Caramelized Peach Salad Recipe

I recently recreated a dish from one of my favorite spots in Los Angeles. Call me hokey, but I LOVE Villa Blanca in Beverly Hills. Sure, their food isn't as stellar as it used to be which if you're a fan of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, you would know that there was a huge blow-out between Lisa Vanderpump, the restaurant's owner and their head chef. You can get filled in on that drama via Bravo.

Anyway, there used to be a salad on their menu that was out of this world. It had everything I loved, fruit, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, and a dressing with some serious spice! It was the perfect combination of flavors. 

Mini Key Lime Pies with Coconut Crust

A few weeks ago while I was in Florida visiting my husband's family, I had stumbled across a bottle of fresh Floridian Key Lime juice. Having a strong love for anything Key Lime and a fresh boost of confidence thanks to what I learned at the FBF Conference I decided that this little green bottle was coming back to California with me. 

Now, many of you know... I'm not much of a baker, I'm more of a faker. Meaning I can fake-bake my way into a delicious dessert whenever needed but it's not my strong point. With that in mind, I sought out for some inspiration via Pinterest and ended up finding a straight forward Key Lime Pie recipe that I knew I could doctor up to make it my own! 

Pretty Little Peanut Butter Bars

Yum

This is a no-brainer dessert for parties, girl's night, or your next adventure. I mean, you can grab a bar before darting off after a mysterious figure in a black hoodie, you can comfortably eat one while locked in a confined space, and you can even mow down a whole batch after your find out you're heading to the slammer and you have no clue why. No big deal. 

Ingredients:

1 c peanut butter (chunky will give it a good crunch!)

1 c butter

¼ brown sugar

1 ¾ c powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 sleeve of graham crackers

1 ½ c chocolate chips

1 tsp vegetable oil

pinch of salt

[Restaurant Recipe]: Casa Vega's Spinach Enchilada

I'm so grateful that Christy over at Casa Vega was willing to share some of her family's recipes with us! Turns out, they are pretty simple to make and beyond delicious! 

Spinach Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 package of corn tortillas

12 oz fresh spinach

½ sliced white onion

1 tbsp chopped onion

8 large green tomatillos

2 cups of water

1 bushel of cilantro

1 tbsp cilantro

1 tsp granulated garlic

1 tsp of salt

½ avocado

1 oz sour cream

6 oz shredded cheese (Monterey Jack or Asadero)

Butternut Squash Lasagna with Moscato Cream Sauce

I have been teasing this recipe for years now. You see, I made something similar when I was back in college (Butternut Squash Ravioli with Moscato Cream Sauce) and since then I haven't really had a reason (or a taste tester) to try it out, until now! Last week, two of my dear girlfriends and I got together for a good old Girls Night In. I said I would bring the entree if they brought the wine and the gossip!

This dish would be classified to some as a "Fall/Harvest" dish but in my opinion, if you can get butternut squash year round, make this year round! It has roasted butternut squash, caramelized onions, creamy ricotta, and a delicate cream sauce that is out of this world. It's the perfect dish for Sunday Supper or Meatless Monday!

Ingredients
1 whole butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1 box of lasagna noodles, cooked
1 6 oz. container of Ricotta
3 c shredded mozzarella
salt and pepper to taste



For Sauce
1/4 c butter
2 tbsp flour
1/2 c Moscato wine
1 carton of half & half
1 c shredded mozzarella

Preparation
Toss cubed squash in olive oil, brown sugar, cinnamon and a sprinkle of sauce. Lay out on roasting pan and roast at 425 until tender.

While the squash is cooking, caramelize onions in a sautee pan until golden brown.

In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta and 1 cup of mozzarella. Fold in caramelized onions and add a bit of salt and pepper to taste.

By now, the squash should be done. Remove from oven and add to blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Add a bit of the roasting liquid to get it moving if needed.

Layer cooked lasagna noodles, squash, and ricotta mixture alternating each layer.

To prepare the sauce - 
Start by melting butter and adding in flour to make a basic roux. 

Whisking continuously, add in the moscato followed by 1 cup of mozzarella. 

Once you smell the alcohol burning off, add in the half and half slowly, continue to stir. 

Add salt and pepper to taste and pour over the top of the layered lasagna. Top with more mozzarella. 


Bake for 35-40 minutes until cheese is melted and begins to brown.

Let rest outside of oven for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Rethink Your Tofu Timing: Tofu For Dessert

When I think of tofu my brain always goes right to stir-frys. It's pretty much everyone's go-to when they try tackling tofu for the first time but there are many different ways to play with this amazing ingredient such as incorporating it into an unexpected course, dessert!

I decided to create a tasty dessert that was packed with protein because who doesn't want a dessert you can feel less guilty about??

Recipes That Are Easy As Pi!

As we prepare for Pi Day (March 14th....3/14...duh!) I wanted to share with you some of my favorite recipes for what else, PIE! Above you'll find my board from Foodie.com filled with delicious (and easy) pie recipes from fellow bloggers around the country! Check it out and get inspired!

Now for me, when I first think of the classic dessert I think of good ol' American Apple Pie or maybe a savory slice of Shepard's Pie, but as you can see from the board above, the options span far outside of the crust! Here are 3 of my faves from Kasey's Kitchen:

Oscar Recipe: Baked Macaroni & Cheese with Black Truffles

Chef Wolfgang Puck has served this dish at the post-Oscar Governor's Ball for years now! It's his most requested dish of the night and he was kind enough to share it with us! Check it out!

WARNING: This is not for those counting calories!!

Baked Stuffed Shrimp

This year for Valentine's Day, The Mr. and I decided that we would forego the overpriced, overcrowded, and underwhelming restaurant scene and opt for a night in to celebrate. As you can probably assume by now, my dear husband had his heart set on one of the juicy new Omaha Steaks that I had sent to his office (surprise!) and I wanted something from the sea!

I checked out my local Gelson's assuming that they would have the bigger seafood selection and the term "bigger" was an understatement. I was able to find the biggest shrimp I have ever seen in my life! Take a look at this thing! 

Chocolate Lava Cake Fake-Outs

So The Mr.'s favorite dessert is Chocolate Lava Cake, and let's be honest, who can blame him! It's sweet, warm, delicious...he obviously has the same preference in desserts as he does in women ;-)

Since I don't have the patience to make the real deal ( as some of you may know, I don't boast my baking abilities... because they are pretty nil ) I tried a simpler concoction. My experiment was a smashing success! Here's the recipe for you to try!

Ingredients:

1 box of Devil's Food cake mix

1 c Chocolate Chips

1 c Caramel Dip

1 tsp Sea Salt (I used Hepp's Pink Sea Salt)

Cooking Spray

Cupcake Pan

See quick video instructions here - http://vine.co/v/brvO65iFezl

Make Magnolia Bakery's Treats at Home This Valentine's Day

For those of you who may not have a Magnolia Bakery in your neighborhood or just simply don't have the funds to have a batch of these babies delivered to your beloved (if you do, click here) you can actually make these heavenly confections at home thanks to their signature buttercream recipe, which I just happen to have the recipe for! ;-)

This is one of my favorite frosting recipes because it's not too gritty or heavy. The vanilla buttercream they use at Magnolia Bakery is technically not a buttercream but actually an old-fashioned confectioners' sugar and butter frosting. Be sure to beat the icing for the amount of time called for in the recipe to achieve the desired creamy texture.

Ingredients: 

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

6 to 8 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

This recipe is enough for 2 dozen cupcakes or 1 (9-inch) layer cake.

Spook-tacular Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Everyone's favorite frightful night is right around the corner! Before you don your costumes and grab that big ol' trick-or-treat bag, take a few minutes to whip up a batch of these pumpkin cupcakes. This recipe is so simple, it's scary!

Seared Pork Ramen Soup

One of my all time most popular videos on YouTube is my Ramen Noodle Salad. This recipe came about while I was in college and my friends and I were on budgets tighter than a Hipsters pants. Which is ironic, because I went to Emerson college and everyone there wears pretty tight pants. Anyway! After seeing the success of the good old Ramen Noodle Salad, I decided to take another gourmet whack at the college staple. Here's what I came up with! 

Recipe for Caramel Apple Georgetown Cupcakes!

A few weeks ago I had the chance to meet with the owners of Georgetown Cupcake, Katherine Kallinis Berman and Sophie Kallinis LaMontagne. You may know them from their hit show on TLC, DC Cupcakes, and I have to say, these two are as sweet as their cupcakes! They invited me into their Robertson Boulevard location to get the scoop on what makes their cupcakes stand miles above the rest (in my opinion at least), a sneak peek at their latest fall flavors, and learn how to master that signature swirl !

Check out the video below for the interview as well as the recipe for their Caramel Apple Cupcakes. Trust me, you do not want to miss this one!

Read on to get the full recipe to print out and make for yourself!

Preppy Pink Punch Recipe

As summer is winding down, I find myself trying to cling on to those fresh and fruity flavors for as long as I can. I remember my mom making a delicious drink with fruit punch and sherbet for all of my birthday parties growing up and after trying the new Wild Cranberry & Blood Orange Cocktail from OM (Organic Mixology) Cocktails  I knew that this was going into an adult version of my childhood fave. 

Portuguese Clam Boil: East Coast Meets West Coast

As some of you may have seen, I celebrated my twenty-something-th birthday this week. Yes, I grew up in one of those families who celebrated "birthday week", so unfortunately The Mr. had to follow suit. I will say, he is a fantastic surprise-planner though. And I'll admit, I have my doubts at times that he'll follow through but I'm never short of amazed with what he comes up with, and this year was no exception. 

Simple Spinach and Artichoke Dip [Video!]

A simple dish to make for parties or on a lonely night at home... I don't judge.
Get the full recipe below! 

Dine on a Dime: Menu Review from Tinhorn Flats in Hollywood

As the end of my tagline, "...on a budget but always classy" suggests, I am always down to find a good deal. Now I'll admit, I've been slacking but living in Los Angeles, finding said "deals" can be a hard to come by. Until now. 

I recently had the chance to check out Tinhorn Flats Saloon &Grill in Hollywood. This is a country-style saloon with a cool and casual vibe tucked-up right in the heart of Hollywood and Highland. Although it's mostly known for it's nightlife, I quickly discovered that this is the place to go to get some pretty awesome grub while you're in the hub of "Tinseltown". Their menu is insanely affordable compared to the rest of the area and I was surprised that bar food could be so tasty, plus with all the specials and promotions they run, this may very well become your go-to Happy Hour spot. Take a scroll down to see some of the mouthwatering dishes Tinhorn Flats serves up daily. 

Fresh Blueberry Bars

I stumbled into this recipe after having an abundance of blueberries from the farmer's market and a surprise delivery from Duchy Originals. I thought to myself, "Kasey, you're not the best baker in the world... it's time to step up your game!". So I did! Let me know what you think.

Ingredients

For Filling:

2 cups of blueberries

1 cup of white sugar

cornstarch

For Crust:

2 1/4 c flour, sifted

1 stick of butter, room temp

1/2 c white sugar

1 tsp sea salt

1tbsp lemon zest

For Crumb Topping:

2 tbsp butter

1 package Duchy Originals Lemon All Butter Shortbread 

2 tbsp brown sugar

Caprese Pasta Salad

It's no secret that one of my favorite ingredient combinations is fresh tomato, mozzarella and basil. Add a little balsamic glaze to that, and now we're in business! Oh, it's also a well known fact that I am a serious "pasta-holic", so when I was asked by The Mr. (last minute, of course) to whip up a dish for one of his office cookouts, I decided to stick to my faves!

This recipe can be put together in 30 minutes, tops. Yes, even including the pasta!