Sticky Toffee Date Cake with Bourbon Glaze

I made Ina Garten's Sticky Toffee cake from her Cookbook, Foolproof. You should have been there to hear the OMGs! All I can say is WOW and yes, it's Foolproof! PS - I used a springform pan, which worked beautifully.

By Leslie Blythe

Chick-Fil-A Chicken Nuggets

I've written about Chick-Fil-A before. I am not a fan of Chick-Fil-A as a company. They have a 65 year history of doing business according to Biblical principles. Enough said....

Unfortunately, their chicken is really good. Instead of patronizing this restaurant, I make it at home.

By Leslie Blythe

Sautéed Japanese Eggplant

Sautéed Japanese Eggplant is a very easy side dish. I made this earlier and served it at room temperature. Everyone LOVED it!

Japanese eggplant is the Western name given to dozens of Japanese eggplant varieties, both heirloom and hybrid. The most common of these varieties are Millionaire and Orient Express, both long, slender oblong shaped eggplants with glossy, purple-black, thin skin. The interior cream colored flesh is spongy and nearly seedless. Japanese eggplant's flavor is mild and because it is nearly seedless it doesn't possess that bitter quality found in Western and Thai varieties.

By Leslie Blythe

Nobu’s Miso-Marinated Black Cod

I made this Kaiseki style dinner. Kaiseki or kaiseki-ryōri is a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner. The term also refers to the variety of skills and techniques used to prepare the dishes. We had this Miso Marinated Black Cod several times while we were in Japan. I really like it. It's very mild and sweet tasting and easy to make. The main thing is that you have to marinate it for at least 24 hours or up to 3 days.

By Leslie Blythe

Tamale Pie

This Tamale Pie takes less then 5 minutes to throw it in a casserole dish! The Trader Joe's "tasting station" is a place for some culinary inspiration. It's where they hand out samples for you to try. I almost always buy whatever they are demoing. It was this tamale pie. I am not a big fan of polenta (unless it's crispy), but I have to say I really liked this dish. It's something you could have in your pantry. You could even make it vegetarian by using vegetarian chili instead of chicken or turkey. The original recipe calls for a jar of their Cowboy Caviar, but I actually used the corn salsa instead.

By Leslie Blythe

Moroccan Chicken with Apricots, Almonds & Chickpeas

This wonderful Moroccan chicken dish is meant to be cooked in a tagine. A tagine is a unique type of ceramic or clay cookware that's popular in Morocco. The bottom is a wide, circular shallow dish used for both cooking and serving, while the top of the tagine is distinctively shaped into a rounded dome or cone. The word "tagine" also refers to the dish which is slow-cooked inside the cooking vessel. Typically, a tagine is a rich stew of meat, chicken, or fish, and most often includes vegetables or fruit.

However, you can easily make this dish in a Dutch oven or crockpot.

By Leslie Blythe

Red Beans, Andouille Sausage & Rice Stew

This classic Cajun dish is done in a crockpot. You throw the rice and green peppers in at the end. It's great to serve it with a baguette or corn bread to sop up the spicy juices!

By Leslie Blythe

Balsamic Pot Roast in a Slow Cooker

This Balsamic Pot Roast in a Slow Cooker has a rich balsamic glaze and tender fall apart beef. It's so easy to throw together in the slow cooker for a busy weeknight meal.

By Leslie Blythe

Slow Cooker Glazed Pork Ribs with White Beans

This warming eastern European short rib stew is best served in deep bowls over buttery noodles.

By Leslie Blythe

Spicy Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork

The Pioneer Woman makes this Spicy Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork, which looked really good. It reminded me of Coca Cola basted ham (I guess that's for another blog). I made it in a crockpot. Also, I put in about half of the chipotle chiles and it was very spicy, which I love. You can serve it with tortillas or rolls.

By Leslie Blythe