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Quilts are sometimes made by one person who

  Makes the decision to create the quilt

  Chooses the pattern

  Picks the color and prints

  Buys the materials

  Cuts the patches and sews them together

  Adds the batting and backing

  Marks the quilting patterns

  Puts it on the quilting frame

  Sews the thouseands of stitches

  Binds the edges

Kitchen Kettle Village is a beautiful quilt.  Each patch has been chosen carefully and enhances the whole pattern.  Like some quilts, it is being made by so many people.  The credit goes to no special person for every step and stitch is important – from the the very first decision.

The good thing about our quilt is that it can grow and that if for any reason one of us cannot work on it, another caring person can take his place.

Thank you for caring!

Filed under: Musings from Grammy/Pat by Grammy - - -
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This coming Friday and Saturday is Berry Jam Festival here at Kitchen Kettle.  We’re all getting ready baking pies, testing recipes, sampling new stuff.  It’s fun and fattening!   My thoughts are centered on the Kettle Berry Challenge that happens Saturday over lunchtime.  Tom, our Food Guy, and I are taking on the Chefs from Huckleberry’s over at Fulton Steamboat Inn www.FultonSteamboatInn.com.  Our menu is a secret but we need an appetizer, an entree and a dessert – all of which are made with  a Kitchen Kettle product.  Oh yeah, we also need samples for 150!   Last I checked we had only a couple of guestrooms left for Saturday night – Friday night’s booked.  Better hurry if you’re planning to spend the night.

If you have any suggestions for berry recipes, send ‘em in.  In the meantime go out and enjoy the sunshine.  Hope to see you this weekend.  Cheer for the home team at the Kettle Berry Challenge!!

Filed under: Kettle-Talk by Joanne - - -
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The days are warmer and it stays light until almost 9pm. It must be summer! I love summer and summer foods. Lots of fresh berries, tomatoes, cooking on the grill. It is my favorite time of the year. So, if you are like me, I am always looking for light summer foods to make for my family. I have two recipes to share.

The first is the winner of the Kitchen Kettle May recipe contest and comes from Debbie in North Carolina. Try this at your next cook-out!

Hickory Bacon Shrimp

1-½ cups Kitchen Kettle Village Hickory Smoke Grilling Sauce
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 pound peeled shrimp
½ pound bacon

Cut slices of bacon in half. Cook bacon until about half done (should not be crisp). Combine KKV Hickory Smoke Grilling Sauce, lemon juice and garlic powder (pour half of mixture into separate bowl for use later). Dip shrimp into half of sauce to thoroughly coat. Wrap each piece of shrimp with ½ piece of bacon. Place on skewer (Soak skewers in water for 15 to 20 minutes beforehand; leave small space between pieces when placing on skewer). Brush grill with vegetable oil, place skewers on hot grill and baste with remaining sauce mixture. Grill for approximately 4 to 6 minutes.

The next recipe celebrates berries and comes from our Culinary Ambassador, Neal Mease, from The Kling House Restaurant. And did I mention that our Berry Jam Festival is next weekend on June 19th & 20th?

Creamy Chilled Strawberry Soup

Ingredients:
4 lb. strawberries
1 pt. jar Kitchen Kettle Strawberry Preserves
1/2 gallon water
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. cloves, ground
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cups lemon juice

1/2 cup corn starch
1/2 cup water

2 quarts sour cream
1 quart milk

Directions:
1. Drain fruit.  Reserve the liquid.
2. Combine sugar, 1/2 gallon water, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Mix cornstarch with 1/2 cup water and thicken liquid.
4. Add lemon juice.
5. Cool to room temperature.  *should let the liquid sit in the refrigerator over night.
6. Blend liquid with sour cream, fruit, preserves and milk.

Holding procedure:  place into serving vessel and cover with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator till needed.

Serving procedure:  serve chilled with a fruit garnish and ½ tsp sour cream.

Yield:  1.5 gallons

Let me know how you make out with these recipes. And if you have a great recipe that you would like to share (that uses a Kitchen Kettle product) I would love to hear from you. For your efforts you could win a $25.00 Jam & Relish Kitchen gift card. So get cooking and enjoy summer!

Filed under: Kettle-Talk by KKVblogKT - - -
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I can’t believe that it is June already. I love summer. I love the warm days and warm nights. I love watching fireflies light up the night sky. I love sitting by the pool. And I love cooking on the grill.

Here is a great grilling recipe from Brad Foley, who won the Kitchen Kettle April Recipe Contest. For his efforts Brad received a $25 Kitchen Kettle Jam & Relish Kitchen gift card and will have his recipe shared on the blog, in the Jam & Relish Kitchen and on our website. Way to go Brad!

Hickory Orange Chicken Kabobs

1/2 cup Kitchen Kettle  Hickory Smoke Grilling Sauce

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast

1/4 cup Kitchen Kettle Orange Marmalade (or Kitchen Kettle Cranberry Orange Marmalade)

1 green pepper, cut into small chunks

1 red pepper, cut into small chunks

1 cup pineapple chunks

Skewers (soak skewers in water before using)

Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch squares. Alternate chicken, green & red pepper chunks & pineapple chunks on the skewers. Combine Hickory Smoke Grilling Sauce & Orange Marmalade. Brush mixture over the kabobs. Grill over medium heat for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked, turning & brushing with additional grilling sauce.

If you have a great recipe to share, simply post a comment to this post. Your recipe will then be entered into the contest for the month of June. So what are you waiting for…start grilling!

Filed under: Kettle-Talk, Recipes by KKVblogKT - - -
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As I was driving to work this morning I passed by a small roadside stand selling fresh, locally-grown strawberries! I immediately made a mental note to stop on the way home and buy several quarts. I love fresh berries – strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or just about any other kind of berry. In mid-June we’re celebrating berries with our Berry Jam Festival Friday, June 19th & Saturday, June 20th. I’ve been checking out the exotic berry creations our food gurus plan to make for the festival – all the while drooling with anticipation. Guests to the Village have the opportunity to sample all sorts of berry treats during the festival ranging from frosty drinks to pies and delicious desserts to main entrees using berries in ways that I never dreamed of! I can hold my own in the kitchen, but am not the most creative at less-traditional flavor combinations. So, I’m always anxious to see new recipes from our food service managers. Then there’s the music – this is the Berry JAM Festival! What better way to spend a mid-June Friday and Saturday – music … berries … and Kitchen Kettle Village!

Filed under: Kettle-Talk by Lisa - - -
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The Rhubarb Festival has come and gone, but I wanted to share the recipes for the winning desserts. This weekend would be a great time to bake something delicious with rhubarb! Enjoy.

1. Grand Champion & 1st Place Pie Division Winner

Rhubarb Pear Pie
Belinda Myers, Dallastown, PA

Recipe for Pie Crust (2 crust pie crust):
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon Salt
¾ cup butter flavored Crisco
7 to 8 tablespoons of ice water

In a large bowl mix flour, salt and shortening until coarse crumbs form on a well floured surface. Roll out ½ amount to fit a 9 inch pie plate.  Use remaining for lattice strips.

Filling:
4-1/2 cups diced fresh rhubarb
¾ cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 fresh pears, cored, peeled and diced.

Mix filling ingredients together in a large bowl.  Place into prepared shell. Lay lattice strips on top of pie. Seal and crimp edge.  Place on cookie sheet in a 400 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden brown.

2. 1st Place Rhubarb Dessert Division Winner

Rhubarb Bars
Linda Glick, Lancaster, PA

3 cups rhubarb
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
¼ cup water
vanilla

Cook together rhubarb, sugar, water, and cornstarch until thick. Cool, add vanilla.

CRUST AND TOPPING
1-1/2    cups flour
1-1/2   cups oatmeal
1 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon soda
1 3oz. Strawberry Jello

Mix crust & topping ingredients (except Jello) Place about half of mixture in pan, press down. Spread with filling. Sprinkle with Jello. Put rest of crust/topping mixture on top and bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes.

3. 1st Place Rhubarb Cake Division

Rhubarb Cheesecake
Carolyn Fisher, Kinzer, PA

CRUST:
1 ½ cups flour
¼ cup sugar
7 tablespoons butter

Mix all together and put in a 10 ½ inch cheesecake pan or a 9 x 13 glass cake pan.

LAYER 2:
5 cups rhubarb
2/3 cups sugar
2 tablespoons flour

Toss together and put on top of crust.  Bake at 350 for 15 min.

LAYER 3:
18 oz. cream cheese
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Mix eggs and sugar.  Add softened cream cheese.  Mix together.  Do not over mix.  Pour over hot rhubarb. Bake at 350 for 30 min.

LAYER 4:
8 oz. sour cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix together. Spread over cream cheese mixture while mixture is still hot. Bake 5 minutes. Chill and serve.

Do you have a favorite rhubarb recipe? If so, please comment back with the recipe. We love to swap recipes at Kitchen Kettle.

Filed under: Kettle-Talk by KKVblogKT - - -
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Each year in late fall Stephanie Garnett from Garnett Pottery here in the Village says to me, “It’ll be Rhubarb Festival before we know it, Lisa!” And sure enough when each April rolls around and I go visit Stephanie in her shop to fill her in on the special twists we’ve planned for this year’s Rhubarb Fest we marvel about how quickly the winter passed by. Our marveling quickly turns into anticipation as we talk about the “just around the corner” spring festival, which celebrates the harvest of our locally-grown rhubarb plant. This festival is a favorite in the Village … maybe because it’s the first big festival of the season, but more probably because it’s just a lot of fun. Where else can you race a derby car made from a rhubarb stalk that you’ve selected from a “bunch” of red stalks and that’s held together with toothpicks and plastic straws? Or cheer on a cute little parade with a Rhubarb King and Queen waving and tossing bead necklaces to the crowd? Or make a dessert for our “Bake a Pie, Save a Farm Best Rhubarb Dessert” baking contest to possibly win a cash prize? And those are just some of the highlights of this zany festival. With everything that’s going on and all of the preparations, no wonder Rhubarb Festival seems to come around so quickly each year.  I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Filed under: Kettle-Talk by Lisa - - -
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Spring is finally here! The weather is gradually warming up and it’s time to get the grills out. I love to grill and am always looking for new ideas as we move forward into the summer. So, try this one out, and then send me your favorite grilling recipe using Kitchen Kettle products. If you are one of the first 10 recipes commented to this blog post, I’ll send you a bottle of one of our Kitchen Kettle grilling sauces. Don’t delay, fire up the grills and remember the first 10 recipes get the grilling sauce!

Grilled Salmon with Pepper Jam Marinade

1 1/2 lbs. Salmon Fillets, skin on

For the marinade:
¼ cup KKV Pepper Jam
¼ cup soy sauce
2 T. KKV Horseradish Mustard
¼  teaspoon black pepper
In a small saucepan, whisk together the Pepper Jam, soy sauce, Horseradish Mustard, and black pepper. Heat to soften jam.
Place salmon fillets on a platter and drizzles half of the marinade over them.  Allow to sit for 10-30 minutes.

Grill salmon, skin side down on a hot grill.  Discard the marinade the fish was sitting in. Grill 4-5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of your fillets.
Place cooked salmon on a clean platter; pour the remaining marinade over the fish and serve.
Serves 6.

-Kristine Grego
Kitchen Kettle Food Specialist

Filed under: Kettle-Talk, Recipes by KKVblogKT - - -
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That beautiful word brought to mind the many associations at Kitchen Kettle Village and it has been fun to recall the conversations.

First, there are our “fair weather friends” Banjo Jimmy and those who join him in gospel music and otherwise with voice and instruments to fill their day with melodies of joy.  He has set the tone at the Village for over 25 years and the visitors listen to recordings of his harmonies on their travels homeward.

Our Food Guy Tom describes the basic components of jellymaking as the harmony of fruits and sugar.  His wide experience in restaurant management, gourmet demonstrations on stage, catering presentations for Village celebrations and off-premise commitments have given us a worthy reputation.

The harmony of products available here brings up discussions about seasons of the year, ages and well being of our guests ,and varied tastes of our merchandise buyers in the many shops.  We find it important to “know the music” and anticipate the reaction.  We have learned to sometimes say “We’ll see.”

Someone pointed out that the ever-increasing forms of technology in business today require us to adapt and “harmonize” with the possibilities that they offer.  What better exercise can we substitute for mental frustration with technology?  Our many teams of organization at Kitchen Kettle have learned to “harmonnize” and their coaches orchestrate more often than they administrate.

For our many festivals Lisa, our Director of Fun, calls on the talents of a wide variety of outstanding musicians and performers who are carefully chosen.  Barbershop quartets are the obvious example of close harmony but Jerry Reeser, the emcee of many of our celebrations, reminds us that in all of our activities it is not important to sing the same meloday but just to be in tune with each other.  How true!! (more…)

Filed under: Musings from Grammy/Pat by Grammy - - -
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Thanks to those of you who mailed or posted a recipe to the new Kitchen Kettle Recipe Contest. We received some very creative recipes (all using Kitchen Kettle products). After our “Food Guy”, Tom Rothfus, tested the recipes, he selected the winner. Now I must be honest, when this recipe came in the mail, I was a little leery about what a “sweet potato pickle” would taste like. Tom said, “It may sound odd, but it was delicious!”

Shown below is the recipe that comes to us compliments of Frances O. Blank from New Holland, Pennsylvania. For Frances’s efforts, she receives a $25.00 Jam & Relish Kitchen gift card and will have her recipe featured on a recipe card in the Jam & Relish Kitchen and posted on our website and blog.

Sweet Potato Pickle
1 – quart jar of Kitchen Kettle Chow Chow
1 – quart jar of Kitchen Kettle Corn Relish
1-1lb. 13 oz. can of yams in syrup
1/2 cup dark brown sugar

In a large kettle bring the chow chow & corn relish to a boil. Cut yams into smaller pieces and add to boiling mixture. Add half of the yam syrup and brown sugar. Boil for 10-15 minutes. Place mixture into hot pint jars with boiling hot seals & lids. Makes 5 pint jars.

I have not yet received any recipes for April. The contest happens monthly and we are always looking for great ways to incorporate Kitchen Kettle products into all sorts of dishes. Just post your recipe as a comment to this post or mail to: Kitchen Kettle Village, Attn: Recipe Contest, P.0. Box 380, Intercourse, PA 17534.

My challenge to you… get creative and submit a recipe to our new monthly recipe contest. Your odds of winning the April contest are pretty good!

Filed under: Kettle-Talk, Recipes by KKVblogKT - - -
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