Posts from October, 2010

Slow Cooking, Stellar Results!

As soon as the ratio of sun to cloud cover starts skewing in favor of crisp, overcast days and the wind is just a little more blustery, it instinctively feels like the right time to dust off the crock pot and start pondering some delicious, slow-cooked meals. Whether it’s a chilly weekend at home or a weekday where you leave for work and it’s dark out then you leave from work and it’s still dark out, slow-cooking offers the perfect way to enjoy a hearty, homey meal without too much fuss. The technique might be old-school, but the results will leave you feeling accomplished and your tummy warm and full! Not to mention how great your whole house will smell!

Slow cooking can be done a bunch of different ways – in an actual slow-cooker, crock pot, on the stove-top or even in place of traditional oven-braised recipes so there’s a method for everyone! It usually involves tougher, less expensive cuts of meat that are cooked at a lower temperature for longer periods of time so that they tenderize and mingle with the flavors of whatever you’re cooking with them!

Now, this isn’t a 2o minutes and you’re done kind of deal, but if you start your recipe in the morning, you can have a wonderful weeknight meal waiting for you when you get home! Or, do some extra on the weekend and you’ll have leftovers to warm up again later in the week; in fact, these types of dishes are often better reheated because the ingredients have had even more time to get to know each other. How d’lish does that sound!

Here are a few yummy slow-cook recipes to get you started, but the sky (and the season, of course) is the limit to what you can put on and let simmer away while you enjoy your autumn! – Kathy Casey

Fragrant Soy and Ginger Beef with Green Onions and Cabbage
Makes 6 servings

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2-½ pounds beef brisket roast
2 slices fresh ginger root
3 cloves garlic
1 star anise pod
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup brown sugar v ½ cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
1 yellow onion, peeled and cut in 6 wedges
1 very small head green cabbage, cut in 6 wedges
1 bunch green onions, ends trimmed off, cut in 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons cornstarch

1. Heat oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Place beef in pan, fat side down, and brown the first side. Turn over and brown the other side. Transfer beef to a non-corrosive bowl or baking dish.
2.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the ginger, garlic, star anise, cinnamon, brown sugar, soy, vinegar and chili flakes. Pour over the meat, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3.
The next day, remove the meat from the dish and place in the bottom of the slow cooker (reserve marinade). Next, layer in the onion wedges, then the cabbage and green onions. You may need to push down the cabbage a bit to make it fit.
4.
Whisk the cornstarch into the reserved marinade until blended, then pour over the top. Cover tightly with the lid and set to cook on high. Cook undisturbed for about 8 to 9 hours.
5.
To serve, remove the cabbage and onions to a platter and the meat to a cutting board. Slice the meat against the grain and place on the platter. Spoon the sauce over the meat and vegetables.

Editor’s note: For slow cookers, the USDA recommends cutting large pieces of meat into smaller pieces because it could take too long to reach a safe cooking temperature. Thinner briskets can be cut in half.

©2003, Kathy Casey Food Studios.

Curry Chicken Thighs with Apples and Yogurt
Makes about 6 servings

1 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons curry powder
4 green cardamom seed pods, crushed
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups plain yogurt
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped celery
¼ cup dried black currants or raisins
2 Granny Smith apples, unpeeled, cored and cut in 6 wedges each
1 large red bell pepper, cut in 1-inch dice
Fresh Italian parsley, cilantro and mint, very coarsely chopped or torn
Steamed rice or potatoes as an accompaniment

1. In a large bowl whisk together the apple juice, cornstarch and flour until smooth. Then whisk in the curry powder, cardamom pods, coriander seeds, chili flakes, salt, sugar and yogurt.
2.
Add the chicken to the marinade and stir to combine. Place the mixture in the slow cooker and add in the following order: onion, celery, currants or raisins, apples and bell pepper. Cover, set cooker to high and cook for about 7 to 8 hours.
3.
Garnish with the fresh herbs. Serve with rice or potatoes.

©2003, Kathy Casey Food Studios.

Posted by Kathy Casey on October 28th, 2010  |  Comments Off on Slow Cooking, Stellar Results! |  Posted in Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, meats, poultry, Recent Posts, Recipes

My friend Dr Julie Miller has just released her new book “Secrets of Self-Starters” …and is it inspiring!

The secret to surviving and even thriving in a down economy is to push your self-starter button, according to author and corporate consultant Dr. Julie Miller. In her newest book, “Secrets of Self-Starters: 48 Amazing Stories to Ignite the Self-Starter in YOU!,” She shares the wisdom and lessons learned from real people who kick-started their dreams and skyrocketed to the top of their game. The book features men and women of all backgrounds that have impacted their own communities in extraordinary ways. And I am THRILLED to be one of the featured self-starters!

During her travels as a speaker and consultant, Dr. Miller was drawn to individuals with “that self-starter spark,” as she calls it. She coined the term, “traititudes,” defining which key traits and attitudes—combined with desire—are crucial. By using traititudes that capitalize on their strengths, her forty-eight self-starters propelled themselves to success, despite little-known but often huge obstacles and setbacks. (Yes, you can read all about my early years working at the convent – yup – you’ll have to get the book now!)

Readers will recognize several high profile names among the featured individuals, along with Northwest notables such as Jack Canfield of Chicken Soup for the Soul, Francia Russell and Kent Stowell, Directors of the Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Dr. Pepper Schwartz a relationship expert.

You can get your very own copy here.

This is a fantastic book with a lot of great tips to help you reach your goals and keep on going. Thanks Dr. Miller for putting together this wonderful book! – Kathy Casey

Posted by Kathy Casey on October 20th, 2010  |  Comments Off on My friend Dr Julie Miller has just released her new book “Secrets of Self-Starters” …and is it inspiring! |  Posted in Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, Recent Posts

Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen™ cocktail show premiers on Small Screen Network!!!

I’m so excited to be part of the new show lineup of top mixologists and chefs on  Small Screen Network!!  My cocktail show, “Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen™,” mixes my experience behind the bar and as a chef into a creative journey through great drinks inspired by the kitchen.

“We’re thrilled to have Kathy’s dynamic personality and depth of experience as part of Small Screen Network’s programming,” said Colin Kimball, chief executive officer and founder of Small Screen Network. “Dale DeGroff called her the original bar chef, and in her show it’s evident why: she imparts wildly creative ideas, deconstructs the process, and leaves the viewer craving more.”

Look for my first three weekly episodes in October, covering my specialty cocktails including the “Modern Martini with Black & White Olive Poppers (recipe follows),” Oct, 14; the “Honey Hum Collins,” Oct. 19; and the “Black & Blue Cadillac Margarita,” Oct. 26…. very cool for Halloween!!

Also if you love cheese check out Cheese Rules with Barrie Lynn the “Cheese Impresario” and many more inspiring shows on the Small Screen Network.

I hope you will tune in often to see what I will be mixing up next.

And don’t forget to pick up a copy of Sips & Apps for other d’lish cocktail and appetizer recipes!

Shake up some fun!! – Kathy Casey

Modern Martini
Traditionally drinks with all spirits are stirred – but I like my martini’s really cold and shaken really well!

Makes 1 drink

wash of dry vermouth
3 oz gin or vodka
Garnish: lemon zest twist or olive

Fill a small martini glass with ice and a splash of water to chill. Set aside.

Meanwhile, roll the vermouth around in a mixing glass, then shake out any excess. Fill with ice. Measure in the gin or vodka. Cap and shake—at least 15 times—until very cold.

Empty the ice from the martini glass. Strain the drink into the glass. Garnish as desired.

Recipe © 2010 Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen™

B&W  Olive Cheese Poppers
For a cocktail party I like to serve these in large martini glasses.

Makes 20 to 25 poppers

1 cup (4 ounces) finely grated, sharp Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons salted butter, softened
1/2 cup flour
dash cayenne
20 to 25 medium-large pimento-stuffed olives, drained
1/3 cup mixed white and black sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Beat the cheese and butter together, in a mixer or food processor, until smooth. Stir in the flour and cayenne. Mix until dough is smooth. (If crumbly mix in 1 teaspoon of water.) Shape 1 heaping teaspoon of dough around each olive, covering it well and shaping the dough into a ball. Place sesame seeds in a small bowl. Roll each ball in the sesame seeds and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for approximately 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Chef’s Tips:

  • You can make the dough for poppers and refrigerate it for up to 1 week, or freeze it for up to 1 month.
  • There is definitely a trick to wrapping these easily—but practice makes perfect. The olives can be wrapped in dough and tossed in sesame seeds up to 8 hours before baking, but not more.

Copyright © 2010 Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen™

Posted by Kathy Casey on October 15th, 2010  |  Comments Off on Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen™ cocktail show premiers on Small Screen Network!!! |  Posted in appetizers, Cocktails, Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, Foodie News, Recent Posts, Recipes

Read all about Kathy’s work with the Fairmont Art of Mixology Experience in Hotel F&B Magazine!

In the 1964 comedy Dr. Strangelove, Peter Sellers’s titular character is incredulous after learning about a secret “doomsday machine” built by the Soviet Union as a deterrent to nuclear war with the United States. “The whole point of the doomsday machine,” he posits, “is lost if you keep it a secret!”

The basic idea is analogous to the real world of branded F&B programs: If the customer doesn’t know about it, how can it be successful?

Fairmont appears to have the answer. Their training and execution-focused FAME cocktail program has helped increase liquor sales and elevate customer feedback across each of the 37 properties where FAME is in place. Now in its fourth year, it has outlasted many other visible, front-of-the-house F&B rollouts throughout the industry.

Continue reading this article at Hotel F&B Magazine!

Posted by Kathy Casey on October 12th, 2010  |  Comments Off on Read all about Kathy’s work with the Fairmont Art of Mixology Experience in Hotel F&B Magazine! |  Posted in Cocktails, Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, Foodie News

Weird and Wild Creativity – from edible crayons to sniffable candy…to a doughnut bacon cheeseburger!

The food world is full of amazing original creations. These days cooking with food are often a perfect blend of art, science, and taste as well as a bit of whimsy. But then there are the items that push your personal sense of creativity and just make you scratch your head, in a good and at times weird way. Here are a few that have stuck in my mind the last year:

Edible Crayons –I saw this via my Twitter friend @MyLastBite (thank you!). When I first thought about edible crayons, I was thinking Crayola is finally making crayons edible! I am not ashamed to say that I nibbled on a few blues, reds and greens when I was younger… but that’s beside the point. Oh no, these are actually handmade crayons – truly amazing … check it out!!! They are made with all natural food products: freeze dried vegetables and fruits as well as nuts and seeds!  These crayons are featured on Luxirare.com, an amazing site to see what is new and wild in the food and fashion worlds – one of my fave sites!

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The edible crayons!
Photo from Luxirare.com

Le Whif – Now this is a futuristic treat! Le Whif is a chocolate treat with all the taste and none of the excess calories or sugar…or for that matter, chewing! As a revolutionary product, this “airy” chocolate blends in the knowledge of culinarians, particle scientists, a teacher and their students. The general concept is for a Le Whif user to inhale the product, using the air to spread flavored particles onto the tongue’s taste buds. This is a very radical new concept playing with our taste buds. I can’t wait to see what else they come up with. Amazingly, they even made a new coffee product too with the same amount of coffee and caffeine as a light espresso!

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A pack of Le Whif!
Photo from Dylan’s Candy Bar (a recommended North America seller of the product).

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A Le Whif dispenser!
Photo from Dylan’s Candy Bar

Doughnut burger – I remember hearing about this last year. It combines all the things that people love individually into one: doughnuts, bacon, and a cheeseburger. It’s a great combination of everything that (for some!) tastes good all in one bite. The sweet taste of the glazed doughnut; the crispiness of the bacon; the mouth-watering, savory taste of a cheeseburger. I think I would need to have had a few cocktails… OK maybe after LOTS of cocktails… to order one of these.

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The Doughnut Bacon Cheeseburger!

Well those are a few of my favorite links to the wild and creative. Hope you click and enjoy! – Kathy Casey

Posted by Kathy Casey on October 7th, 2010  |  Comments Off on Weird and Wild Creativity – from edible crayons to sniffable candy…to a doughnut bacon cheeseburger! |  Posted in Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, Foodie News, Recent Posts
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