Zucchini Bread Muffins

I happen to have way too many zucchini, so I decided to make these Zucchini Bread Muffins. Instead of making a loaf of bread, I like to make muffins so I can freeze them. Zucchini muffins freeze perfectly, if you wrap them individually in plastic wrap, then place them in a ziplock bag. They will last about 8 weeks in the freezer! To thaw, microwave on HIGH about 30 seconds for each muffin.

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 25 mins
  • Yields: Makes 12 muffins

Caprese Pesto Pasta Bake

Caprese salad is a simple Italian salad, made of sliced fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil. Like pizza Margherita, it features the colours of the Italian flag: green, white, and red. This Caprese Pesto Pasta Bake is taking all those ingredients with some pesto and mixing it with pasta. You can make it ahead and bake it later in the day.

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 30 mins
  • Yields: 6 Servings

Buttermilk Pie

Buttermilk Pie is a staple of Southern Cooking and is known as a “desperation pie” (i.e. when you only have staple ingredients like butter, sugar, eggs and flour on hand). That said, these few simple ingredients are greater than the sum of its parts and make for a seriously rich and satisfying dessert. Our friend Kathy who runs a large cattle ranch/horse farm in Texas recently whipped up one of these and was kind enough to share the recipe.

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 5 mins
  • Cook: 40 mins
  • Yields: 8 Servings

Margherita Pizza Beans

I love this recipe for Margherita Pizza Beans. If you have lots of tomatoes from your garden, this is a great way to use them. It's basically an Italian "beans on toast". Serve it with a fresh green salad and you have a meal your family will be asking you to make again.

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 25 mins
  • Yields: 4 Servings

Dairy-Free Spinach Quiche

This Spinach Quiche is not only Dairy-Free, but it's also gluten-free and vegetarian. I often get requests when catering to add an option like this quiche for people with dietary restrictions. It uses oat milk, which seems to be gaining popularity, which is a plant milk derived from whole oat grains by extracting the plant material with water. I used a frozen store-bought gluten-free crust, though you could also make a crust out of hash brown potatoes. I was told this quiche was delicious.

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 55 mins
  • Yields: 8 Servings

Ginger & Lemongrass Salmon with Greens in a Parcel

I made this Ginger & Lemongrass Salmon with Greens in a Parcel for dinner. The salmon is cooked in parchment paper and nestled on a bed of zucchini, sugar snap peas and green onions. You then pour soy sauce and mirin over the salmon and top it with lemongrass, ginger, garlic and red chili peppers. The lemongrass adds a bright citrus flavor to this dish. I served it with jasmine rice. It's healthy and delicious.

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 20 mins
  • Yields: 1 Serving

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Truth be told, I am not a big meat eater, though when it's good I'm in. My brother David gave me this MEATER+ intuitive meat thermometer and I tested it out on this Roasted Pork Tenderloin. It takes all the guesswork out of cooking meat. You choose the cut and the temperature (rare, medium, well, etc.) and it does the rest all on your smartphone. Anyway, this has a delicious rub and is doused with a sauce. I have to say, it was perfectly tender and juicy. 

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 20 mins
  • Yields: 6 - 8 Servings

Tomato Risotto

I saw this recipe last Friday in The New York Times. Since I had some fresh tomatoes from the garden, I decided to make this Tomato Risotto. Tomato Risotto is so good with a sprinkling of parmesan and fresh basil. I actually made it in the Instant Pot, which is super easy and doesn't involve all the stirring.  I included both instructions if you want to make it on the stovetop. There's nothing like summer tomatoes picked fresh from your garden.

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Yields: 4 - 6 Serving

Slow-Cooker Chicken Breasts with Creamy Mustard-Leek Sauce

Last week I had to pick up my husband at the airport in the late afternoon and I wanted dinner ready when we got home. I made this Slow-Cooker Chicken Breasts with Creamy Mustard-Leek Sauce, which was delicious. You marinate the chicken overnight, which adds loads of flavor, and then add it to a slow cooker. I served it on a bed of noodles, you could also serve it with rice.

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 20 mins
  • Cook: 2 hrs 45 mins
  • Yields: 2 - 4 Servings

Sicilian Pasta with Tomatoes, Garlic & Almonds

This Sicilian Pasta with Tomatoes, Garlic & Almonds is a recipe from Nigella Lawson. It's a no-cook sauce that is absolutely perfect for your crop of fresh tomatoes. She calls for cherry tomatoes, but I used roughly chopped heirlooms. This sauce is absolutely superb. I am not a huge fan of anchovies, so I used only one, but you can adjust it to your taste.

By Leslie Blythe

  • Cook: 10 mins
  • Yields: 6 Servings