MARDI GRAS: Gumbalaya Recipe (Gumbo + Jambalaya Fusion)

Gumba-what? If you can’t decide between gumbo or jambalaya for Mardi Gras (this year on March 4th), go for gumbalaya, a combination of both. Gumbo (photo #2) is a Cajun stew that typically consists of a strongly meat or shellfish stock, the Cajun “trinity” (bell peppers and onions), and a variety of proteins such as…
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RECIPE: Parmesan Popcorn, Jalapeño Popcorn

Following up on our “Diet Oscars” menu, here’s a recipe for flavored popcorn. In addition to movie-watching (or movie award show-watching), gourmet popcorn goes well with cocktails, wine and beer. Don’t like cheese or rosemary? Head to Popcorn.org, the website of the The Popcorn Board, for scores of flavored popcorn recipes. The recipes yield four…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Mardi Gras Colored Cocktails

Mardi Gras is Tuesday, March 4th. You may not want to celebrate Mardi Gras in the traditional way, with Cajun and Creole cuisine, a King Cake and long strands of party beads. But you can serve classic New Orleans cocktails like the Hurricane, which has its own special hurricane lamp-shaped glass; or the Sazerac, the…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Rainbow Vegetables

Baby carrots move beyond the familiar orange to purple, red and yellow. Photo courtesy Sprinkle Side Up. See her recipe for glazed rainbow carrots.   In picking up supplies for our “diet Oscars menu,” we came across rainbow baby carrots—our first sighting—and rainbow cherry tomatoes, which have been available in our market for a few…
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TIP OF THE DAY: The “Diet” Oscar Party

We especially like Tribe hummus with toppings—although you can always add your own toppings to plain hummus. Photo by Elvira Kalviste | THE NIBBLE.   “What are you serving for the Oscars?” ask our friends. Last year it was a high-calorie gourmet feast, including rich appetizers, duck lasagna with a flight of wines, a cheese…
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