Chef Caroline Fey

Springtime in Paris! My next cooking class is now live on the website as well as my website (link above). The class will be held on April 27th at 7:00pm at Wakeman Town Farm in Westport, CT. The event is BYO, and it’s going to be like attending a “cook your own dinner party”, with lots of great spring produce and Parisian flair. And if you’re vegetarian, I’ve got you covered too. Bring your friends! Can’t wait to see you guys there 🥂DM with any questions.

Need a last minute hostess gift? I've got you covered. I'm sharing my signature spicy cocktail nut recipe - it's been requested more times than I can count. The nuts are seriously addicting and they make the best holiday gift for friends, teachers, neighbors and family. Don’t be scared by the aqua faba (chickpea liquid) in the recipe. It helps the spices stick to the nuts. Traditionally egg whites are used, but I found that the aqua faba stays crunchier longer, especially in humid enviornments, and it’s plant based. You can eat the leftover chickpeas on a salad, roast them until crispy, or make hummus with them.

Ingredients:
Nuts:
3 cups each: whole almonds, pecans, shelled pistachios, whole cashews & unsalted peanuts 
1 cup olive oil
Spice Blend:
2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
2 tablespoons granulated garlic
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon Coleman’s mustard powder
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili flakes
1 tablespoon ground pepper
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup kosher salt
¼ cup packed fresh rosemary leaves
Glaze:
¾ cup aquafaba (the liquid from a 15-oz can of chickpeas) – reserve the chickpeas for another use
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Prepare two rimmed backing sheets with parchment paper and oil then well.
Nuts:
Put nuts in a large bowl and mix to combine.
Spice Blend:
Mix the spice blend together and set aside.
Glaze:
Whip the aquafaba until frothy. Add the sugar and beat until pale, about 30 seconds. Add the Worcestershire sauce. Pour the glaze over the nuts and toss until evenly coated. Sprinkle 1/3 of the spice mixture over the nuts and toss to coat. Repeat until the nuts are well coated. Drizzle ½ cup olive oil over the nuts and gently toss again. Spread the nuts evenly over 2 rimmed baking sheets lined with oiled parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes, rotating half way through, until the nuts are fragrant and golden brown. Cool completely before breaking apart. Transfer the nuts jars or storage containers.

Spiced coconut muffins with dark rum glaze, inspired by Coquito, a festive holiday drink similar to egg nog made with coconut milk that originated in Puerto Rico. My husband is from Miami where Coquito is the holiday drink of choice & it’s delicious.
These little beauties are perfect for your Christmas brunch or even New Years Eve morning. The rum glaze, toasted coconut & sprinkles definitely make them a little extra & that’s exactly what we all need this holiday season ❄️ The muffins are also delicious without the glaze. Just sprinkle untoasted coconut on top of the muffins before you bake them & they’re look beautiful.

✨Printable recipe is on my site & you can double or triple as needed.

✨This recipe is kid friendly! For both the batter & the glaze you just mix everything together in a bowl & you're done.

🧁COQUITO MUFFINS
makes 12

Ingredients:
 
Muffins:
½ cup coconut oil
1 cup full fat coconut milk
¼ cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
1¼ cups (170 grams) all-purpose or gluten free flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
 
Glaze:
1½ cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon dark rum
2 tablespoons full fat coconut milk
Pinch of salt
 
Garnish:
Toasted coconut flakes & holiday sprinkles (optional)
  
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a muffin tin with 12 muffin liners and set aside.
 
Muffins:
Mix the coconut oil, coconut milk, sugar, eggs & vanilla together in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg & salt & mix to combine. Add the coconut flakes & mix until just blended. Scoop the batter into the muffin pan and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Allow to cool completely before adding glaze.
 
Glaze:  
Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Once the muffins are cool, drizzle glaze over the tops. Sprinkle with the toasted coconut & decorate with holiday sprinkles if using.
 

We celebrated this little guys 3rd birthday yesterday. He is sweet, fiery, stubborn, funny & very loving. A true Ta**us 🔥 Please send me all the help, it’s going to take a village to raise him 🐂 ♉️

📸 by the talented

Happy 🐇🌸🐣

I’m setting my table for Easter tomorrow and love layering colors, textures and height to make things interesting. We’ve been collecting glassware for years and choosing what to put on the table is always fun. I’ve linked a few of my favorite table scape items below. Regardless of what to you’re celebrating, I hope that you’re having a lovely weekend with family 🤍🐇

📸 by

Candles
Napkin rings
Placemats Deborah Rhodes via
Silver julep cup vases
Wallpaper

This tropical smoothie has been on repeat in my house recently. It’s made with classic ingredients like pineapple, mango, banana, and coconut, but it also has a secret ingredient: frozen cauliflower. I love adding the frozen cauliflower, it helps to balance out the sweet fruit, it adds vitamins c, k and b6, and it helps to give the smoothie its frozen texture. Don’t skip the vanilla and nutmeg, they add extra tropical notes too.
If you’re dreaming of vacation, this smoothie definitely has 🌴 vibes. On that note, it would be amazing with rum or tequila, so make a double batch and save some for this weekend! The recipe makes 2 smoothies 🍌🥥 🍍🥭

✨TROPICAL SMOOTHIE
2 cups diced pineapple (frozen would work too)
2 cups frozen mango (fresh would work too)
½ cup coconut yogurt - I love brand
½ cup water
1 ripe banana
½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
½ cup frozen cauliflower rice
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, vanilla extract, or vanilla bean seeds from 1 bean
1 lime, juiced
A generous pinch of grated nutmeg, plus more for sprinkling on top (optional)

Put all ingredients into a blender and process until smooth. The smoothie will last for 2 to 3 days in your fridge.

Spiced coconut muffins with dark rum glaze, inspired by Coquito, a festive holiday drink similar to egg nog made with coconut milk. My husband is from Miami where Coquito is the holiday drink of choice & it’s delicious.
These little beauties are perfect for your Christmas brunch or even New Years Eve morning. The rum glaze, toasted coconut & sprinkles definitely make them a little extra & that’s exactly what we all need this holiday season ❄️ The muffins are also delicious without the glaze. Just sprinkle untoasted coconut on top of the muffins before you bake them & they’re look beautiful.

✨This recipe is 100% kid friendy to make too! For both the batter & the glaze you just mix everything together in a bowl & you're done.

🧁COQUITO MUFFINS
makes 12

Ingredients:
 
Muffins:
½ cup coconut oil
1 cup full fat coconut milk
¼ cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
1¼ cups (170 grams) all-purpose or gluten free flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
 
Glaze:
1½ cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon dark rum
2 tablespoons full fat coconut milk
Pinch of salt
 
Garnish:
Toasted coconut flakes & holiday sprinkles (optional)
  
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a muffin tin with 12 muffin liners and set aside.
 
Muffins:
Mix the coconut oil, coconut milk, sugar, eggs & vanilla together in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg & salt & mix to combine. Add the coconut flakes & mix until just blended. Scoop the batter into the muffin pan and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Allow to cool completely before adding glaze.
 
Glaze:  
Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Once the muffins are cool, drizzle glaze over the tops. Sprinkle with the toasted coconut & decorate with holiday sprinkles if using.
 

If you are still looking for the perfect holiday gift for a friend or family member who loves to cook, I’ve got you covered. I have over 20 years experience in the culinary world & now I’m offering private, one-on-one cooking lessons & kitchen organization to clients in Fairfield County & beyond.

Cooking lessons are tailored to what you want to learn more about - from creating healthy, fast family meals, to baking beautiful cakes, to planning & cooking a four course dinner party & more. Kitchen organization, group cooking classes with wine pairings & birthday parties are also available. Visit www.carolinefey.com (link above) to find out more or send me a DM. Happy Holidays!🎄❄️

These little brown butter matcha cookies with white chocolate and cherries will surely make your Christmas brighter🎄Basically, they’re the holiday version of a chocolate chip cookie and they’re magical.

✨BROWN BUTTER MATCHA COOKIES WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE & CHERRIES
Makes about 45 cookies
 
Ingredients:
 2½ cups (338 grams) all-purpose flour or you can use gluten free flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1½ tablespoons matcha (use culinary grade matcha)
1 cup unsalted butter
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
2 eggs
1 cup white chocolate chips or chunks, plus a few extra for topping the cookies
1 cup dried tart cherries, plus a few extra for topping the cookies
 
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
 
To brown your butter simmer over medium heat, swirling the pan and stirring it with a rubber spatula until it turns a golden brown color. You will know when it’s ready when it smells nutty. Pour butter in a heat proof mixing bowl to cool.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and matcha powder in a medium size mixing bowl. Mix well and set aside. Add both sugars to the mixing bowl with the butter and blend to combine. Once well mixed, add the eggs, vanilla and almond extract. Whisk until you get a light and creamy texture, about 1 minute. Once the wet ingredients are well mixed, slowly add in the dry ingredients. Combine with a spatula until a green dough forms. Add the white chocolate chips or chunks and dried cherries and mix until they are well incorporated. Cover and refrigerate the dough for an hour, or overnight.
 
Roll the dough into golf ball size balls. Top each with an extra piece or two of chocolate and an extra cherry and flatten slightly with your palm. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies are set and the edges are slightly golden. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from baking rack. The cookies will keep for at least a week in a covered container.

What’s better than a bowl of comforting short ribs on a cold winter day? Nope, nothing. This is my favorite simple, go-to recipe. It feeds 4 people but can easily be multiplied if you’re cooking for a crowd. I’ve included instructions for making it with a slow cooker, Instapot, and in the oven. Now go grab a blanket, light a fire, and pour yourself a glass of wine…

https://carolinefey.com/blog/balsamic-braised-short-ribs-with-mascarpone-polenta

Where are all my noodle lovers?? This is a crazy time of year, and a bowl of warm, comforting noodle soup helps me make it through the week. Especially if I can make it in 15 minutes, like this Thai inspired noodle bowl. 🍜 Recipe is below, it feeds one but can easily be multiplied.

I had too much fun shooting this. Thanks for capturing me in the moment 📸

✨ Coconut Red Curry Noodle Soup ✨
- 1 cup coconut milk (I like using full fat for more flavor)
- 2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste (use less if you like a less spicy soup)
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 portion rice noodles, cooked
- 1 bunch broccolini, blanched or simmered in water for a few minutes
- 1 handful pea shoots
- A few basil leaves
- A handful cashews
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Chili crisp for drizzling

Preparation:
Put the coconut milk, broth, garlic, ginger and shallots in a pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. While the broth is cooking boil the noodles, drain and transfer to a large soup bowl. Pour the broth over the noodles and top with the broccolini, pea shoots, basil, cashews and chili crisp. Squeeze lime over the top and eat right away!