National Chocolate Ice Cream Day is a great day to eat America’s favorite flavor of ice cream. It’s a big for ice cream makers, and it’s part and parcel of the experience here at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen. We don’t need any additional incentive to eat it, nor will we entertain any argument against eating it. With the arrival of the summer weather, cooling off with ice cream is a natural, time-honored solution. How do you enjoy a day themed after a great dessert? Eat it, of course! How many times you should eat it is entirely up to you. Here at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen, the bare minimum will be three.

Easy No-Cook Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup whole milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Whisk t...

With the summer growing season in full swing, we here at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen can’t think of a better time to enjoy the bountiful and yummy options that come with the start of summer. I challenge you to make half your meals either fruits or vegetables. You’ll see how quick and easy it’ll be to add them to your meal plans. In fact, apricots, blueberries, cantaloupe, carrots, celery, cherries, cucumbers, figs, green beans, honeydew, lemons, lettuce, nectarines, onions, oranges, peaches, peppers, plums, potatoes, raspberries, strawberries, summer squash, sweet corn, tomatoes, and watermelon are in season right now. Enjoy, and let your friends at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen know how you plan to incorporate more vegetables and fruit into your meals.

Blackberry-Cantaloupe Salad

Ingredients

• 2 c...

Hamburgers are America’s favorite sandwich. It’s one of ours here at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen, the perfect cheat day meal. What would Memorial Day, or Fourth of July be without them? So, it’s only fitting that we have a special day to celebrate this cherished beacon of Americana. The best way to cook a hamburger is on an outdoor grill. Don’t forget your French fries. Add your favorite fixings and condiments. Cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions, bacon, mustard, ketchup, and relish. The possibilities are endless. What’s your favorite way to enjoy hamburgers? Let your friends at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen know in the comments!

Glazed Bacon-and-Cheese-Filled Burgers

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp. dark brown sugar
• 1½ tsp. paprika
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• ½ tsp. ground cumin
• ¼ tsp...

Pick Strawberries Day is a sweet, tasty way to enjoy a late spring day. If your parents ever took you picking fresh strawberries, Kathey Jo’s Kitchen knows you have an irreplaceable childhood memory. It’s time to make new memories with your kids and grandkids. If you’ve never picked fresh strawberries, you’re missing out on the fun. If you don’t live anywhere near fresh strawberry fields – and believe me, I know how that is – then consider supporting the vendors at your local farmer’s market. Tell your friends here at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen what your favorite strawberry-centric dish is in the comments.

Summer Berry Tortilla Tart

Ingredients

• 2 flour tortillas (6″ or 8″)
• Softened butter, for brushing tortillas
• Sugar, for sprinkling
• ½ c. whole milk ricotta cheese
• Assorted ber...

Welcome to National Brown Bag It Day. It’s a fun, unofficial holiday that Kathey Jo’s Kitchen enjoys. The brown bag has been around for a long time. Nowadays, few people bring their lunch from home. Working moms didn’t have the time in the morning to pack a good lunch. Today is the perfect day to go “retro,” and brown bag your lunch. There are good reasons to brown bag it. First, it can save money over time. Second, homemade or foods packed from home always taste better. It’s the perfect day to go back in time and brown bag it. What’s your favorite lunch to pack? Tell us here at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen!

Picadillo-Style Chicken Taco Salad

Ingredients

• 12 ounces uncooked ground chicken
• 1/3 cup chopped onion (1 small)
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ½ teaspoo...

National Chocolate Chip Day – as you can tell by the name – celebrates sweet, tasty chocolate chips. This is one of our favorite days at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen! Chocolate chips deserve a little recognition. Where would yummy, delicious, gooey treats like cookies, cakes, and muffins be without their presence? You’ll find a wide variety of recipes involving them. The favorite way to enjoy them is in cookie format, but today, I’m also going to be making chocolate chip pancakes, simply because I can. What are your favorite ways to enjoy chocolate chips? Let me, Kathleen Raskin, know!

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 C all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 C coconut, almond, OR dairy milk, whatever your preference
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• ¼ tsp ...

National Bike to Work Day is a great opportunity to get some exercise, plus save on gas and emissions. It’s tough to bike to work in some places, but if you can, Kathey Jo’s Kitchen recommends trying it out. National Bike Month was started by the League of American Bicyclists in 1956. May was chosen to coincide with the arrival of warmer weather. It’s inspired bike rides, commuter challenges, safety inspections, and other varied displays of bicycling over the years. Hopefully your community participates. If not, consider starting a campaign where you live. Today’s recipes are commuter friendly, ideal to snack on during your rides. Let your friends at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen know if you are!

Veggies and Hummus

Ingredients

• Raw vegetables, such as carrots, celery, sugar snap peas, bell...

I am Kathey Raskin, and welcome to my kitchen! Who loves of caramel popcorn? I know I do! There’s nothing you can do to caramel popcorn to ruin it. No matter what happens, you have caramel popcorn to enjoy. Have you ever thought about how popcorn is made? There’s water inside the corn kernel. The heat warms it up, and as the water becomes gaseous, it causes incredible pressure in the kernel that causes it to explode into the yummy snack that we all enjoy during movie nights. Do you do anything extra to your caramel popcorn before you enjoy it? Share your favorite toppings with your friends at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen!

The Best Caramel Popcorn

Ingredients

• ½ cup corn kernels
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extra...

I am Kathleen Raskin, and I’d like to welcome you to my Las Vegas kitchen! It’s time to enjoy zucchini bread like there’s no tomorrow at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen. There’s a reason why this day is held in the spring, and not summer. If you’re not aware, zucchini is one of the easiest vegetables to grow in a garden. Blink, and you’ll be drowning in them, if you’re not careful! So, why not make its official day in the off-season? Makes perfect sense to us. You can enjoy it before the onslaught begins in the summer. How do you like to enjoy your zucchini? Let your friends at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen know in the comments below.

Classic Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 medium zucchinis (2 cups shredded)
• 3 large eggs
• 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups all-purpose flo...

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...