Gingerbread Cake

Not being much of a baker, I get very excited when I stumble upon a new and easy - even I can make it - recipe.  This Gingerbread Cake is delicious and the lemony whipped cream is TOO DIE FOR!  You could use this whipped cream on berries or anything really.  This is a must try!

By Leslie Blythe

  • Yields: 8 Servings

Beef Tamales with Red Chili Sauce

Every Christmas eve my mother-in-law served tamales and albondigas soup. She got her tamales from a local source in East Los Angeles. My friend asked if I wanted to make tamales with her. Absolutely! We corralled another friend, who actually knows what she’s doing and my daughter. We each brought our own filling. I made beef and we also had pork and chicken. I had made tamales in the past, but only one dozen. This time, we made 150! My friend said that you have to take a shot after every dozen is completed! Given that it was 10 am when we started, I only did 2 shots, and then there were those mimosas…. It was so much fun, that I want to do it every year.

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 1 hr
  • Cook: 4 hrs 30 mins
  • Yields: Makes 3 dozen

Crispy English Potatoes with Pancetta

One of the things Brits excel in is roasted potatoes which usually accompany a Sunday roast with Yorkshire pudding. The boiling and roughing-up method is the key to making very crispy potatoes. Once you do this the potatoes get rough on the edges, which makes them super crispy when roasted in the oven. These Crispy English Potatoes with Pancetta are a real crowd-pleaser.

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 45 mins
  • Yields: 6 Servings

Slow-Roasted Filet of Beef and Basil Parmesan Mayonnaise

This Slow-Roasted Filet of Beef and Basil Parmesan Mayonnaise is very easy to prepare and will impress your dinner guests. The Basil Parmesan Mayo makes it.

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 20 mins
  • Cook: 1 hr 30 mins
  • Yields: 6 - 8 Servings

Lemony Green Beans With Frizzled Leeks

These Lemony Green Beans With Frizzled Leeks for Epicurious have only 3 ingredients. The leeks are fried in olive oil, which become crispy and add a lot of flavor to these green beans.

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 25 mins
  • Yields: 8 - 10 Servings

Spaghetti with Garlic, Herbs, and Parmesan

A friend of mine recently took cooking classes in Tuscany and brought back some of this fantastic dried herb mix. I used to buy Ducros herb blend in France. Spaghetti with Garlic, Herbs, and Parmesan is one of my all-time favorite ways to eat pasta, especially when you are on a student budget. It was my equivalent of ramen noodles. It is so simple, yet so satisfying.

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 20 mins
  • Yields: 4 - 6 Servings

King Ranch Chicken

This from-scratch version of King Ranch Casserole gets rid of the cans and is destined to become a modern-day classic. After one bite of this creamy, cheesy casserole you'll be hooked. It also travels well, making it a great choice to take to a potluck.

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 50 mins
  • Yields: 12 Servings

Cider and Five-Spice Bundt Cake with Smoked Salted Caramel Sauce

This seasonal Cider and 5 Spice Bundt Cake is light and refreshingly subtle in its Christmas-y flavors; a perfect end to a heavy holiday meal. A natural ginger spiciness is laced throughout this fluffy and moist cake, cutting the sweetness of molasses. It is, however, the salted caramel sauce drizzled on top that brings this light and airy cake to life.

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 40 mins
  • Yields: 10 - 12 Servings

Spaghetti Pie

Spaghetti Pie is an old family favorite of our friend Carol Stephens—sadly now gone but NOT forgotten—who served this to her large family in their farmhouse in the English countryside. It is traditionally cooked in a casserole dish (we always use a large soufflé dish) and served with ketchup, as there is no tomato sauce in this—it is spaghetti, minced beef, onions, parsley and cheese bound together with milk and egg (a twist of nutmeg is a must, and a bit of garlic and sautéed mushrooms are great in it, too. Cooking it in a bundt pan and cutting slices of it is a great improvement (we hope Carol would think so!).

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 20 mins
  • Cook: 45 mins
  • Yields: 6 - 8 Servings

Roast Brussels Sprouts with Apples and Bacon

These Roast Brussels Sprouts with Apples and Bacon are really delicious. Adding vinegar, wine, sugar and Dijon mustard elevates it to a whole other level.

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 30 mins
  • Yields: 6 Servings