The weather in Kathey Jo’s Kitchen neck of the woods is cool, breezy, and insists upon warm clothing from head to toe. I decided to dust off the old crockpot, and make soup that could cook while I was at the office. If you don’t already have a crockpot, I recommend you get one. There’s crockpots of all shapes and sizes. There are some small enough for individual meals, or you could invest in a sizable one, so you have leftovers that you can freeze to enjoy later. Do you have a favorite recipe? I encourage you to share it with the Kathey Jo’s Kitchen audience. You’ll find a couple of my go-to recipes below.

Chicken Tortellini Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 1½ pounds boneless chicken breast
• 3 medium peeled and diced carrots
• 3 stalks diced celery
• 1 medium diced onion
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 6 ...

Happy Halloween from Kathey Raskin of Las Vegas! Halloween is an exceptionally American holiday. Nobody does it like the United States. We love our costumes, our fun, themed parties, trick or treating, pumpkins, and everything in between. But have you ever wondered how – and if – Halloween is celebrated in other countries? Today, we’ll be exploring these traditions at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen. It’s never too late to start incorporating how other cultures look at Halloween into your own yearly celebrations. In fact, you’re probably already doing a lot of these already. Do you have a favorite? Let your fellow Kathey Jo’s Kitchen readers know in the comments, and make your own recommendations.

Where It All Began…

It’s mutually agreed upon that Ireland is where the tradition of Hall...

This is Kathey Raskin of Las Vegas, and I’d like to welcome you back to Kathey Jo’s Kitchen. Self-care is an important topic here. Sometimes, it feels like there’s not enough time to get everything done. Everyone has a breaking point. Someone pulls that last thread of patience, and then the world falls apart, and you feel like there’s no coming back. It’s important that you take care of you and your needs. You should consider scheduling some downtime, and using ingredients right in your own home, for your very own all-natural spa day. I have made some recommendations below, but as always, if you have a good recipe or tip to share, post it below, and share it with the rest of the Kathey Jo’s Kitchen family.

Fruits and Vegetables

• Banana hair treatment: Smash 1 full banana and ...

Happy Halloween from Kathey Raskin of Las Vegas! Halloween is known for wall to wall chocolate, but as a responsible pet owner, you already know that your dog should not be partaking in chocolate. But why deprive them of enjoying the season with you? At Kathey Jo’s Kitchen, we’re aware that there are pet-friendly treats you can make at home without breaking the bank. You simply use ingredients and items you already have in your kitchen. Of course, not all dogs are the same, and some are downright picky about their goodies, so you should focus on the treats that you know they’ll eat with liberty. Today, I’ll be sharing a few treats that would work well for all dogs. If you have a favorite recipe, share it with the rest of Kathey Jo’s Kitchen in the comments below.

Mini Layered B...

Happy Halloween from Kathey Raskin of Las Vegas! Let’s face it: Halloween isn’t just for the kids. Kathey Jo’s Kitchen understands. You send them out trick or treating, but that’s not going to stop you from dipping into their stash occasionally. Embrace the time of the season, and gather a few of your closest friends and acquaintances for themed hors d’oeuvres, and a few of the fun cocktail ideas below when you host your own adults-only Halloween party. Grown-up themed costumes optional. Play some spooky games, dance the night away to the Halloween music of your youth before you settle in for a scary movie marathon. The opportunities are endless. Make one of these cocktails, and let your fellow Kathey Jo’s Kitchen fans what your favorite is!

Death in the Afternoon

Ernest Hemi...

Hello everyone, this is Kathey Raskin of Las Vegas, welcoming you back to Kathey Jo’s Kitchen. Everybody has a cooking story. Whether you have fond memories of baking cookies with Grandma, or you’ve burned a turkey (or two), cooking for most people is an intimidating process. For those of you who see it that way, you should feel reassured knowing that it’s not as complicated as it looks. Today at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen, we’ll talk about a few tips and tricks you can keep in the back of your mind while you’re approaching your kitchen cabinets and trying to figure out what to make for dinner tonight. If you feel so inclined, share some of your favorite tips in the comments below with your fellow Kathey Jo’s Kitchen fans.

Center Stage

1. A roasting chicken can be delicious with lemon...

Hello, this is Kathleen Raskin of Las Vegas, and here at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen, we realize that there are cooks who strongly believe in basting their turkey for Thanksgiving, or when they’re preparing a roast chicken for a weekday dinner. What is basting? Simply put, it’s used to keep meat moist during the cooking process to apply or enhance flavor. It’s used in grilling, roasting, rotisserie, and other meat preparations where the meat is over heat for extended periods of time. I have my opinion, but I’d like to open the floor to my loyal readers. Where do you stand on the great basting debate? Let me and the rest of the Kathey Jo’s Kitchen audience know what your argument is in the comments below.

Pros

Basting is the tried and true approach to ensure moist, tender meat...

Hello, this is Kathleen Raskin of Las Vegas, and I don’t know about you, but this wonderful autumn weather makes me think about all the yummy cookies I’ve baked over the years in Kathey Jo’s Kitchen. The smell, the sight, the taste, the touch. There’s something truly special about making cookies. I got to thinking about the recipes I’ve tried over the years. I noticed not all of them used baking powder. I wondered why some recipes would require it, and others don’t. I did a bit of research, and I’m eager to share what I’ve learned with my Kathey Jo’s Kitchen audience. Let me know in the comments if you learned something new, and share your favorite cookie recipe in the comments below.

First, A History Lesson

Baking powder is sodium bicarbonate combined with an acid...

It’s October, and you know what that means. Halloween is one of our favorite holidays at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen. The colors, flavors, and spooky fun is something we look forward to every year. I’m sure you do too. Pumpkin-flavored everything seems to be the fallback for most people, but we like to push the envelope when it comes to the goodies served at Halloween parties.

Consider bat shaped finger foods, frozen witch’s hands in your punch bowl, or mouse-shaped cheeseballs. Your partygoers can get into the mood when your table is spread with Halloween-inspired treats. Today, I’m going to share a few with you, but tell the rest of Kathey Jo’s Kitchen what your go-to Halloween recipes are below!

Bloody Fingers

Prep: 15 m / Ready in 15 m

• 2 cups creamy peanut butter
• 2 cups powdered...

Hello, this is Kathey Raskin of Las Vegas, and today at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen, we’ll be talking about food allergies. The thing about our immune systems is that they’re constantly under attack, and work overtime to keep us alive. It’s completely logical for your body to react violently to something you – or your family – has eaten many times before. Crustacean shellfish, egg, fish, milk, peanut, soy, tree nuts, and wheat are the most commonly reported allergic reactions in the United States. In recent years, because of the proliferation of food allergies, more and more recipes have appeared as viable replacements for what we used to enjoy. Let your fellow Kathey Jo’s Kitchen readers know about your own allergies and favorite recipes in the comments!

Peanuts and Tree Nuts

Pean...