Kathleen Joann Raskin tagged posts

Halloween Treats for Your Pets

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...

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The Adult Side of Halloween

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...

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The Intimidation Factor: Cooking Made Easy

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...
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To Baste or Not to Baste: Getting Ready for Turkey Day

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...

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The Science Behind Baking Cookies

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...

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Haunted Treats: Halloween Goodies

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...
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Stay Alert, Stay Alive: Cooking for People with Allergies

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...

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Camp Out!

Hello everyone! Kathleen Raskin of Las Vegas here again bringing you more cooking tips. The weather is starting to cool down in Kathey Jo’s Kitchen land, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have camping on the brain. Eating well in the great outdoors can be intimidating, but with a little planning ahead, you can change up the old standbys of chili, hot dogs, and hamburgers. But if that’s what’ll suit the others in your party, I say embrace it.

If you want to try something fresh though, I recommend that you pack your cooler with everything already prepared; all you need to do is heat it up (or cool it down). For some ideas, check them out below, and let your fellow Kathey Jo’s Kitchen fans what your favorite campfire dish is.

Breakfast

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Get in Hot Water: Boiling Water

Hello, I am Kathey Raskin of Las Vegas, and I’d like to welcome you back to Kathey Jo’s Kitchen! Let’s discuss water. Namely, the art of boiling water. The point of boiling water is that it’s the method of purification that even the most casual consumer can do, from 8 to 80. There are many different situations where you can do it. It’s perfectly fine to do when you feel the local water supply may potentially be contaminated, such as after a hurricane. If you run low on bottled water, you could boil water at your campsite as a quick solution. Not all countries have the water sanitation rules that you’re used to, so when you’re visiting a foreign country with poorly sanitized drinking water, you should absolutely boil it before you drink it.

Why Should I Do It?

Boiled water can...

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Meal Plan for the Proper and Frugal Storage of Food

I am Kathleen Raskin, and I’d like to welcome you back to Kathey Jo’s Kitchen. If you’ve noticed your energy levels are low, or you’ve been snacking way too much in between meals, it’s probably because the fast and furious food culture that we have has dominated your wellness for many years. Take back your health.

Consider making a batch of meals that can be prepared all at once and freeze. Pop a Tupperware in the fridge the night before work. Then, grab it on your way out the door. It’ll be ready to eat in time for lunch that day. How do you get started? That’s easy, Kathey Jo’s Kitchen will give you some ideas.

How to Start

  1. Organize your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer to showcase the ingredients that you have...
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