Although our kids are grown, we still have the traditional egg hunt (although the plastic eggs are filled with $1′s and $5′s these days).  We also bake a fabulous carrot cake in the shape of a bunny’s head – I tried to eliminate the cake several years ago but met with outrage from my family.  This cake also freezes very well.  When we moved a few years ago, I was cleaning out the freezer and found a bunny cake ‘ear’ that was a little over a year old (wrapped in foil and then in a Ziploc).  I was going to pitch it but my son got to it first.  Unbelievably, the cake was still moist and it tasted great – thanks to the canola oil and grated carrot in the recipe.  We hope you have some fun with this one – and be sure to freeze all the leftovers.

Carrot Cake
4 large eggs                                      1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups Canola oil                        2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups sugar                                     3 cups grated carrot
2 cups flour                                       1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons cinnamon                     1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat eggs, add sugar and oil.  Sift dry ingredients and add.  Fold in nuts, carrots and vanilla.  Pour into two greased 8″ cake pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or test with a toothpick.  When cake is cooled, cut one layer according to the chart and assemble the bunny.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 stick unsalted butter
1 8 oz. pkg. lower fat cream cheese
1 lb. box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

At room temperature, with an electric mixer, cream butter and cream cheese.  Add powdered sugar in small amounts and vanilla until thoroughly blended.  Frost cake and use raisins or small gumdrops for eyes, nose & mouth.

Gray skies of winter got you down??  Cheer everyone up with this fabulous Bouillabaisse for 4 from Gert Rausch of the Aqua Grille in Sandwich.  Chef Rausch’s video will walk you through all the steps:  http://www.aquagrille.com/video/bouillabaisse.  

Bouillabaisse for Four

YUM!!!

Super Bowl can wreak havoc with anyone’s diet, so how about baking the onion rings instead of frying them?  This recipe tastes fabulous and baking reduces the calories.  Try it!

1 medium sized Vidalia or other sweet onion, cut crosswise into rings
2 cups Japanese style Panko breadcrumbs.
1 egg
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk*
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

In a shallow bowl, whisk egg, flour, buttermilk*, salt & peppers.  Place breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl or on a plate.  Spread the olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet.  Dip the onion rings in the egg mixture and then coat with the Panko and put on baking sheet.  Place in a preheated 450 degree oven and bake for about 15 minutes, until golden, turning once.

*To substitute for buttermilk, add 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice to 1/2 cup 1% milk and let stand 5 min.

Ever wanted to knock everyone’s socks off during the holidays with your culinary flair?  Yet, want something that’s quick and easy and not too expensive?  This is it!  Several of our chefs shared their take on two of the easiest hors d’oeuvres that are perfect for Christmas or New Year’s entertaining.  Here’s what you’ll need:

1 bag Rippled Potato Chips

1 container Sour Cream

1 small jar fresh Horseradish

1 lb. Smoked Salmon pieces

1 jar Romanoff Black Whitefish Caviar (about $10 at your local supermarket)

To make the salmon hors d’oeuvres:  To about a cup of sour cream, add horseradish to taste.  Put a dab of the mixture on a rippled potato chip and top with a slice of smoked salmon.

To make the caviar hors d’oeuvres:  Top a ruffled potato chip with a dab of sour cream (about 1/2 teaspoon) and top with about 1/2 teaspoon caviar.

You can place the hors d’oeuvres on a silver tray with half salmon, half caviar chips which looks gorgeous – or only one kind, if you prefer.  I tested the amount of time the chips with the toppings will hold – one hour they are perfect, two hours they are good, but at 3 hours they are starting to wilt.  so you cannot make them too far in advance but they assemble quickly.

I also saw a variation of this recipe in the 2010 Holiday edition of Food & Wine magazine.

Bon appetit!