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Local Chefs’ Favorite Recipes

While the temptation to go out on Mother’s Day is high, there’s something to be said for thoughtfully and lovingly preparing comfort food at home—just remember to clean up!
Below, a few local chefs’ favorite Mother’s Day recipes:

Ice Box Cake

Chef Remy, Co-owner of Little Diner Xpress in Appleton

“My grandma taught me how to make Ice Box Cake and I used to make it for my mother when I was a kid for Mother’s Day. Then I made it for my wife on her first Mother’s Day. Now I have taught my girls how to make it for their mom too. So it’s become quite the family tradition. I have a lot of memories cutting the fruit and eating all the whipped cream before it was done.”

Ingredients

• Cool Whip or any whipped cream
• Thin cookie wafers or any thin cookie
• Fruit of your choice
• Any other toppings you desire

Directions

• Take wafers layering them vertically with whipped cream filling in any cake pan or dish you like, making sure to fill in gaps in cookies.
• Top with Cool Whip or whipped cream and toppings of choice.
• Put in the fridge for 6-8 hours or until cookies soften.
• Serve and enjoy!

Quiche Lorraine

Kirsten Michiels, Executive Chef at Michiels Bar & Grill in Menasha

“This dish has been a family brunch recipe we’ve been eating together for decades. As children, we would often make it together the night before, as we helped mom in the kitchen prepare for the next days holiday feast. On a busy holiday morning, it would reheat quickly and taste just as wonderful.”

Ingredients

• 9-inch pie crust
• ½ cup chopped bacon
• 11/4 cup asiago cheese
• 4 eggs, beaten lightly
• 2 cups heavy cream
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• 1 handful fresh spinach
• 1 dash nutmeg
• 1 pinch salt and pepper
• 1 dash hot sauce

Directions

• Mix cheese, onions, bacon and spinach and spread evenly into pie crust.
• Mix eggs, cream and seasoning.
• Pour egg mixture over ingredients in pie crust.
• Line crust with foil.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Pork Egg Rolls

Mylee Xiong, Owner of GingeRootz in Appleton

“Growing up, egg rolls were always a treat for us to have and we would have egg rolls for special occasions. Everyone loves them, and they are fun to make with family, because everyone can get involved by helping to unwrap the wrappers to rolling the egg rolls.”

Filling Ingredients

• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 medium size carrot, shredded
• 1 medium size yellow onion
• 3 cups of finely shredded cabbage
• 4 bundles of cooked/cut up vermicelli noodles
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce

Other Ingredients

• Spring roll wrappers (I prefer the brand Wei Chun)
• Water and flour mixture to seal egg rolls

Directions

• Mix all filling ingredients.
• Peel apart all spring roll wrappers.
• Roll egg rolls, by using 2 tablespoons of filling in each.
• Seal with the water and flour mix.
• Fry egg rolls at 350 degrees for 3-4 minutes, until they are golden brown (usually they will float).