Coco in the Kitchen

Kibbeh (Middle Eastern Meatballs)

March 29, 2019 By colettezabo 5 Comments

My grandfather’s mother, Mariam was Iraqi from Baghdad and used to make Middle Eastern meatballs called Kibbeh for my dad. Falafal’s carnivorous cousin is the national treasure of Syria and Lebanon. It is ever-present along with other delightful small bites called mezze at gatherings. The outer layer of ground meat and bulgur (cracked wheat) is stuffed […]

Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes

March 14, 2019 By colettezabo 8 Comments

Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day are these luscious Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes topped with a rich ganache and fondant four-leaf clover with a touch of gold from that pot at the end of the rainbow! A Wee Bit O’History The coffee flavor from stout comes from an accident in 1799 when a brewer in […]

Parisian Hot Chocolate Recipe: Chocolat Chaud

March 12, 2019 By colettezabo 4 Comments

It’s still winter for a few more days. So snuggle down under the blankets, read bedtime stories and wrap your hands around a warm mug of Parisian hot chocolate. If it’s neither windy or chilly, I suggest a proper rain dance. It’s often forgotten that chocolate stems from ancient Mexico where the Olmecs made an […]

Meatballs in Mushroom Marsala Sauce

February 20, 2019 By colettezabo 9 Comments

Meatballs in Mushroom Marsala Sauce are MMM… served over a billowy bed of buttery mashed potatoes, the ultimate comfort food. It tastes like something you’d get at an inn high atop the Swiss Alps. The meatballs alone are so rich in flavor and well worth the effort, but if you’re short on time, just grab […]