Easter Eats: Grilled Lambsicles with Mint Pesto

Jennifer Spaide of Simplicious is constantly coming up with elaborate menus for her holiday celebrations that put my cooking to shame. When she tweeted about this one, I simply had to have the recipe. Grilled Lamb Chops are one of my favorite dishes, and when paired with this healthy and light Mint Pesto, they become the perfect Easter entree. Enjoy this beautiful dish. Happy holidays!

Grilled Lambsicles with Mint Pesto

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Kids Bites: Stew Leonard’s Cookbook, Goat Cheese Scrambled Eggs via Sunday Diners

This article first ran on Sunday Diners, a kid's guide to the best diners and breakfast joints in Fairfield County, Connecticut and beyond. Written by 4th Grader Alex (with a bit of help from his dad). 

For any one who doesn’t know, Stew Leonard’s is The World’s Largest Dairy Store,and I’m so lucky that it’s right here in Norwalk, CT. I’ve been going to Stew’s since I was a baby.  They sell great bagels, fruits & vegetables, fried chicken, and of course… lots of dairy products.  Their milk comes from their own cows, on their own farm – you can even see them on live video in the store… and sometimes in Stew’s Little Farm right in the parking lot.  My favorite at Stew’s is the ice cream!  Stew’s is super fun for kids – there’s lots’ of great displays and there’s always new things to try and taste!

Today, instead of going out for breakfast, Dad and I decided to make breakfast at home.   There’s a great recipe from their “Winning Recipes Cookbook” that’s written right on the back of their Cage-Free Egg carton label… “Goat Cheese Scrambled Eggs”.  It’s really easy to make, with some help from an adult… it’s delicious and healthy.  It’s also a lot of fun to cook!

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CTbites Invites Recap: Passover Cooking w/ Tabouli Grill

With the snow piled so high in front on the Post Road, it could have been easy to miss Tabouli Grill in Southport… but  I was determined to join a spirited group for CTbites Invites Passover Cooking, so maneuvered my way around to the side parking lot and entrance. 

Chef/owner Judith Roll greeted everyone with hot coffee and her spongy homemade lemon cake as we were handed recipes for the morning's “hands on” cooking class in the Tabouli kitchen. (See Chef Judy's recipe for Bubbe's Brisket below.)

Chef Judy, who has traveled the world bringing authentic Middle Eastern cuisine to her two restaurants, in Stamford and in Southport, is passionate about what she prepares and had created a wonderful Passover menu for our entertainment and dining pleasure ( Passover is March 25-April 2 ).

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Plan B's Chef John Shares 8 Tips for Making Great Chili

Chef John Brennan of Plan B in Milford knows a LOT about making Chili. This is why when it came time to plan my Super Bowl party, I turned to him for advice. Chef John's 8 simple tips will turn your Super Bowl menu into a huge win. Enjoy the game. Enjoy the chili. 

1. Start by using the best Ingredients. The heart of the chili is the meat that you use. At Plan B we use premium certified humane beef and pork from ranchers that don’t use antibiotics or hormones on their cattle. It’s a simple step, the better the meat…the better the chili.
2. At Plan B we use a mixture of ground and cubed chuck and ground pork. Think of your chili like a meat ball, the perfect blend of pork and beef can make your chili a success. When purchasing the meat for your chili I suggest finding a local butcher that grinds their meat fresh daily, freshness equals flavor.
3. Start your chili by sweating your vegetables. Treat your chili like a soup or a delicate sauce and sweat your onions and peppers to release their flavor. I suggest bell peppers and Spanish onions. When doing this be sure to heat your pot at medium to high and keep an eye on your veggies, stirring regularly.

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Westport Farmers' Mkt Cabbage Recipe Contest Winner

With 15 entries and some stiff competition, the judges Nancy Roper and Bill Taibe ate their way through traditional and not so traditional cabbage dishes. After careful consideration and much deliberation, a winner was announced with two dishes tied for second place. 

Drumroll.....Chef Selma Miriam and Noel Furie, owners of Bloodroot Vegetarian Restaurant, were winners with their S'chee (Russian cabbagesoup) recipe. Their soup was delicious topped with a dollop of sour cream and pinch of dill. The women of Bloodroot have been supporting local and organic before these terms were even considered part of our daily lingo. Check out their winning recipe below:

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Bedford Post’s Signature Spiked Hot Chocolate

Meng Chiang, Beverage Director at Bedford Post has created a savory spiked hot chocolate that will warm you up on even the chilliest of winter days.  Inspired by a chocolate truffle, the decadent drink is a twist on traditional hot cocoa with Stolichnaya Vodka Salted Karamel and raspberry framboise.  A swirl of White Godiva Liqueur Whipped Cream and a sprinkling of chopped macadamia nuts on top are sure to satisfy any sweet-tooth.  

Bedford Post’s Signature Spiked Hot Chocolate

1 cup of hot chocolate, preferably dark chocolate or salted dulce de leche

1/2 oz Stolichnaya Vodka Salted Karamel

1.0 oz Clear Creek Distillery Raspberry Framboise

Topped with White Godiva Liqueur Whipped Cream, chopped macadamia nuts optional

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Westport Farmers' Mkt Hosts Cabbage Recipe Contest

Cabbage -A cultivated plant (Brassica oleracea) eaten as a vegetable, having thick green or purple leaves surrounding a spherical heart or head...

Do you have a cabbage recipe that you think can win a contest for the best cabbage recipe? 

On January 19, next Saturday, The Westport Farmers' Market will be accepting all entries.  At 11:00 a.m. celebrity Judges/Chefs Nancy Roper (from Boxcar Cantina and Truck) and Bill Taibe (from Lefarm and Whelk) will taste their way through the entries declaring a winner at high noon.

The winner will receive a Westport Farmers' Market tote filled with market goodies worth well over a $100 and have the option to share their recipe with the 3,000 people who receive the WFM newsletter each week.  There is one stipulation to the contest - the cabbage that is used must be from a local farm and the name of the farm must be noted with the entry.

Email Lori Cochran, Market Director, by Jan 17  to enter- director@westportfarmersmarket.com

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Little House Molasses Snow Candy via "Fix Me A Snack"

The other day, we finally made Molasses-On-Snow Candy from The Little House Cookbook. And let me tell ya that nothing enlivens a snowy New England day like playing with molten sugar! 

Last winter, books from the Little House series dominated our bedtime reading. I don’t recall reading them as a child so I was enjoying them as much as the kids were. Laura Ingalls Wilder’s retelling of her childhood transported us back in time. 

Given our heartfelt connection to the Ingalls family, it’s unclear who likes the whole idea of making foods out of the Little House Cookbook more, me or the girls. Either way, they did a spectacular job making molasses candy. Nobody had to go to the hospital with third degree burns. Another successful day of parenting!

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Chef Matt Storch: The Day After Turkey & Waffles

Every Thanksgiving, we ask our friends in the Chef community for their favorite holiday recipes. This year we got a last minute entry from Chef Matt Storch of Match Restaurant & The Chelsea with a great idea for all those leftovers. Ok...that picture above...it's not turkey...those are chicken livers, but it's the best we could do on short notice. Here is Matt Storch's Day After Turkey & Waffles Recipe. 

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Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup

Back by popular demand, here is our "Best of Thanksgiving" Recipe Roundup with great cooking tips for your holiday table. 

leFarm's Cider Braised Turkey Legs

Roasted Pumpkin & Squash Soup via The Dressing Room

MATCH'S Luscious Whipped Potatoes

Napa & Co's Chestnut Corn Bread & Foie Gras Stuffing

Butter & Herb Roasted Turkey with Madeira c/o Fine Cooking

Bread Pudding w. Bourbon Pecans & Butterscotch

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