Posts from November, 2011

Kathy Casey’s “Over 21” Real Fruit Cakes made with Maker’s Mark Are Ready To Go!

Who’s ready for some fruitcake? This isn’t your mom’s paperweight fruitcake either! Get yourself ready for Kathy’s ever-popular “Over 21” Real Fruit Cake made with Maker’s Mark!

These real fruit cakes are chock full of Maker’s Mark bourbon-soaked dried fruits, including apricots, cranberries, tart cherries, golden raisins and pineapple, as well as loads of nuts from toasted pecans to hazelnuts and exotic pistachios –with a little spiced batter to bind it all! These plump little loaves are truly full of goodies. They are then baked and for a little extra oomph, brushed directly hot out of the oven with a bourbon and brown sugar syrup. After tasting this D’Lish fruitcake, you’ll never again say you don’t like fruitcake!

Our one-pound loaves are priced at $9.95 again this holiday season. Beginning November 28th, Real Fruit Cakes can be picked up at Kathy Casey Food Studios, during the Holiday Extravaganza & Open House on Sat. Dec. 17th from 11am to 7pm, or you can order them from our website. Shipping will be available ‘til December 16th or while supplies last. Order them early as they sell out fast!

Watch our YouTube video to see the mayhem in making this D’Lish fruitcake!

Kathy Casey Food Studios is located at 5130 Ballard Ave. NW and is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm. During studio hours, there is convenient parking in the lot in back. For more information, contact: call (206) 784-7840, email info@kathycasey.com or check out our website www.kathycasey.com.

Don’t forget to catch Kathy on Twitter (@KathyCaseyChef), blogging at Dishing with Kathy Casey, find Sips & Apps on Facebook or shaking up cocktails on her show Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen!

Posted by Kathy Casey on November 29th, 2011  |  Comments Off on Kathy Casey’s “Over 21” Real Fruit Cakes made with Maker’s Mark Are Ready To Go! |  Posted in Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, Recent Posts

Keeping Warm During the Holiday Celebrations with a Punch!

With the holidays upon us, it’s time to celebrate! And nothing says celebration than being around your family, friends and loved ones… with a good glass of punch! In the winter, hot punches full of wine and spice can keep your guests warm after a long trip through the chilly weather.

My Cuties Spiced White Wine (as seen to the right, Cuties Spiced White Wine
Photo by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen) is the perfect remedy to warm you up during the holidays or sip throughout the party festivities. The Cuties Clementines add a fragrant kick to this party sipper while mingling with the other ingredients and playing well with both the white wine and St. Germain liqueur. For a mulled wine like this, I recommend using StoneCap Chardonnay, a fantastic Washington white wine. For a truly non-alcoholic and super kid-friendly version, sub out the white wine, liqueur and brown sugar with apple cider. Most importantly, don’t forget to serve it in a fabulous punch bowl!

Continue reading on Amazon’s Al Dente Blog.

Posted by Kathy Casey on November 24th, 2011  |  Comments Off on Keeping Warm During the Holiday Celebrations with a Punch! |  Posted in Amazon, Cocktails, Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, Lifestyle

Picture Perfect Holiday Pies

Pie – it’s the beloved bring-along holiday dessert, and they are more popular than ever. Pie shops are popping up all over the place. Mini and hand pies are one of the hottest new trends and there’s something for everyone when it comes to these treats.

Apple walnut, chocolate cream, lemon meringue, pear with salted caramel… the possibilities are endless when it comes to unique flavor combinations. You can get creative with the fillings as well as the crust. I like to add goodies such as sliced almonds, fine chopped walnuts or poppyseeds into my crust. And speaking of crust: what’s your preference?  Butter, lard, shortening, or maybe even a touch of bacon fat? That’s just fine by me!

When the holidays roll around, it can be a bit of a tight-rope walk preparing your baking list – maybe everyone wants something different. Apple? Pecan? Pumpkin? Just a little bite of this or a tiny slice of that… well, I have the perfect fix! My “Gimme Both” Pumpkin-Pecan Pie has a luscious layer of pumpkin filling and another of sweet pecans! Top it with a poof of bourbon whipped cream and everyone wins!

Oh, and one more thing: pie for breakfast? Yes please! It’s the holidays – go ahead and have a little splurge!

So whatever your pie personality, indulge yourself and your loved ones this holiday weekend, and Happy Thanksgiving! -Kathy

“Gimme Both” Pumpkin-Pecan Pie with Bourbon Whipped Cream
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie

1 (9-inch) uncooked Classic Flaky Pie Crust (recipe follows)

Pumpkin Layer
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
3 Tbsps sour cream
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt

Pecan Layer
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup dark corn syrup
2 eggs
1 tsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup pecan halves or pieces

Bourbon Whipped Cream
1 cup cream
3 Tbsps sour cream
3 Tbsps packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp bourbon

Preheat an oven to 425°F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the Pumpkin Layer ingredients. Set aside.

In another bowl, combine all of the Pecan Layer ingredients except the pecans and mix until smooth. Stir in the pecans.

Spread the pumpkin mixture into the unbaked pie shell, then very carefully spoon the pecan mixture over the top, being careful to keep the layers separate. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake the pie for another 25 to 30 minutes, or until the filling is slightly puffy and the pecan layer is just set. Cool on a wire rack.

To make the Bourbon Whipped Cream: in a large bowl, whip the cream, sour cream, and brown sugar until lightly whipped. Stir in the bourbon.

Serve the pie with dollops of Bourbon Whipped Cream. The pie will keep, covered and refrigerated, for 2 to 3 days, but I don’t know anyone who could keep this pie that long!

Classic Flaky Pie Crust
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie crust

1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup shortening or lard
2 Tbsps cold butter
2 Tbsps ice water

In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening and butter until the particles are pea-sized. Sprinkle in the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing gently with a fork until the dough comes together in a ball. Do not over-handle the dough. (If the dough is too soft, press it gently into a disk and refrigerate for about 20 minutes before rolling.) On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a bit bigger than your pan. Brush any excess flour off the dough and fit the dough into the pan. Roll the dough over at the edges, trimming off any excess, then crimp it with your fingers to make a pretty crust edge. Chill the crust until you’re ready to fill and bake it.

Recipe from Dishing with Kathy Casey: Food, Fun & Cocktails from Seattle’s Culinary Diva, Sasquatch Books, Seattle. Copyright © 2002 by Kathy Casey.

Posted by Kathy Casey on November 23rd, 2011  |  Comments Off on Picture Perfect Holiday Pies |  Posted in dessert, Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, KOMO Radio, Lifestyle, Recent Posts, Recipes

Kathy Casey Holiday Extravaganza on Dec. 17

Kathy Casey Food Studios®
Annual Holiday Extravaganza & Holiday Open House
Samples to try and gifts to buy!

Saturday December 17th
11:00 am – 7:00 pm

Mark your calendars or leave Santa a note for this year’s Kathy Casey Food Studios Holiday Extravaganza and Open House on Saturday, December 17th, 11:00 am – 7:00 pm.

The Food Studios Team will be cooking up lots of favorite bites from Kathy’s book Sips & Apps to nibble, such as Parmesan Poppyseed Puffs and Cha Cha Cashews as well as samples of Dish D’Lish Egg Nog, Liquid Kitchen Honey and all the goodies the team has “put up” and preserved this year.

There’ll be lots to fill your favorite foodie’s stocking from our always-popular “Over 21″ Real Fruit Cakes made with Maker’s Mark (these sell fast so get there early!), pretty packaged little Spiced Apple Cakes, bags of crunchy Fennel-Roasted Walnuts made with fennel from our garden, house-made candies, Jingle Bell “Cheese Balls” spiked with Remy Martin cognac, Gingerbread Stars and Chocolate Peppermint Ho Hos.

And that’s not all! We’ll also have our Dish D’Lish® specialty products: seasoning salts, Cocktailor cocktail mixers and limited-edition preserves, including 21-Day Candied Cuties Clementines, Kiwi Pepper Jelly, Raspberry Wine Jelly and Strawberry Lavender Jam as well as our Liquid Kitchen Cocktail Shaker Kits and 5130 Honey from our very own hive! We’ll also be offering house-made Hot Buttered Rum Mix and a ton of other tasty treats and fun gifts throughout the day.

Kathy will be signing copies of her books throughout the day along with special guest Keren Brown, signing copies of her newest book Food Lover’s Guide to Seattle.

Come on by and see us:
Kathy Casey Food Studios Holiday Open House

Saturday December 17th 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 Casey

Speaking of holiday cheer, check out Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen for great holiday sipping inspiration! Learn to make the crowd-pleasing Spiked Iced Tea Punch, the festive Platinum Sparkle, cozy up to Hot Buttered Egg Nog with Rum and bake a Manhattan Bundt Cake!

Catch Kathy on Twitter (@KathyCaseyChef), blogging at Dishing with Kathy Casey or find Sips & Apps on Facebook.

Posted by Kathy Casey on November 21st, 2011  |  Comments Off on Kathy Casey Holiday Extravaganza on Dec. 17 |  Posted in Cocktails, Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, Foodie News, Lifestyle, Recent Posts

Bites on the Today Show

Thirsty Girl Leslie Sbrocco is a guest blogger for The Today Show’s Bites on Today blog and posted a fun blog on lovely holiday cocktails. Try out these drinks to warm you up during the holiday season, including my Hot Buttered Egg Nog with Rum recipe!

Posted by Kathy Casey on November 18th, 2011  |  Comments Off on Bites on the Today Show |  Posted in Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, Recent Posts

Let’s Talk Turkey!

I’ve had so much positive feedback on this article – it seems to have curtailed many a Thanksgiving drama-fest last year! – that I simply have to run it again. Without further ado, and back by popular demand – My Top Ten Turkey Sins with recipes!

In case you missed it, the Seattle Times recently posted a great holiday cooking guide filled with lots of d’lish tips, tricks and recipes from Seattle chefs and restaurateurs! Check out the recipe section for lots of recipes, including my appetizers for Slow Cooker Asian Pork Sliders With Wasabi Mayo & Ginger-Pickled Veggies, Devilish Green Eggs & Ham, Almond-Grape Poppers and White Bean Dip Layered With Green Olive and Lemon Tapenade. For dessert, try my Red Velvet Cupcakes With Eggnog-Cream-Cheese Frosting, Cranberry Pistachio Bundt Cake With Ruby Citrus Compote, Pear, Port, Walnut & Blue Cheese Pie, and Bacon Peanut Brittle!

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The holidays are upon us and it’s time to start planning those holiday dinners for friends and family. Everyone has their favorites from old-school marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes to the classic green bean casserole. For me, it’s all about the turkey! Juicy and golden, it graces most of our holiday dinner tables. But, alas! There can be many turkey tragedies, “turkey sins” as I like to call them. From the overcooked and dried out to the not-fully-defrosted-and-then-baked-raw travesty! Zowie!

Ample planning and some good rules of thumb can ensure a low-stress turkey roasting day. Below, I’ll walk you through the 10 turkey sins, and provide tips on how to have a d’lish holiday meal.

I’m also including a recipe for my Cranberry Citrus Cooler, Herb-Lacquered Roasted Turkey, Old Fashioned Turkey Gravy ( a recipe that makes a lot! – see sin #7!), Overnight Wild Rice Stuffing and Egg Nog Panna Cotta for you to cook up some holiday fun!

Turkey Sin #1: Roasting a Half-Frozen Bird, or the “turkey’sicle”

If you’re buying a standard bird at the grocery store, take into consideration most of these babies are frozen or “half” frozen. I love ordering a fresh local Foster Farms bird. If you do too, keep in mind to get your order in at least 2+ weeks ahead at your favorite market or butcher/poultry shop. Remember to get to “know your turkey” – if you’re going for a fresh bird, it will cook a bit quicker (and need more seasoning) than a traditional “plumped” turkey. The rule of thumb is: you should start defrosting your bird in the refrigerator about 5 days in advance—up to 7 if it’s a biggie! Watch me season and stuff fresh herbs in my fully defrosted turkey on Q13!

Turkey Sin #2: Leaving the Bag of Giblets in the Bird

How many of you have seen these left in during baking!? Once your bird is ready for the big day, take it out of the wrapper. Remove the bag of “goodies and giblets” from inside, and also check inside the neck cavity. (NO one wants a turkey “butt” surprise). You can use the neck and giblets to make a little pan of turkey stock for adding to gravy if you like.

Turkey Sin #3: “Steaming,” Rather than Roasting, your Bird

Roasting your turkey in a big old deep roasting pan creates steam from the turkey juices and does not make for a crispy-skinned bird. To avoid this, rinse your turkey inside and out; then pat it dry. Place in a wide shallow pan, up on a roasting rack. Stick some aromatics, such as quartered onions, an orange and a few big sprigs of fresh herbs, such as thyme, sage and rosemary, in the inside cavity.

Turkey Sin #4: Under Seasoning

All the gravy and cranberry sauce in Plymouth Rock can’t hide an under seasoned bird. You can carefully stuff fun things like fresh sage leaves, sprigs of thyme, fresh basil leaves and small tufts of rosemary under the turkey’s skin but watch out for tears in the skin. Herbs will add a nice flavor to the meat. Season your turkey liberally with kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper – or I love to use my Dish D’Lish French Seasoning Salt! This means really season it well—rub it all over, under the wings, on the back of the bird—massage that baby! For a medium-sized turkey, you want to use at least 1 tablespoon of kosher salt plus about 1 teaspoon of pepper or about 2 Tbsp of my Dish D’Lish French Seasoning Salt.

Turkey Sin #5: An Undercooked or Overcooked Bird

Undercook your bird, and put your guests at risk. Overcook your bird, and you’ll need to offer guests a LOT of wine for washing it down…which could lead to family drama! Cooking your bird just right is tricky. To start with, there are a million different methods. I’m a roasted-turkey gal, but I know there are lots of you turkey-fryers out there. And it does make a good bird (but beware of garage fires!) —but I gotta have my gravy. To keep it simple, get yourself a good instant-read thermometer and be sure to preheat your oven. See my favorite recipe and tips, below, for roasting. To avoid overcooking your bird, plan your day. When are you serving dinner? Work back from there. Unless you are cooking a 40-lb monster turkey or eating dinner at 11 AM, there is no need to get the bird in the oven at 6 AM!! Yes, I have succumbed to eating one of those roasted-for-8-hours birds, and it wasn’t pretty!

Turkey sin #5-B Note

Do not leave the thermometer in the bird when you are roasting it – see picture below.

I prefer an instant read thermometer.

Melted Thermometer

Turkey Sin #6: An Improperly Carved Turkey

After all that hard work put into creating a picture-perfect, delicious-tasting bird, do not let the knife get into inexperienced hands! It may be tradition to let the man of the house perform the ceremonious carve, but not if he’s going to hack it to death (Family Note: Seen at the in-laws frequently.  For God sakes just let me do it)! Give the bird 20 minutes to rest. This will allow you to get the rest of the dinner on the table. To start carving, take off the breast first, and slice thin. Disjoint the legs, thighs, and wings and slice the thighs if desired. My in-laws use an electric knife (it was probably a wedding gift from the 60’s!) and actually, the thing works pretty darn well. I favor my super-sharp Henkel chef’s knife. But hey! Use whatever gets you the nicest slices. (I kind of like those old school electric carving knives too!) You can watch me carve and serve up roasted turkey pieces on Q13 here!

Turkey Sin #7: Not Enough Gravy- This could be the ultimate sin!

Gravy and turkey is like milk and cookies: delightfully harmonious. To be sure you make enough, immediately transfer your roasted bird to a platter to rest, and collect all those yummy juices for making pan gravy. Or, what I like to do is make turkey stock a few days ahead using some purchased turkey legs and then make a big batch of gravy in the bird-cooking pan. There’s nothing worse than not enough gravy! I like my do ahead gravy recipe below – and it makes LOTS! Watch me make lots of turkey gravy on Q13!

Turkey Sin #8: Letting the Cooked Bird Sit Out…. All Day… and Beyond

Once you have the meat off the bird, remember to not let it sit on the counter all evening, increasing the risk of spoilage. I like to take off any extra meat and refrigerate it for soups or sandwiches. Don’t throw away that turkey carcass! Break it up, throw it in a big pot, cover with water and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 1–2 hours. Strain the stock well, then cool. Now you have yummy turkey broth to make some tasty soup later in the week.

Turkey Sin #9: No Turkey Leftovers for Sandwiches

And this brings us to the sin second only to not making enough gravy: not cooking enough turkey. Turkey sandwiches—I love them piled high with homemade cranberry compote—are absolutely de rigueur for next-day snacking … or midnight refrigerator raids, for those who cannot wait! So if you’re inviting your peeps over for dinner –encourage people to bring some their own Tupperware –  give them some leftovers …. it will make for very happy guests and less to cram in the already packed refrigerator!

Turkey Sin #10: Not Enjoying Yourself

Running around the kitchen like a turkey with its head cut off is no way to enjoy the holiday. Don’t allow the day to consume you. Why not give each person something to bring to the dinner? Maybe even send them a recipe you would like them to make. The holidays are all about gathering over a meal, so get those football-watchers off the couch and into the kitchen. Get your guests involved by setting the table, pouring drinks, warming the rolls, anything to help. You’ll relax more and create lasting memories with your family and friends.

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One of my favorite turkey-roasting methods follows, so whether you are a first-time cooker or an old hand at the turkey game, I hope my tips and recipes will allow you to have a super-successful holiday meal!

Finished Turkey

Kathy’s Herb-Lacquered Roasted Turkey
Chef’s Notes:  Read recipe all the way through a few days before your dinner. A tasty do-ahead turkey gravy that makes LOTS follows.

Allow about 1 1/2 – 2 hours of roasting time for a 12-pound turkey (that is fresh and not stuffed), and add about 5 to 10 minutes for each additional pound. This will be one of the most beautiful turkeys you’ve ever roasted!  If roasting a large turkey 20 – 24 lbs, bake at 350 degrees. A 22-lb turkey should take about 2 1/2 – 3 hours to reach 175–180 degrees internal temperature (insert an instant-read thermometer in the back side of the thigh).

Makes 8 to 16 servings, with leftovers

1 12- to 16-pound turkey
4 or more large, fresh rosemary sprigs
1 large onion, skin on, quartered
1 head of garlic, broken apart
8 large sage leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt + 1/2 – 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
OR 2 + tablespoons Dish D’Lish French Seasoning Salt

Place an oven rack low in the oven, removing extra racks if necessary. Preheat oven to 375°F.

Remove the giblets and neck from turkey cavities, checking that both cavities are empty. Rinse turkey with cold water, inside and out, and pat dry. Keep the legs tied together with the metal clip, or tie with butcher’s twine.

Place half of the rosemary sprigs and all the onion and garlic in the bird’s body cavity.

  • (If you decide to stuff your turkey with traditional stuffing there are some things you must know: When stuffing a turkey, do so just before roasting; do not stuff it the night before. Loosely stuff the turkey so that the stuffing will completely cook through. Do not pack the stuffing. You can stuff both ends of a turkey, the large inside cavity and the smaller nook under the skin flap at the neck – cooking time may need to be increased and be sure your stuffing .)

Pull the leaves off the remaining rosemary sprigs. Carefully loosen the turkey skin over the breast and legs (by running your hands under it), being careful not to tear it. Keeping them as flat as possible, tuck the sage leaves and the rosemary leaves you pulled off under the breast, thigh, and leg skin, arranging the herbs decoratively. Carefully pull the breast skin tightly down over breast bone, then, using metal closure skewers, thread them through both sides of the skin flaps to bridge the turkey body-cavity opening. Thread skewers alternately from left to right then right to left. With a 12-inch piece of butcher’s twine or white cotton string, work back and forth around the skewers to lace up the cavity, shoelace-style.

Spray a roasting rack with nonstick vegetable spray and place the turkey on the rack in an open, shallow roasting pan. Rub the turkey all over with the olive oil, then generously sprinkle the turkey with the salt and pepper or French Seasoning Salt, seasoning it well all over.

Place the turkey on the low oven rack and roast until the inner, thickest part of the thigh registers 175°F. (Insert metal stem, instant-read thermometer in the back side of thigh by the turkey body.)

If you are cooking a larger turkey, you may need to tent the breast loosely with a piece of buttered foil to avoid over-browning of the breast. About 30 to 45 minutes before the end of cooking, remove tent to allow browning.

When the turkey is done, remove from the oven. Before carving the turkey, let it stand for 15 minutes to allow the juices to settle. As the turkey stands, the turkey thigh temperature will reach 180°F. (If stuffing be sure stuffing comes to 165°F) Use the pan drippings to make your gravy – see recipe below.

© Copyright 2010 by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

Old-Fashioned Turkey Mushroom Gravy- THAT MAKES A LOT!
You can make this a few days ahead and then re-heat in your turkey roasting pan for extra turkey flavor goodness! Read through the entire recipe before starting.

Makes 10 cups, or about 20 generous 1/2-cup servings

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary – or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
8 ounces (4 cups) thinly sliced mushrooms, or chopped wild mushrooms
1 cup flour
10 cups Rich Turkey Stock (recipe follows)
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Melt the butter in a large, heavy saucepan. Add the rosemary and mushrooms and sauté over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Add the flour and stir vigorously until combined and smooth. Cook for about 1 minute. Add the stock all at once and whisk vigorously so as to eliminate any lumps. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the gravy is nicely thickened. Season with salt and white pepper.

You can make the gravy a couple of days ahead to save yourself some precious holiday time!

Then right before serving- and while your turkey is set aside to rest – ready your turkey roasting pan full of turkey goodness: remove excess fat from your turkey roasting pan. Place the pan over a burner – add a big splash of white wine, champagne, potato cooking water, chicken broth or water. Using a metal spatula – scrape up all the goodies in the bottom of the pan… this is the turkey goodness. Then add your prepared Turkey Mushroom gravy – whisk well and heat till hot. Serve up and enjoy – you’ll have lots of gravy for all!

Rich Turkey Stock
Makes about 10 cups

2 large turkey legs or thighs, about 2 pounds total
1 yellow onion, unpeeled, coarsely chopped
1 large or 2 medium carrots, cut into large chunks
Up to 2 cups mushroom stems, optional
4 stalks celery, cut into chunks
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup white wine
12 cups water

Preheat an oven to 400°F.

Roast the turkey pieces in a baking pan for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the skin is golden brown. Place them in an 8-quart pot and add the vegetables and seasonings. Deglaze the roasting pan with the wine, scraping the pan well to loosen browned bits, and add to the pot. Add the water.

Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a rapid simmer. Reduce the heat to low and lightly simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Strain the stock and skim off any fat. Discard the vegetables. (Most of the flavor will have cooked out of the turkey; however, the meat can be removed from the bones and saved for another use.)

© Copyright 20010 by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

Cuties Overnight Wild-Rice & Sourdough Stuffing
With big flavors and textures, this stuffing is great with game hens, turkey, chicken, holiday ham or pork chops.
Makes about 8 servings

6 cups water
2 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 cup wild rice
—————————
6 Cuties Mandarin Oranges
4 cups 1/2-inch-cubed rustic sourdough bread
1/2 cup toasted, coarsely chopped almonds
6 Tbsp. salted butter
1 cup 1/4-inch-diced onion
1 cup 1/4-inch-diced celery
2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
1 tsp. kosher salt (or more to taste)
1/4 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 eggs, beaten

In a large pot, bring water and salt to a boil. Stir in wild rice and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer rice, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until very tender. Drain and cool.

Meanwhile, peel the Cuties, cut in half crosswise, then break into half segments. Place in a large bowl with the bread and almonds, and set aside.

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt butter, add the onion, celery, and mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for about 7–8 minutes, or until tender. Remove from heat and add cranberries, broth and herbs.

Add mushroom mixture and cooled rice to bread mixture. Toss to mix evenly, then add the beaten egg and toss until bread is thoroughly coated. Cover and refrigerate overnight to let flavors develop.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with pan spray.

Re-toss stuffing, transfer to baking pan, and let sit for 30 minutes to come to room temperature while oven preheats. Bake in preheated oven for 35–45 minutes, or until cooked through.

Chef’s Note: When roasting a stuffed chicken or game hen, cook until internal temperature at the center of the stuffing is 165 degrees F.

Recipe Created for Cuties Citrus by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

Cranberry Citrus Cooler
Housemade Cranberry Syrup adds a flavorful twist and beautiful color to this tall cooler.
Makes 1 cocktail

1 1/2 oz Moon Mountain Vodka
3/4 oz Housemade Cranberry Syrup including 3- 4 of the berries (recipe follows)
3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 oz fresh orange juice
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Garnish: long lemon twist

Measure the Moon Mountain Vodka, Cranberry Syrup including a few of the berries, lemon juice and orange juice into a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice and add the bitters. Cap and shake. Pour into a tall glass. Garnish with a long curled lemon twist.

Housemade Cranberry Syrup
Makes 1 1/2 cups

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup water
1 cup sugar

Place ingredients into a small sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer for 1 minute then turn off heat. Let syrup infuse for one hour. Then refrigerate. Will keep refrigerated for up to 7 days.

Recipe Created for Moon Mountain Vodka by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen

Eggnog Panna Cotta With Spiced Cranberry Compote
Makes 4 servings

1/3 cup pecan pieces

Eggnog Panna Cotta
1 cup high-quality eggnog
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon rum extract
1 cup (8 oz wt) mascarpone
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons gelatin
2 tablespoons water

Spiced Cranberry Compote
1 1/2 cups frozen or fresh cranberries
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest

Place pecans on a baking sheet and toast in a preheated 350-degree oven until just golden, about 5-7 minutes. Let cool.

To make the Panna Cotta: Place the eggnog, sugar, nutmeg, extract, mascarpone and sour cream in a large metal bowl over a pan of simmering water (bain marie). Whisk until smooth and warmed.

In a small bowl sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let bloom for a couple of minutes, then heat in microwave or over hot water until melted. Whisk into the warmed eggnog mixture.

Divide mixture between 4 small custard cups (the small Pyrex glass ones). Place on a baking pan, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours until set, or overnight.

To make the Spiced Cranberry Compote: In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan place the cranberries, nutmeg, sugar, orange juice and zest. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer then reduce heat to medium. Let cook until cranberries are popped and mixture is a nice compote consistency, about 5 – 6 minutes. Let cool completely before serving.

To serve dessert: One at a time place each ramekin of panna cotta in a shallow bowl of very hot water — to 1/2-inch from the top — for about a count of 10. Remove, run a knife around the outside and unmold onto individual dessert plates. Scatter the cranberry compote over the tops of the custards. Sprinkle with toasted pecans and serve immediately.

Chef’s Note: All the dessert components can be made up to 3 days before serving.

© Dishing with Kathy Casey

Posted by Kathy Casey on November 18th, 2011  |  Comments Off on Let’s Talk Turkey! |  Posted in Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, Recent Posts

The Seattle Times

If you’re looking for other great tips, techniques and advice as well as recipes for a fantastic Thanksgiving Day feast, check out the annual Seattle Times’ holiday guide written by Nancy Leson. This guide along with the recipes features a lot of tips and tricks from Seattle chefs and restauranteurs (including myself!), with all sorts of appetizers, entrees, sides and even desserts! Check it out for a d’lish read and try out some of the recipes yourself; you’ll have your guests asking for more in no time!

Posted by Kathy Casey on November 16th, 2011  |  Comments Off on The Seattle Times |  Posted in Restaurants, appetizers, dessert, Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, Foodie News, Fruit, Lifestyle, meats, poultry, Recent Posts, Recipes, seafood, sides, Snacks

Holiday Sippin’: Ginger Rouge Cocktail

Fresh ginger, cranberries and orange make for a zesty syrup Ginger Rouge Cocktailwhen blended together. Not only does this housemade syrup add fantastic taste to a cocktail, but it adds a beautiful rouge tint to a drink, which is perfect for some holiday sipping!

On this week’s video of Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen™, I make a Ginger Rouge Cocktail! After making my Housemade Zesty Cranberry Ginger Syrup and letting it cool, I puree it until its smooth using my Vitamix Barboss Advance. Shake in that alongside gin, vodka OR gold rum (your choice!) and Angostura bitters and you’ll have a beautiful and delicious cocktail to sip the night away!

Enjoy! -Kathy

***Make sure to follow @LiquidKitchenTV on Twitter for other sippin’ ideas!***

Posted by Kathy Casey on November 15th, 2011  |  Comments Off on Holiday Sippin’: Ginger Rouge Cocktail |  Posted in Amazon, Cocktails, Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, Fruit, Lifestyle, Recent Posts, Recipes
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