocolate – yum! It’s definitely one of my go-to’s.

Theo Chocolate is another top dog in Seattle, famous for their delicious bars. Theo’s is also dedicated to addressing social issues, something we love to support! Theo is the only Organic, Fair Trade, Fair for Life certified Bean-to-Bar chocolate factory in North America. In fairly recent news, they have teamed up with Ben Affleck to help Congolese farmers.

Theo Chocolate in Seattle’s Fremont Neighborhood!

You can visit the Theo’s shop in Fremont and browse all of their delectable chocolates, and even take a tour! Watch as their artisans hand-place garnishes, learn about their chocolate-making process, and even get a little sample! What a yummy excursion!

Hot chocolate more your style for a good chocolate fix? Be sure to check out Chocopolis in Queen Anne! Chocopolis can make any of their artisanal chocolate bars sippable! They also host Chocolate Happy Hours on Thursday evenings and tasting classes.

So when you get the craving to bite into something a little sweet, head to one of Seattle’s wonderful chocolatiers!  Or if you want to get your chocolate fix in your own kitchen try whipping up on of my fave recipes: Chocolate- Cherry Pound Cake a la mode with Drunken Tart Cherries made with dried tart cherries from the Chukar Cherry Company, who’s been producing all natural dried cherries in the Northwest since 1988! – Kathy

Chocolate-Cherry Pound Cake à la mode with Drunken Tart Cherries
Makes 8 servings

Cake
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (regular, not Dutch process)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup dried tart cherries
1 cup (6 ounces) bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks

Glaze
1/2 cup (3 ounces) bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks
1/4 cup heavy cream

Chocolate cherry ice cream or other ice cream of your choice
Drunken Tart Cherries (recipe follows)

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 5-by-9 1/4-inch nonstick loaf pan and set aside.

To make the cake, cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer until very fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Beat in the vanilla.

In a small bowl, mix the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture, in three parts, to the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix only until well combined; do not overmix.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the cherries and chocolate chips. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, filling evenly. Rap the pan sharply on a counter several times to release any air bubbles, then smooth the surface of the batter.

Bake for about 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Rotate the pan after the first 30 minutes of baking.

Unmold the cake and turn it right side up. Let cool thoroughly on a wire rack before glazing.

To make the glaze, in a small saucepan or in a microwave oven, gently heat the chocolate and cream until the chocolate is just melting. Remove from the heat and stir until the chocolate is thoroughly melted and mixture is smooth. Let cool to almost room temperature but still liquid. Pour over the cooled cake. Let the glaze set for 15 minutes before serving.
To serve, slice the cake into 16 slices and serve 2 slices, shingled, per serving. Top with a scoop of ice cream and a spoonful of cherries with their syrup.

Drunken Tart Cherries
Makes 1 cup

1 cup pitted dried tart cherries
1/4 cup amaretto liqueur
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup boiling water

Mix the cherries, amaretto, and sugar in a small bowl. Pour the boiling water over the cherries and stir well. Cover and let sit at room temperature for at least 12 hours before using. Store, refrigerated, for up to 2 months.

Recipe from Kathy Casey’s Northwest Table, Chronicle Books.

There are so many benefits to quinoa. It is high in fiber, a complete protein, and contains no gluten, making it perfect for vegans and those with gluten sensitivities.

Red Quinoa!
(Photo courtesy of FitSugar)

Quinoa is easy to cook and highly adaptable. This little seed gets light and fluffy after cooking and has a subtle nutty taste that pairs well with other flavors. My favorite cooking technique is to lightly toast the seeds in a dry pan before cooking them to bring out that delicious nutty flavor.

This wonder food is great as a side dish and fantastic in salads like in my Big Protein Red Quinoa Salad, which is studded with cucumber, garbanzo beans, hazelnuts and golden raisins – yum! Perfect as a side dish or easy to make and pack for a healthy fulfilling lunch.

Give this mighty seed a try: it’s great for you and its d’lish… what a fantastic combo! –Kathy

Big Protein Red Quinoa Salad
I like to make this salad with all organic produce and also add in a cup of chopped fresh raw kale for extra fiber!

Makes about 4 cups

3/4 cup red quinoa
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons minced or grated lemon zest
1/2 cup peeled, seeded and 1/4-inch-diced organic cucumber
1/2 cup canned organic garbanzo beans, drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2cup organic golden raisins
1/2 cup organic hazelnuts, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup grated carrot
3/4 to 1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Rinse quinoa in cold water and drain well. Put the drained quinoa in a heavy medium saucepan and dry roast the grain over medium heat, stirring occasionally for about 1 minute. Add the water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook for about 15 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove lid, fluff grains with a fork, and let cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa with the remaining ingredients and toss well.

*Available at PCC Markets and Whole Foods.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

Berries for the pickin’ and munchin’!

For other fun berry-ful recipes, make sure to check out the Driscoll’s berry blog, too! -Kathy

Billowing Strawberry Poppy Seed Layer Cake
Bakeries often freeze their cake layers before filling and frosting them, as doing so is easier when the cake is really firm. Generally, by the time you have finished frosting the cake, it has defrosted and is ready to eat.

Makes 1 (3-layer) cake, serving 12 to 14

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

Cake
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1 cup whole milk
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar
2 cups cream

Filling
1/2 cup high-quality strawberry jam
1 pint fresh Driscoll’s strawberries, stemmed and thinly sliced

1 pint fresh Driscoll’s strawberries for garnish

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans and set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer or other large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the softened butter. Using an electric mixer, mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Add half of the milk and mix for 2 minutes more to cream the batter. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and add the remaining milk, eggs, and vanilla. Continue mixing on medium speed for 2 more minutes. Stir in the poppy seeds.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and cool in the pans on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of each cake layer and turn it out onto a rack to cool thoroughly.

Meanwhile, make the frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and vanilla on medium speed for 1 minute. Turn the speed to high and mix for 1 minute. Stop the mixer, add 1 cup of the powdered sugar, and mix on low speed for 1 minute. Repeat twice, until all the powdered sugar has been added, then increase the mixer speed to high and whip for 3 minutes.

In another bowl, whip the cream until stiff, then fold it gently into the cream cheese mixture until just incorporated. Refrigerate until ready to frost the cake.

To make the filling: In a medium bowl, stir the strawberry jam until smooth, then gently fold in the strawberries. Set aside until ready to fill the cake.

To assemble and frost the cake: On a large cake plate, place 1 layer of the cake. Spoon one-half of the strawberry filling in the center, then spread it out to 3/4 inch from the edge. Top with 1 cup of the frosting and spread the frosting to 3/4 inch from the edge. Place another layer of cake on top and repeat. Place the final layer of cake on top, then press down gently on the cake layers to stabilize them.

With a large rubber or cake spatula, mound half of the remaining frosting on the top of the cake. Spread the other half around the sides of the cake, covering up all cake and swirling the frosting decoratively. Smooth out the frosting on the top of the cake. Let the frosting dry a little before garnishing the cake.

Stem the garnish berries, and cut in half lengthwise. Place, cut sides down, around the top edge of the cake. Arrange any extra strawberries in a small pattern in the middle of cake. Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

Strawberry Shag
Fresh basil lends a fun flavor note to the classic combination of strawberries and lemonade. Soda water introduces a lively sparkle. For other libatious inspiration, make sure to check out Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen!

Makes 1 drink

1 to 2 large sprigs fresh basil
1/4 cup Sugared Strawberries with juice
1 1/2 ounces vodka
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
3 to 4 ounces chilled soda water

For garnishing
Fresh Driscoll’s strawberry
Small basil leaf

In a cocktail shaker, press the basil and strawberries together with a muddler to release the basil’s flavor. Fill the shaker with ice. Measure in the vodka and lemon juice. Cap and shake vigorously. Pour into a large glass, top with soda water, and stir. Garnish with a strawberry and basil leaf.

Sugared Strawberries
Makes enough for about 6 drinks

1 pint fresh Driscoll’s strawberries, stemmed and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Mix the ingredients and let sit for 15 minutes before using.

Recipe from Kathy Casey Sips & Apps, Chronicle Books