Meet Katie

 
She’s shared with us her recipe for the delectable Molten Lava Muffin Cakes you see above, along with more than 60 other recipes in here. She’s also a generous soul who shares her love far beyond her family circle. Everybody, say hello to Katie, known to us here as dishinanddishes.

Katie works in Information Technology for her local school administration, and her greatest passions are writing and cooking, which she combines beautifully in her blog, Dishin and Dishes. And oh, the dishes you’ll find in there. The 60-plus recipes that she shares with us here in her Tasty Kitchen recipe box are just a sampling of the goodies she creates in her kitchen. For one, remember Jaden’s recent post about her Cinco de Mayo party menu? Katie’s got a few recipes that you might want to include in yours, including a 5-minute salsa that she’s trained her 16-year-old to make.

Clockwise from top left: Unforgettable Salsa, Grilled Corn with Cilantro Lime Butter, Mexican Coffee, Poblano Spoonbread, and Spicy Southwest Soup.

 
 
 
Speaking of teens in the kitchen, Katie and her husband (she calls him Mr. Wonderful in her blog) truly love working with teenagers, and they host more than 30 teens in their home (yes, you heard me—more than thirty) for a small group discussion and mentorship program every Monday. She cooks for all of them every week. Now that’s some serious love and dedication. It’s also good to know that they’re getting not just tasty but also healthy, good-for-you food. Katie has quite a number of yummy salads in her repertoire, as you can see below.

Clockwise from top left: Pancetta Tomato Bibb Lettuce with Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing, Orzo Pasta Salad with Wild Rice and Cranberries, Bay Scallop Ceviche Avocado Salad, and Roasted Red Onion Panzanella.

 
 
 
She’s got great sides and appetizers too, so they’ll always get some veggies with their meal.

Clockwise from top left: Oven “Fried” Parmesan Zucchini Squash, Roasted Butternut Squash Bisque with Sage Cream, Cauliflower Gratin, Gyoza or Potstickers Baby!, Tomato, Fresh Mozzarella and Roasted Garlic Tarts, and Roasted Asparagus with Ginger Soy Sesame Dressing.

 
 
 
Katie’s favorite ingredients or food pairings cover a the wide range of flavors, from basil pesto, mushrooms and cream sauce of any kind, to Thai food ingredients. The meal that she prepares when she has only 3 minutes to get it ready? Sliced French bread with pesto, turkey, provolone and red onions, grilled on her George Foreman. But my favorites among her main course dishes are her seafood recipes, which may not be the first thing that comes to you mind when you think of teen-friendly food.

Clockwise from top left: Honey and Lime Grilled Salmon, Mussels In White Wine Garlic-Butter Sauce, and Lemony Ricotta Shrimp Fusilli Pasta.

(Every time I look at that salmon, it makes me want to march outside and fire up the grill.)

 
Now comes the part I like the most about these features: the part where we ask our guest of honor some questions. Maybe we’ll find out if there’s anything at all that gives this superwoman in the kitchen (yes, I’m still thinking about the weekly hosting of more than 30 teens) any trouble. Take it away, Katie!

 
 
Q: What do you enjoy most about cooking?
A: Getting my family together in the kitchen. Our kitchen is the social hub of our home.

 
Q: Any favorite chefs or food celebrities?
A: Jamie Oliver. I love his home grown concoctions.

 
Q: What is your go-to dish or meal?
A: Grilled chicken with some sort of roasted vegetable. I haven’t met a vegetable I dislike yet. I’ll toss broccoli, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes or a combination of several veggies on a sheet pan with some olive oil and chopped rosemary, sea salt and pepper and roast them until they’ve caramelized. Super easy and effortless.

 
Q: Is there a strange food or food combo that you really, really enjoy?
A: Whole green onions dipped in sea salt. My Grandpa Alex taught me to do that straight out of the garden. However, it makes for really regrettable breath later on.

 
Q: Do you have a most memorable kitchen flop ever?
A: Just one? I once put a soup pot on with a whole chicken it it to boil for chicken and dumplings and forgot about it and left for work. When I got home that afternoon, the house was full of smoke. I think it took about a month to get the smell out of the house!

 
Q: What gives you the most trouble in the kitchen?
A: No doubt, poaching eggs! I can’t do it. I bought one of those pan molds. I just can’t do it. I end up with egg-drop-soup.

 
Q: Give us one of your favorite kitchen tips that you wish you’d always known.
A: If you need to slice garlic and need the pesky paper peel to come off easily, instead of buying one of those $15 rubber tubes, use a jar opener. Place the clove on the rubber jar opener and fold the top over and roll with the palm of your hands. Voila! The peel comes right off, leaving your garlic clove intact.

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Thanks for answering our questions, Katie!

 
Katie’s recipe box here at Tasty Kitchen is bulging with more than 60 delicious dishes. To see more of her recipes and learn more about her, head to her blog Dishin and Dishes, where you’ll find other posts about gardening, teens, home and family, Oklahoma, and various cool little household tips and tricks. Oh, and if you poke around a bit, you just might find a link to a video of her Mr. Wonderful proposing to her. Such a sweet moment, and the shocked look on her face is priceless.