HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!! And Happy New Decade too! 2020…So far, my year has been off to a VERY busy start during my day job (at the end of January, I will have gone to San Francisco, Orlando, and Ohio – February will be Boston, March D.C., and May Phoenix, with a couple other trips in between I expect depending on last minute events that pop up and need support). At the moment, I’m basically only taking email orders for cookies at the moments (be sure to email me soon if you’re thinking/wanting cookies)! Thankfully, with the long weekend coming up, I am going to be fulfilling a gift certificate or two, a custom work order for Frankie, and sending along some samples to a new Corgi friend I made in Cleveland. It’s going to be a busy, though thankfully, relaxing weekend for me.

That all being said, if you follow me on Instagram, then you’ve most certainly seen the two posts I did about Mon Ami Gabi in Lincoln Park (see the Dining Out page for recommendations and plates we’ve tried), and it’s safe to say that this is one of our FAVORITE places to go for just about anything celebratory – from anniversaries to birthdays, to parental visits, to just spontaneous date night! You name it, we’ve gone here for it! That all being said, while the food is SPECTACULAR, there is one thing that we’ve once (okay, maybe twice) have vetoed dessert for just another round of the carrot salad amuse bouche and another helping of warm baguette. It’s THAT good! So I thought, why not try to make it myself, and I’m pretty sure I have it. I had to look at a handful of recipes to get an idea for what ingredients to pull, and after building on volumes, I have figured it out. It’s quick, easy, light, fresh, and just down right delicious! Let me present my take on the Mon Ami Gabi carrot salad! ENJOY AND YOU’RE WELCOME!

— Cooking Maggie

P.S. The below color blocks is a new feature of my blog’s posting setup, so it’ll be easier to find the recipes at the bottom. I won’t have time to do this for all of my recipes, but moving forward, these will be here!

Mon Ami Gabi Copy Cat Herbed Carrot Amuse Bouche

Ingredients

• 1lb carrots, peeled and grated
• 6 tablespoons good olive oil
• 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1/4 chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoon chopped fresh dill

Instructions

• In a bowl, combine parsley, dill, and carrot.
• In another bowl, add and combine all the other ingredients except for the olive oil. Slowly add in the olive oil while whisking until the dressing is completely combined.
• Pour the dressing over the carrots and herbs and stir to combine. Chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes, and serve. Can serve with slices of warm baguette and whipped butter.