May the Fourth Be with You: It’s Star Wars Day!

I am Kathey Raskin, and I’d like to welcome you to my Las Vegas kitchen! I’ll be honest: we’re not the target audience for Star Wars at all at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have people in my life that don’t enjoy the movies. I couldn’t tell you what a Yoda is from an Ewok, but when everyone started greeting me last year, I had to find out what the hubbub was. So, this year, in preparation, I went hunting for themed goodies to bring smiles to everyone in Kathey Jo’s Kitchen. I encourage you to share your favorite Star Wars-themed treat in the comments below. Let’s all enjoy the day, and may the Force be with you.

Bantha Milk Cocktail

Ingredients

• 3 oz. of milk
• 1 oz. of cream
• 1 oz. of coconut rum
• 1 o...

Hello from the Las Vegas kitchen of Kathleen Raskin! National Shrimp Scampi Day may be over now, but there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy it today. Sometimes, I just want to make something simple at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen. Thankfully, shrimp scampi fits the bill. It’s tasty, simple, and easy to make. All you need to do is cook the shrimp, along with butter, and chopped garlic in a skillet. You can pair it with almost anything – crusty bread, or pasta – and have an even more filling meal. How do you like to eat your shrimp scampi? Share your favorite method with your friends at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen in the comments below.

Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients

• 4 garlic cloves, 2 grated, 2 thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1-pound large shrimp, peeled, dev...

Hello from Kathey Raskin of Las Vegas, and welcome to Kathey Jo’s Kitchen! Pi Day is coming up in a couple of days. Don’t get caught off guard. Have a few pies on hand to enjoy for the day. In Kathey Jo’s Kitchen, we don’t need an excuse to enjoy pie. What is it exactly? National Pi Day celebrates Pi, a mathematical concept of a number that never ends. It was created by physicist Larry Shaw in 1989, celebrated at the San Francisco Exploratorium. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a non-binding resolution (HRES 224), officially recognizing March 14, 2009 as the start of the National Pi Day movement. How’s this for another fun fact? The birthday of physicist Albert Einstein is March 14, 1879. Share your favorite pie recipes with Kathey Jo’s Kitchen below!

Chocolate Chess ...

Crown of Pork Day is on March 7^th, but there’s no reason why you can’t be a couple of days ahead. In Kathey Jo’s Kitchen, fortune favors the prepared. Or – in this case – full bellies favor the prepared! You can’t cut corners and simply eat pork chops for today, it must absolutely be crown roast of pork. Go with your mother or grandmother’s favorite recipe, or prepare it in a style that you’ve never had before. Tell your friends at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen what is your favorite way to prepare your crown roast of pork. I’ve shared a couple ways below, but I know there’s so many ways out there.

Crown Roast of Pork with Lady Apples and Shallots

Ingredients

• 2 8-bone racks of pork (about 4 pounds each), chine bone removed, fat trimmed to ¼-inch thick, rib bones frenched
• 1½ ...

With all the food allergies in the world, here at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen, I’m glad peanut is not one of them. They’re my go-to snack, and I could eat them all day. Nothing beats a good ol’ fashioned peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I was thrilled to find out that March is National Peanut Month. The month had its beginnings as National Peanut Week in 1941, but later morphed into a month-long celebration in 1974. I’m going to incorporate more peanut recipes in this month to celebrate. I’ve included a couple of them below, and as always, I encourage you to share your favorite way of enjoying peanuts with your friends at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen.

Strawberry Honey-Peanut Salad

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup strawberries, chopped
• 1 ½ cup broccoli, cut
• ½ cup honey-roasted peanuts, lightly chopped

If you’ve noticed your energy levels depleting significantly after lunch, it’s probably because of what you’re putting into your body. At Kathey Jo’s Kitchen, we understand you’re crunched for time, no matter how long your lunch is. So, consider meal planning. It’s something I’ve mentioned before, and it’s been such a boon for my health this year. You’ll see how much energy you have once you start incorporating reliable, consistent food into your diet. Plus, you’ll have more time to truly unwind and enjoy your lunch break. How could that be wrong? Do you already have a meal plan? Do you have any favorite recipes to share? Let your friends at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen know in the comments!

Southwest Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• 1 (8 oz.) package lentil & quinoa pasta
• 1 (15 oz...

Hello from Kathey Jo’s Kitchen! I am Kathleen Raskin of Las Vegas, and if you are anything like me, you can’t wait for spring either! Leo Tolstoy wrote in Anna Karenina that “spring is the time of plans and projects.” Hopefully, you’ve been making headway on your New Year’s resolutions. I’ve been making baby steps in Kathey Jo’s Kitchen myself: meal planning on Sundays, for one. But don’t wait for an arbitrary date to begin. You can wipe your slate right now. Start where you are, with what you have. When you’re internally motivated to pursue something, the more likely you are to achieve your goals. If eating healthy is one of them, consider trying one of the salads I’ve recommended below. Which one is your favorite? Tell your friends at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen!

Crispy S...

Hello from Kathleen Raskin, and welcome to my Las Vegas kitchen! If you’re looking for ideas to dress up your Valentine’s Day dinner, then try one of these delicious drinks featured today on Kathey Jo’s Kitchen. The red colors are obviously complementary to the holidays, but they also highlight the universality of the drinks themselves. Scarlet gives you a mellow peach and tart cranberry flavor, with a touch of citrus that makes it resemble a long hot summer afternoon. On the flip side, the sweet and tart notes in the Felicia are great for fall get-togethers. What are your favorite red or pink colored cocktails? Share your favorites with the rest of Kathey Jo’s Kitchen!

Scarlet O’Hara

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Southern Comfort
• Dash of lime juice
• 6 ounces cranberry juice
• Garnish with...

Hello from Kathey Raskin of Las Vegas! Here at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen, I look forward to making fun treats every year. “Cupid” by Sam Cooke came on the radio, and I thought there must be a yummy recipe that incorporate Cupid’s arrow. Thankfully, I found one, and I can’t wait for you to try it. When you decorate your cupcakes, use 6-inch lollipop sticks decorated with a single heart. You can find paper cutouts for the hearts. You can stand the stick up, or you can push it in sideways, and add another heart to make it look like the arrow pierced it. What Valentine’s traditions do you have with your kids – big and small? Let Kathey Jo’s Kitchen know!

Cupid’s Arrow Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon cocoa
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baki...

If you didn’t know by now, I Kathey Raskin of Las Vegas, really love desserts. They’re a special treat that I look forward to making in Kathey Jo’s Kitchen. As I was looking for inspiration for new things to share with you, I found that today is National Blonde Brownie Day. You’ve probably had some in the past. What makes them different from a regular brownie? A regular brownie is dark brown, because of the chocolate used. In place of chocolate, you use light brown sugar. Easy enough, right? The use of nuts and frosting on your blonde brownies is optional.  What’s your favorite way of eating brownies? Let your friends at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen know in the comments!

Blonde Brownies

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups...