Meet Me At Lorna Jane!

I am thrilled to be hosting a cooking demo this weekend at Lorna Jane! Come join me at the Beverly Center in Los Angeles for healthy treats, giveaways, and more!
All the info is below, just click on the photo to RSVP! :-)

Kasey's Kitchen 5 Year Bloggerversary Bash!

If you follow along on Facebook and Instagram, you'll know that I recently celebrated the 5 Year "Bloggerversary" of Kasey's Kitchen! Holy Moly... I can't believe it myself! In honor of the milestone, I teamed up with Sugarfina in Beverly Hills to host a sweet soiree filled with fans, followers, friends and delicious food!

My friend and supporter Nika of Sugar Studio created the most amazing presentation cake for Kasey's Kitchen. It had everything I could have asked for, my logos, polka dots, some sparkle and a bow! Pure perfection!



Rounding out the sweets, Nika also prepared some mini sweets such as Mango Buttercream Cupcakes, Chocolate Hazelnut Tarts, Coffee Buttercream Cupcakes, and Marscapone Tarts topped with fresh berries. Every bite was exquisite!

A special thanks to our bartender Jen who poured our specialty cocktails made with Cascade Ice Water and Revel Spirits! We whipped up a Simple Paloma, a Turquoise Tonic, and a Sparkling Sangria! Recipes for those tasty libations will be up on the blog soon, so stay tuned!

I am so grateful for the support system I have. The guest list was filled with friends, fellow bloggers, and some of the wonderful sponsors I've worked with over the years. Without them, this event wouldn't have been the same. Literally, some of them were helping me stuff goodie bags right before the party started! :-)

Speaking of which, what is a party without a killer swag bag?! A special thanks to Treat Street, Revel Spirits, Cascade Ice, Stonefire Flatbread, Petite Baker, Sugar Studio, Lorna Jane, Shoe Bakery, Magee's, Salem Baking Company, Call Me Cookie, and Pretzel Crisps for making these bags so delicious!

Even at my own party, I have to keep my "Food Blogger" hat on! The cake was too perfect not to show off at every possible chance!

Obviously my wardrobe for this event had to match the Kasey's Kitchen brand and that meant the perfect shade of turquoise! Thank goodness that my favorite designer, Lilly Pulitzer had just the dress for the occasion!

However, no outfit is complete without the perfect pair of shoes, am I right? Shoe Bakery came to the rescue and created the most amazing pair of custom heels to replicate the icing on a cake. They were without a doubt a show stopper. I don't think I've ever had so many pictures taken of my feet before! 

Again, a huge thank you to all the partners who participated in this wonderful event. And a big thank you to all the guests who came out and showed their support for this crazy dream of mine!

Stay tuned for some recipes from the events and check out more photos from the event on Facebook!

Cheers to the next 5 years!!

xoxo
Kasey

On the Scene: California Spirit 2013

I am so excited to share with you my recap from the California Spirit event that was held last week at The Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. I had given you all a little tastebud teaser with this article before the event and now I’m back with a warm heart and a full belly! Check out the video below for the yummy coverage and interviews with the chefs!

Valentine's Day Round-Up

It’s that time of year again… the drug stores are filled with heart-shaped boxes of chocolates and florists are filling their shops with long-stemmed anything! That’s right, it’s Valentine’s Day. Flowers and candy are all well and good but if you’re like me, the real way to your heart (and your bedroom) is through your tummy!

With just a week to get those reservations and bakery orders in, here’s a round-up of my favorite hot-spots that will tug at your heartstrings and your taste buds.

Restaurant Review: 9021 PHO in Beverly Hills

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to try out a restaurant that has quickly become a staple in Beverly Hills. 9021Pho is the creation of Chef Kimmy Tang offering Vietnamese cuisine with a French and Californian twist.

Master Chef Kimmy Tang has lived in various countries and traveled around the world to study the traditional recipes of cultures, including France and her home country Vietnam.

Everything at 9021Pho is well thought out. From the cool, casual decor to the beautifully created menu detailing the history of the dishes. The team has worked diligently to develop a unique approach when catering to their health conscious clientele. Chef Kimmy only uses the freshest ingredients, most colorful vegetables, very little oil and leanest cuts of meat in her dishes.

I was able to sit down with the energetic Chef Kimmy during my lunch (nothing better than eating with the Chef herself!) and I learned that though her love is her food, her passion is helping children. 9021Pho has teamed up with H.A.R.K. (Healing Arts Reaching Kids) to support Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The artwork that line the walls of both 9021Pho locations (Beverly Hills & Westlake Village) are all created by the patients at CHLA and they go up for auction every month. A remarkable 100% of the proceeds go right back to the hospital. Check out more information on H.A.R.K. here and get bidding!

Now on to the FOOD!

Our lunch was quite the collection of Chef Kimmy’s favorites, so who could complain! Every dish was just as extraordinary as the last. I could not get over how fresh all the ingredients were and the fact that after eating such an elaborate lunch, as you’ll see in the menu below, I didn’t feel like I had to hibernate for the rest of the day.

Check out our tasting menu:

Drinks: Fresh Passionfruit Iced Tea

Appetizers: Fresh Rolls (recipe below)

Entrees: Tofu Pho

                Lemongrass Chicken (click here for recipe)

               Garlic Eggplant

               Garden Noodles

Dessert: Coconut Ripieno

               Mango Ripieno

Chef Kimmy was nice enough to share her recipe for the popular Fresh Rolls with us! Try it out for yourself and post your pictures on their Facebook page.

Ingredients:

4 ounces cooked chicken (tofu or shrimp if preferred)

1 teaspoon cooking oil

2 ounces shredded jicama

2 ounces shredded cucumber

1 ounce shredded carrots

1 bunch mint

1 lettuce head

8 sheets rice paper

Sauce:

4 teaspoons fish sauce

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice or vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons white sugar

1/2 teaspoon garlic chili sauce

1 teaspoon finely chopped peanuts

Instructions:

Soak rice paper into warm water and wait until it gets soft, then place steamed chicken, tofu or shrimp. Then, place 1 piece of lettuce, shredded jicama, shredded cucumber, shredded carrots and mint on top of the other ingredients. Roll it tight. Serve cold.