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the sweet scoop
the sweet scoop
Highlights from the 2013 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen
Monday, July 22, 2013 at 04:07 PM - Posted by Megan - (0) commentsThis year marked the 31st annual Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, America’s premier and most prestigious culinary event. And I couldn’t have been more honored or excited to be heading out West with the KitchenAid team to attend my very first Classic. With eager anticipation and my appetite in tow, I made my way from Manhattan to Aspen, Colorado for three jam-packed days of food- and fun-filled festivities.
Aspen is a charming little town, boasting world-class restaurants and hotels, eclectic boutiques, and stunning mountain scenery—a breathtaking backdrop for a truly exquisite weekend. Food-loving attendees indulged in the ultimate culinary celebration with a schedule featuring everything from exclusive events and grand-scale tastings, to panels with industry pros and live demonstrations from celebrity chefs.
Read the rest of my recap and check out more pics on KitchenAid’s The Kitchenthusiast™ blog here.
Cranberry Pear Orange Chutney inspired by The Chew
Sunday, November 18, 2012 at 02:11 PM - Posted by Megan - (1) commentThanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year. A time to give thanks for all of life’s blessings and share a bountiful feast with loved ones. As a member of the Cooking Light Bloggers’ Connection, I was invited to a special Thanksgiving-themed live taping of The Chew, that will air on ABC at 1PM on Wednesday, November 21st. Be sure to look for me at the Tasting Table, gobbling up dishes from all the co-hosts :)
Throughout the taping, the entire cast and production crew made the experience a complete blast, while co-hosts Mario Batali, Carla Hall, Michael Symon, Daphne Oz and Clinton Kelly also provided incredible holiday mealtime inspiration and helpful entertaining tips. All the wonderful Thanksgiving recipes and ideas that The Chew crew shared can be found at ABC.com/TheChew.
One of the show’s recipe standouts was Carla’s cranberry pear relish, which she generously scooped over her brined carved turkey. It was perfectly tart, sweet and zesty all in one—and complimented the poultry beautifully. The below is Carla’s recipe to a tee, with my additions of nutmeg and cloves (two of my favorite fall flavors), some mandarin oranges for extra sweetness, and grated lemon peel garnish. Enjoy!
Cranberry Pear Orange Chutney (adapted from Carla Hall’s recipe)
Place onions, sugar, red wine, ginger, lemon zest, cloves, nutmeg and salt in a medium size pot. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes. Add the cranberries and pears to the pot, and continue to simmer for an additional 20 minutes or until the cranberries and onions have softened, and the color is a rich scarlet.
Remove lemon zest strips. Mix in mandarin oranges; allow relish to cool. Serve at room temperature. May be made two days in advance. Adjust seasoning, if necessary. Garnish with grated lemon peel.
TIP: Prick each cranberry with a pin or needle before cooking them. This will keep the cranberries from bursting and getting mushy as they cook.
Hungry for more from The Chew? Tune in weekdays on ABC at 1PM EST for flavorful recipes, easy-to-make crafts, and tons of fun with the show’s multi-talented celebrity hosts.
A heartfelt thank you to ABC and Cooking Light for sending me to the show. And I wish you all a safe, healthy & happy Thanksgiving! xoxo
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