With autumn arriving and the weather turning cooler, it instinctively feels like the right time to dust off the crock pot and start enjoying some delicious, slow-cooked meals.

Slow cooking can be achieved a bunch of different ways: in a slow cooker or crock pot; low simmered on the stove top; or low and slow in the oven. One of the best things about slow cooker dishes is that they are the perfect way to utilize tougher cuts of meat, which are typically big-flavored, but easy on the wallet. Think juicy brisket, flavorful chili or a delicious curry.

With busy fall schedules, work, school activities, shorter days and holiday planning, a slow cooked meal popped in the crock pot before you head out for your day can be just what the chilly weather ordered. And crock pot cuisine has evolved – it’s not just a pork roast and a can of soup these days. Today, it’s Chili & Lime Slow Cooked Pork with Red Onion Escabeche and Warm Tortillas for an easy weeknight nosh. With a little planning, you can put the crock pot on in the morning and have dinner ready to go when you get home.

And the best part? Slow-cooked dishes are even better reheated because the ingredients have had extra time to get to know each other. Yummy leftovers are always welcome!

So turn on your crock pot and let dinner simmer away while you enjoy your autumn!
–Kathy

Chili & Lime Slow-Cooked Pork with Red Onion Escabeche and Warm Tortillas

Makes 6 hearty servings

Pork
1/4 cup chili powder
1 Tbsp coriander seed, crushed
1 Tbsp salt
1 boneless pork butt (shoulder), about 3 pounds, cut into 2 pieces
2 large tomatoes, chopped
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Escabeche
2 large carrots, julienned
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
2 Tbsps corn or other vegetable oil
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro (about 1 bunch)
1 tsp salt

Accompaniments
Warm corn tortillas
Sour cream
Salsa or freshly made pico de gallo
Queso fresco (Mexican-style fresh cheese)
Fresh cilantro sprigs
Lime wedges

To prepare the pork, mix the chili powder, coriander seed and salt in a large, shallow bowl. Roll the pork in the mixture, taking up all the seasoning.

Put the pork in a slow-cooker, add the remaining ingredients and set the cooker on high. Let cook for 8 hours—or up to 10 hours if you’re still at work!

When ready to serve, mix the escabeche ingredients well then place in a serving dish. Shred the pork and place in a large serving bowl with some of the cooking liquid.

Serve the pork with the escabeche and accompaniments. Diners build their own “soft tacos,” then squeeze lime juice over the filling before folding.

Chef’s Note: To heat tortillas, place them, one by one, on a dry skillet over medium-high heat and turn frequently. As they are heated, slip them between the folds of a clean dish towel or cloth napkin. Wrap the towel in foil (or put into a small casserole dish and cover) to steam in their own heat and moisture. Or, microwave the tortillas very briefly and put into a napkin as above. Or, wrap several tortillas in a foil packet and steam them in a steamer until just heated through; use directly from the foil or wrap in a towel as described above.

Recipe from Kathy Casey’s Northwest Table, Chronicle Books, San Francisco. Copyright © 2006 by Kathy Casey.

If your garden is growing as crazy as mine is, you’ve probably wondered what to do with all of those herbs! Of course they are essential to your cooking, but they also add a wonderful, herbaliciousness to cocktails and a fresh, dry flavor. If you don’t grow herbs, your local farmers market is the perfect place to get inspired by the bounty of fresh herbs for your next cocktail.

Shake up some fresh sage in a margarita for a really fresh, green note that pairs so well with the tequila – try a Sunset Sage Margarita for an evening out on the patio with friends. Rosemary and lemon are good friends and pairing the two easily jazzes up a classic Lemon Drop. Of course, the ever popular mojito and Julep benefit from mint’s bright, refreshing kick and teaming up thyme and honey in a Collins puts a sweet, summery spin on the timeless favorite. For the non-imbiber, stir up a Herbalicious H₂O; light, refreshing and crisp!

For the Tuscan Rosemary Lemon Drop recipes, stay tuned to my show Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen on Small Screen Network later this summer or check it out in Sips & Apps!

However you choose to shake them up, give those herbs new life with some garden-to-glass cocktail goodness! – Kathy

Sunset Sage Margarita
Makes 1 drink

1 fresh sage leaf
1 1/2 ounces tequila
1/2 ounce Cointreau, Triple Sec, or Grand Marnier
1/2 ounce cranberry cocktail juice
1/2 ounce Simple Syrup (recipe follows)
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
Garnish: fresh sage leaf

Crush the sage leaf and drop into a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice, then measure in the remaining liquid ingredients. Cap and shake vigorously until very cold.

Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and float a fresh sage leaf for garnish.

*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 from Kathy Casey’s Northwest Table, Chronicle Books

Herbalicious H₂O
The name says it all! Clean and fresh, this drink has no sugar and is very spa-like with its infusion of botanicals.

Makes 6 cups

6 large sprigs fresh mint
4 large sprigs fresh cilantro
1 small lemon, cut into thin slices
1 tangerine, cut into thin slices
4 thin slices peeled fresh ginger
6 cups water
Garnish: Fresh cilantro or mint sprigs

Tear the 6 mint and 4 cilantro sprigs and drop into a medium container. Add the fruit, ginger, and water and stir. Cover and refrigerate, overnight, to infuse before using.

Serve over ice, in large wine glasses with some of the fruit in each serving. Garnish as desired.

Recipe from Kathy Casey’s Sips & Apps, Chronicle Books

Canning is a fantastic way to preserve the flavors of the season and an age old custom. Lots of people learned to can from their friends or family – I learned to can from my mom and grandma, making jar upon jar of preserved peaches, apricots and yummy jam… there’s nothing like a PB&J with jam you’ve made yourself!

If “putting up” some of summer’s delicious bounty sounds like a fantastic idea to you, there’s no time better than the present to jump right in – head to Pike Place Market on Saturday, August 13^th and Sunday, August 14th for National Can It Forward Day! Canning Across America and Jardin America, the makers of Ball home canning products, have teamed up to present two days full of fun, educational canning and cooking demos.  But don’t worry if you can’t make it – the entire event will be streaming live at freshpreserving.com from 8:00AM to 4:00PM on Saturday. For the full event schedule, click here!

If you just can’t wait to get started canning, check out my easy and delicious recipe for Strawberry Lemon Poppyseed Jam! And don’t forget to visit Canning Across America to join the Canvolution and find mouth-watering recipes, gorgeous photography and a warm, welcoming community of like-minded canning enthusiasts.

So fire up your canner and here’s to preserving our local flavor! – Kathy

My upcoming article for DList Magazine, out on the stands next month, talks about “putting up” and preserving, and why Kim O’Donnel, the founder of Canning Across America, thinks we should all try canning at least once! Here’s my personal favorite jam recipe – Strawberry Lemon Poppyseed Jam!

Happy canning! -Kathy

Strawberry Lemon Poppyseed Jam
Makes 14 half-pints.

3 quarts (3 pounds) stemmed local strawberries
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp. finely minced lemon zest
1 box MCP pectin
8 cups sugar
2 Tbsp. poppyseeds

Place strawberries in a 6- to 8-quart, heavy-bottom saucepot and crush them with your CLEAN hands, leaving a few nice chunks for texture. Add lemon juice and zest. Add the pectin and stir in.

Place over high heat and bring to a FULL ROLLING BOIL (a boil you can’t stir down), stirring constantly to prevent scorching. (If mixture starts to scorch, turn down heat a bit.) Stir in the sugar and poppyseeds and, as soon as the full rolling boil takes place again, start timing and cook jam for 4 minutes.

Then remove from heat, skim the jam and fill jars as above. Process jars in boiling water bath for 10 minutes (with this method jam will keep for up to 1 year stored at room temperature), or cool and refrigerate jam for up to 3 months.

Recipe ©Kathy Casey Food Studios®.

Basic Jam-Making & Canning Processes
Check jars for nicks and cracks, then wash and rinse thoroughly. Place canning jar lids and rings in a pan of water, bring to a simmer and remove from heat. Let sit in hot water until ready to use. NOTE: Always use NEW lids when canning.

Boil clean half-pint canning jars in a covered water bath canner or a large saucepan filled with water for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand in hot water until ready to use. When ready to use, place sterilized jars on a clean dish towel before filling (this will prevent cracking).

Fill sterilized jars with hot jam to 1/4-inch from tops. Release air bubbles by poking jam to the bottom with a non-metallic spatula. Wipe off jar rims and top of rim so that no jam is there to deter a tight seal.

Cover jars quickly with lids, then screw on rings.

Have water bath canner going at a full rolling boil. With tongs, place jars in rack in water. Bring back to a full boil and cover. (Water should be at least 1 inch above jars.) Start timing now according to recipe.

After processing is completed, remove jars onto a clean dish towel to cool. After they start to cool, you may hear a “pop” that is the lids sucking down and making a vacuum seal. After jars have cooled overnight, check seal by poking lid with finger to see that the center is down and will not move.

Important Note:
Some jams will set up quickly — others may take up to 2 weeks to set. And some may just end up being soft set, depending upon Mother Nature and the sugar content of your fruit.

The holidays might be over but winter isn’t, which means this is the perfect time to treat yourself to something unique like a cup of gourmet cocoa! There are so many ways to jazz up the classic cocoa and marshmallow combo. Hot chocolates are the perfect vehicle for not only warm fragrant spices — from cinnamon and nutmeg to cardamom, allspice and cloves — but also for pungent spices such as smoky chipotle chilies. My Cha Cha Hot Chocolate Mix combines chipotle chili powder, cinnamon and a touch of ground coriander and guarantees to warm you up quickly… an extra little kick of heat can’t go astray in the middle of winter!

I’d be remiss to not mention the opportunity to spice up your cocoa in a more libacious way. Frangelico and raspberry liqueur are the stars of my Grown-Up Nutty White Chocolate Raspberry Cocoa. Rich and creamy, this decadent alternative to plain cocoa makes a perfect after-dinner indulgence. Add some white chocolate whipped cream and there’s no need to serve up anything but this for dessert at your next dinner party.

Of course, I wouldn’t forget the purists out there! My go-to classic is My Mom’s “Old-School” Cocoa. This is the one that brings back my childhood memories: Mom warming milk over the stove in a pan and whisking in the Hershey’s cocoa… it doesn’t get cozier than that! This is also the perfect base to try experimenting with your own blends of cocoa and spices. Go ahead and get creative with your ingredients and your toppings. A little jar of your own signature cocoa mix is a perfect anytime gift, too.

So whether you’re a fan of the classic hot chocolate or want to jazz up your cocoa with some fun spices or liqueur, grab your favorite mug and head to the kitchen to mix up a cozy winter treat!
-Kathy

Cha Cha Hot Chocolate Mix
This is a fun twist on classic cocoa and the mix can be made and stored so you always have this spicy little treat on hand!
Makes 2 cups, enough for 10 to 12 servings

1 1/2 cups superfine or baker’s sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp real vanilla extract
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground chipotle chili powder
3/4 tsp ground coriander

In a medium bowl, combine the sugars and vanilla extract together with a whisk. Then add the remaining ingredients and whisk thoroughly to evenly distribute the cocoa and spices.

Store at room temperature for up to a month in a clean glass jar with a tight lid. Shake thoroughly before using to remix the ingredients.

To make 1 serving Cha Cha Hot Chocolate:
Place about 3 tablespoons Cha Cha Hot Chocolate Mix, or to taste, in a mug and add three-quarter cups hot milk, mixing well.

©2008 by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

Grown-Up Nutty White Chocolate Raspberry Cocoa
Talk about a deluxe treat; this cocoa combines rich white chocolate and raspberry liqueur for an after-dinner (or any time!) dessert!
Serves 4

3 cups milk
2/3 cup high-quality white chocolate chips or broken white chocolate bar
6 tablespoons raspberry liqueur*
6 tablespoons Frangelico liqueur
Garnish: White Chocolate Cream, optional**

Additional garnishes can include shaved white chocolate, chopped toasted hazelnuts and fresh raspberries, or gourmet marshmallows*** or raspberry marshmallows instead of the whipped cream.

Fill serving cups with very hot water to warm them while you start the cocoa.

In a small saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until warmed. Add the white chocolate chips and whisk until melted. Add the liqueurs and heat mixture until hot, but not over 140 degrees.

Pour the hot water out of the cups and fill with the cocoa. Top with dollops of White Chocolate Cream and garnish.

Chef’s Notes:
*Be sure to use a high-quality raspberry liqueur or imported raspberry or berry liqueur as many raspberry schnapps-style liqueurs are high in acid and will curdle the milk.
**To make White Chocolate Cream: Place 1/3 cup heavy cream in a small bowl and whisk vigorously until soft peaks are just beginning to form. Add 1 tablespoon white crème de cacao liqueur and whisk until peaked.
***Gourmet handmade marshmallows are carried in the bakery department of upscale grocers.

©2008 by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

My Mom’s “Old-School” Cocoa
This is the quintessential classic hot chocolate – a warm, delicious, easy-to-make chocolate fix!
Serves 2

1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon real vanilla extract
2 big marshmallows

Place milk in a small heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat. In a small bowl, whisk together cocoa powder and sugar, then whisk into the milk to incorporate. Add vanilla and heat until hot but not overheated. Do not boil. Serve in mugs and top with marshmallows

©2008 by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

Eating a healthy breakfast is the key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Breakfast gets your metabolism going in the morning, fuels your mind as well as body for the day and keeps you from eating a whole pizza at lunch because by noon you are starving!

Your mother always said, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” and she was right! But like many of our Mom’s… she stated this as she was dishing up a giant stack of pancakes and a rasher of bacon! So what you eat is just as important as when you eat it.

A healthy breakfast can also really set the tone for your eating habits the rest of the day. If you have already broken your healthy eating pattern in the am by skipping breakfast or digging into the donut box, the motivation to keep it up the rest of the day is going to be hard to muster up.

So keep breakfast healthy with whole grain cereal with fresh berries (pick a cereal with low sugar and high protein – I like Kashi! I love their frozen whole grain waffles too), a bowl of oatmeal topped with a few raw almonds and a dollop of low fat or fat free yogurt, load up on fresh fruits, scrambled egg whites with veggies – or if your on the run, grab a yogurt and a some nuts, or blend up a quick smoothie to drink on your way to work.

There are a ton of great frozen fruits available to toss in your smoothie. Trader Joes has a great Tropical Fruit Trio (mango, pineapple, papaya tossed in passion fruit juice) and Costco has giant bags of frozen NW berries that are super flavorful and super reasonably priced.

You can totally get creative with your smoothies too! I’ve created a recipe with the Trader Joe’s Tropical Fruit Trio, non-fat yogurt and some agave nectar—which is a low-glycemic sweetener (you can always use honey or a packet of no-cal sweeter too). I’ve also added some flax seed and a protein powder boost option… but go ahead — add some banana, OJ etc – or whatever strikes your fancy. It will jump-start your day!

Most of the time, people don’t eat breakfast because they don’t give themselves enough time to make something before they have to be out the door.  So just give breakfast a little more planning time and you’ll be out the door every morning on the right foot for 2011!

Kathy’s Jump-Start Smoothie
This recipe is a great basic smoothie recipe… there are lots of things you can get creative with. Add a tablespoon of protein powder, a banana, change up the frozen fruits, add a dash of OJ or fat-free milk if you like your smoothie less thick or if you have a “challenged blender.” And if you love smoothies- be sure to get yourself a good blender. I love my Vita Mix!

Makes 1 serving

1/2 cup frozen fruits – such as Trader Joe’s Tropical Fruit Trio
1/2 cup fat-free or low-fat plain yogurt
2 Tbsp agave nectar (or sub honey or a packet of no-cal sweetener)
1/2 cup ice cubes
1/2 – 1 teaspoon flax seed (the more seeds – the more “texture”)

Place ingredients in the order above and blend until smooth. Enjoy your healthy start to a great day!

© 2011 Kathy Casey Food Studios®

It’s that time again when the air is crisp and cool. The ground is moist and the rains are coming… we hope! Why do I wish for rain every fall? Because no sooner do our Northwest grounds moisten up that the heavily sought after wild mushrooms start to pop up. Fall is fast approaching and that means it’s mushroom time! I love foraging for my own fall fungi –  Boletus edulis (king bolete, porcini, ceps, they have many names) Matsutake and Chanterelles!

Continue reading on Amazon’s Al Dente Blog.

In case you missed the live show on KOMO AM 1000, you can listen to it again online.

Giving or Getting something handmade as a gift is always a special treat. When time wasn’t as precious, these gifts were abundant, from homemade fudge and fruity liqueurs to almond bark, candied citrus rinds and a plethora of cookies!

With time a bit more scarce these days, I’ve whipped up a nice batch of simple, striking holiday edibles, since — let’s face it — not all of us started this gift-making back in July!

And what you package in, also, is a huge part of the overall effect. With fabulous stores such as Packaging Specialties — for ties, baubles, ribbons and tiny boxes, and places like Pier One — for terrific bottles, jars and fancy metallic cloth gift bags, it’s hard not to come up with something pretty fabulous looking as well as tasting, too!

With items such as the Crimson Cranberry Ginger Vinegar I like to print a tiny recipe or message on my favorite ways to use it. (It’s great in a holiday vinaigrette!) Then it’s off to Kinko’s to make copies on transparencies (clear, see-through film). Cut them into bottleneck tie-on tags and before long your hand-made goodie looks like a million bucks!

The Spicy & Sweet Hazelnuts are best packaged in a pretty jar or decorative tin to keep the air out so they keep their crunchy freshness. And if you make a few extra they are super great to have on hand as a nice nibble for unexpected guests.

I also dug up a recipe for crescent cookies from my mom’s recipe collection. It is super-simple—mix, slice, shape and bake—but soooo yummy. This classic is usually made with almonds but I have embellished it instead with toasted pine nuts and candied orange peel for an Italian twist.

And if your not in the mood to get crafty yourself – then head over to Kathy Casey Food Studios on Saturday December 12th for our open house (11:00 am – 7:00 pm)  – we’ll have plenty of goodies to stock your favorite foodies stocking. From little Spiced Apple Cakes to  Fennel Spiced Walnuts, “Over 21” Fruitcake made with Maker’s Mark, to Dish D’Lish Seasonings and Nectarine Rose Preserves…. so sexy to serve with cheese! We’ll have loads of groovy gifts for sale as well as I will be signing copies of my book Sips & Apps. And of course we’ll be sampling some tasty treats from Sips & Apps like Bacon Blue Cheese & Pecan Cocktail Cookies!

So come by and see us:
Kathy Casey Food Studios Holiday Open House
Saturday December 12th
11:00 am – 7:00 pm
5130 Ballard Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107
206-784-7840

I hope to see you for some Holiday Cheer! – Kathy

Crimson Cranberry Ginger Vinegar
Makes 6 cups

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
4 big slices of fresh ginger root, without skin
1 large shallot, peeled and quartered
6 cups white wine vinegar or distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Arrange the cranberries, ginger slices and shallot attractively in 2 clear glass wine bottles (you can skewer the cranberries, if you like, on long wooden skewers).

In a non-aluminum pan, bring the vinegar, sugar and salt to a boil. Immediately pour the liquid into the bottles, filling them 1 1/2 inches from the top. Let cool to room temperature, then cork. Let sit a minimum of 2 days before using. Store in a cool, dark place for up to 2 – 3 months, or refrigerate for up to 6 months.
Copyright © by Kathy Casey

Sweet & Spicy Hazelnuts
Makes 3 cups, about 3 – 6 little gifts

1 pound hazelnuts (about 3 cups)
1 egg white
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place nuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 – 10 minutes or until lightly roasted and skin is starting to come off. Remove from oven and cool. Rub skins off nuts with a clean, non-fuzzy dish towel.

Reduce oven heat to 250 degrees.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg white with 1 tablespoon of water until foamy. Add the hazelnuts and toss to coat. Transfer the nuts to a strainer, shake and then let drain for at least 2 minutes.
Place remaining ingredients in a large, clean bowl, and mix well. Add the nuts and toss to coat thoroughly.
On a large baking sheet with sides, spread the nuts out in a single layer. Bake for 30 minutes. Stir with a spatula, spread the nuts out again and bake for 25 – 30 minutes longer, until dry.
Loosen the nuts from the baking sheet. Let them cool to room temperature on the sheet. Be sure to let these nuts cool completely and become crisp before putting them away.
Divvy up the nuts into small tins with tight-fitting lids or cute glass jars with clamp lids, 1/2 – 1 cup in each.
They can be stored for up to one month in an airtight container.
Copyright © by Kathy Casey

Lovely Lavender Sugar
Makes about 2 cups, 2 – 4 gifts

1 1/2 tablespoons dried lavender flower buds
2 cups granulated sugar
small, decorative, wide-mouth bottles with corks or lids
dried lavender sprigs
raffia or gold ribbon

Mix together the lavender buds and sugar in a bowl. In a clean, smell-free, dry, coffee or spice grinder process sugar mixture in small batches until like powdered sugar in consistency.

Divvy up the sugar into clean, dry, decorative jars. Cap, then tie gold ribbon or small pieces of raffia around lid of jar in a decorative manner. Use a glue gun or Elmer’s glue to attach a couple of lavender sprigs to the top of jar if desired.

Uses: Put into your favorite shortbread or sugar cookie recipe. Sprinkle onto fresh berries or stir into lemonade.
Copyright © by Kathy Casey

Roman Crescents with Pine Nuts and Candied Orange Peel

Makes 32 cookies

1/2 cup pine nuts
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
1 tablespoon very finely minced orange zest
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup very finely minced candied orange peel
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread pine nuts on a baking sheet and toast in oven for about 6 minutes, or until golden and fragrant. Transfer nuts to a dinner plate and refrigerate to cool quickly.

In a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, orange zest and sugar together for about 3 minutes, or until well mixed. Add the candied orange peel and mix for 1 minute more. Add the flour and mix until thoroughly combined, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in the cooled nuts.

Divide the dough into 2 equal parts, and roll each piece into a log 12 inches long. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours, or until chilled.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut each log into 16 pieces, roll each piece into a 3-inch-long cylinder then shape into a crescent. Place crescents, spaced apart, on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, transfer cookies to a wire rack, and let cool slightly. In a medium bowl, toss each cookie in the powdered sugar, then return to the rack to cool completely. When cookies are completely cooled, toss again in the powdered sugar.
Copyright © by Kathy Casey Food Studios®