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Make at Home Tiramisu

Make at Home Tiramisu

You know the drill….you go out for a delicious Italian dinner and you enjoy every single bite but all the while you’re fantasizing about the most glorious part of the meal: TIRAMISU! Now, you can make this Heavenly dessert in the comfort of your own 

Jack O’Brien’s Salsa & Mexican Dip

Jack O’Brien’s Salsa & Mexican Dip

This episode and blogpost has been a LONG TIME COMING. I’ve been asking and asking my Dad to join me in the kitchen to show us how to make some of his specialties- and while we didn’t even chip the tip off of the iceberg 

My Mom’s Potato Pancakes

My Mom’s Potato Pancakes

Nostalgia. That’s seriously what this recipe is for me…and I have Heidi Klum to thank for it! Haaaaaa! HEIDI KLUM, you say?? Yes. Heidi was just doing an interview where she was defending a fried spaghetti dish she grew up eating. She said people were knockin’ it before they tried it but said that they shouldn’t! Heidi admitted that she thought the All American PB&J was weird when she first moved to the US from her native Germany but quickly learned that not only was it a staple for us growing up in the states but that it WAS damn delicious! I was reporting this in our Hollywood News and I, kind of off hand, stated that the fried spaghetti reminded me of the fried potato pancakes my Mom used to make growing up – the guys on the show went wild! POTATO PANCAKES??!!! Right then and there, they begged me to show them how to make the cakes on Cooking with Katie…so here we are!

Ingredients

  • 3-4 cups leftover mashed potatoes
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • LOTS OF BUTTER (I can’t give you an exact amount….just, LOTS)
  • Toppings: sour cream, apple sauce, chives, sauerkraut, caramelized onions

Instructions

  1. If your mashed potatoes are too “wet” or creamy from a night in the fridge, add a little flour to the mix to dry them out a bit. Not too much. Just enough to thicken the potatoes.
  2. Form the potatoes into a hamburger-patty shape/thickness
  3. Dredge lightly in flour, on both sides. Set aside.
  4. Melt a large amount of butter in skillet. Enough to thoroughly coat the bottoms of the cakes
  5. Add cakes to bubbling butter and fry until golden brown. Flip and fry until golden brown on other side.
  6. Place on paper towels to absorb excess butter, serve with preferred toppings

Live Cooking Demo

The Cocktail

The cocktail this week is a riff on an Old Fashioned but with Rum….and ginger. It’s a must try!

  • 2 oz rum
  • 1/2 simple syrup: made with brown sugar, infused with ginger
  • 3 dashes bitters
  • Luxardo Cherry syrup, plus a cherry for garnish
  • orange peel for garnish
  • Pour enough cherry syrup in rocks glass to coat inside of glass.
  • In a separate glass, mix rum, simple syrup and bitters. Stir.
  • In rocks glass, add large ice ball/cube and pour rum mixture over ice.
  • Garnish with cherry and orange peel.

Summertime Veg Pizza

Summertime Veg Pizza

This time of year, you probably have a counter FULL of garden vegetables and you’re thinking….WHAT DO I DO WITH THESE??? Easy…you make a quick pizza dough, you add some cheese and boom! You have a delicious summertime veg pizza! You feel like you’re indulging 

Lemon, Pesto & Burrata Pasta

Lemon, Pesto & Burrata Pasta

It’s officially THE hottest part of Summer…well, at least to ME. It’s the time when everyone’s garden’s are OUT OF CONTROL and no one seems to know what in the world to do with 4,000 lbs of tomatoes, bunches and bunches of basil and the 

Brie Burgers with Peach & Onion Jam

Brie Burgers with Peach & Onion Jam

Ready for some decadence? It’s comin’atcha in a big way with this burger! Not only is this grass-fed beef stuffed with a creamy, melty, oozy brie but then it’s topped with a sweet, caramelized, sticky jam that adds a depth and richness I can’t explain. Even using those words: depth and richness. I don’t think I use them any other time but for THIS burger they’re necessary.

Peach & Bacon Jam

For these burgers, we’ve used a great quality meat and kept it simple. We added only salt and pepper to taste because the REAL star of the show is the peach and bacon jam! Plus, we’re stuffing the burger with brie….so who needs any other flavor competing with THAT?! Thanks to Striped Spatula for this recipe!

  • 1-1/2 pounds applewood smoked bacon (I use thick cut), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 large yellow onion , chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
  • 4 ripe peaches , peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 3 cups)
  • 3/4 to 1 cup dark brown sugar (depending on how sweet your peaches are)
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon 
  • In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, cook bacon over medium-high heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside. Carefully remove all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat from the pot and discard or save for another use.
  • Return pot to heat, add onions, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Return bacon to the pot with chopped peaches, brown sugar, black pepper, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, and bourbon (if using). Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until jam is thick and glossy, about 30-35 minutes. (If your peaches are very juicy and throw a lot of liquid into the jam, this might take a little longer; continue simmering until thick.) As the jam cooks, use the back of your wooden spoon to break up the peaches. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
  • If a smoother texture is desired, transfer cooled jam to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times until you reach your desired consistency. Serve jam at room temperature.

Live Cooking Demo

Cocktail

I’m trying something new here with the following recipe: I’m giving you the PDF version of the recipe we used from Empress Gin. That way, you can see EXACTLY how THEY say to make it, since our versions sometimes get a little heavy handed 🙂 Plus…you can check out all of the other cool cocktail concoctions Empress Gin has to offer!

Father’s Day Chicken Fried Chicken

Father’s Day Chicken Fried Chicken

Dads *might* think we don’t remember Father’s Day….or at least they like to pretend that it’s the “forgotten holiday” when compared to the hoopla surrounding Mother’s Day…but that’s simply NOT true! I wouldn’t be the person I am today without my Father. He’s my go-to 

Broccoli Pesto Ravioli

Broccoli Pesto Ravioli

I know what you’re thinking: BROCCOLI PESTO??? But wait….I promise you’ll like it! It’s a nice way to get some veggies in…. without thinking about getting the veggies in 🙂 Even though broccoli is the main ingredient, it’s still got that basil, garlic and lemon 

Strawberry & Burrata Salad

Strawberry & Burrata Salad

It’s Strawberry season and I’m ready for it! Big, juicy, garnet-colored berries are everywhere right now BEGGING to be used in all the dishes! And what better way than to pair them with a creamy, buttery, rich cheese?! Burrata in the house! If you aren’t familiar with burrata – it’s very similar to the taste and look of FRESH mozzarella -but super soft to the touch because inside that perfect little round ball of goodness is actual cream…and shreds of mozzarella cheese. I know, it’s a dream come true. And while you *MIGHT* think that the strawberries are the star of this show, once you cut open the burrata and witness that rich cream seeping from the center – you’ll know who the REAL star is. There’s nothing sexier than olive oil and freshly cracked black pepper glistening atop a ball of burrata. Don’t believe me? Try this salad to see for yourself!

Ingredients List:

  • 1lb of freshly picked, hulled strawberries -sliced
  • 3 cups arugula
  • 2-3 balls of burrata (I happened to pick up burrata WITH black truffles)
  • 3 oz prosciutto
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, torn or chiffonade-cut

Champagne Vinaigrette Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup Champagne vinegar
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 small shallot, finely diced
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 cup olive oil

Vinaigrette Instructions:

  1. Coarsely chop shallot, add to mini food processor. Pulse until shallot is finely chopped.
  2. Add all ingredients – except for olive oil- into the processor and pulse until incorporated.
  3. Slowly stream olive oil into processor, until emulsified.

Salad Assembly

  1. On a large platter, make a bed of arugula. Top with basil.
  2. Cut prosciutto in half pieces and arrange in various spots on top of greens
  3. Scatter strawberries
  4. Place burrata balls on salad and drizzle with olive oil (and/or champagne vinaigrette) and freshly cracked black pepper on top of whole salad
  5. If ready to eat immediately, cut open burrata so the creamy center seeps out and top salad with vinaigrette.

Live Cooking Demo

Cocktail

Grapefruit & Gin Rose – recipe from Honest Cooking

Ingredients:

  • 1-2 lemon wedges
  • 1-2 slices of grapefruit
  • Ice
  • 6 oz rosé wine
  • 1 1/2 oz gin
  • 1/2 oz simple syrup to taste

Instructions:

  • Muddle the lemon wedges and grapefruit in the bottom of a glass/cocktail shaker. Add in the ice, rosé, gin and stir well. Add in the simple syrup to your desired sweetness.
  • DOUBLE Strain into a wine glass and add the muddled lemon and grapefruit.

Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders

Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders

It’s Kentucky Derby Weekend, y’all! And we’re celebrating with some traditional Derby fanfare! The Kentucky Hot Brown is typically an open-faced sandwich HOWEVER….any frequent Derby party guest knows: you can’t enjoy an open-faced sandwich while STANDING UP. Too many moving parts. The fork, the knife,