Cheesy Ham & Potato Casserole
I have a terrible habit of putting food in my freezer and then not using it. They other day, we had "nothing" in the fridge to eat, so after rummaging through my freezer I found some ham and made this Cheesy Ham & Potato Casserole. You could make it your own by adding any vegetables you have on hand.
Note to self - I really need to have a running list of what's in my freezer with a use by date!
By - Prep: 25 mins
- Cook: 1 hrs 30 mins
- Yields: 6 Servings
Bittersweet Chocolate Pound Cake
My friend Chris gave me an 11 pound slab of Callebaut Belgium dark chocolate. I decided to make this Bittersweet Chocolate Pound Cake for a friend. It's drizzled with a silky chocolate ganache. I also made a mini cake in a small ramekin so that I could taste it! Now to try to figure out what else to make...
- Prep: 30 mins
- Cook: 50 mins
- Yields: 12 Servings
Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potato and Broccoli
I love sheet pan dinners - easy to prepare and minimal clean up. This Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potato and Broccoli is a nice combination of flavors and can be scaled up or down to serve 2 or 8 people.
- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 30 mins
- Yields: 4 Servings
Korean Ground Beef Rice Bowls
I had some ground beef I needed to use and made these Korean Ground Beef Rice Bowls. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, but it was seriously good. I happened to have all the ingredients and also made Bibimbap Sauce to drizzle over the top. You could add some cooked broccoli, snap peas, carrots, etc. It's quick to make. This recipe is the cheater version because it uses ground beef, unlike the more traditional Bulgogi.
- Yields: 4 Servings
New Mexico Red Chile Sauce (Chile Colorado)
My friend Jessica sent me dried red Hatch chiles from The Hatch Chile Store. Her favorite red chile sauce recipe is from The Sunset Cookbook. Lightly toasting the dried chile peppers in a hot pan for a few minutes loosens the oils in the skins, which adds more flavor. You can use this sauce for enchiladas, soups, stews or as a condiment. It's so good and definitely worth the extra effort. The sauce can be frozen.
- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 1 hrs
- Yields: Makes 1½ cups
Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats
My daughter Zoe surprised me for my birthday and flew out from New Hampshire with her boyfriend Pierce. It involved a lot of planning with my other daughter Grace so I didn't find out. It was the best birthday present of all time for me since I haven't seen her since January 1, 2020.
Anyway, Zoe is working at a very well known bakery in Kittery Maine. She is learning pretty advanced baking skills in large quantities. She made these Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats. The brown butter is a brilliant addition and takes it to a whole new level.
- Prep: 20 mins
- Yields: Makes 20 to 24 squares
Spicy Sausage Ragout
When we lived in London, I used to love food shopping at Sainsbury’s. They had these wonderfully simple adverts on the telly (sorry, I had to do that), showing you how to make a quick and easy meal. It always started out by saying “Simply take….” Anyway they would have these cards in market. I would collect them and make all the recipes. Here is one I found in my collection. I love how the recipe is called Spicy when there is nothing spicy in it!
- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 25 mins
- Yields: 4 Servings
Chicken Paillard
I had this divine Chicken Paillard in the desert last weekend at a French/Japanese fusion restaurant. It was absolutely delicious. Paillard is a French term for a boneless piece of meat that has been pounded thin or butterflied. The process of pounding the meat tenderizes the chicken and it cooks faster with less moisture loss.
- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 10 mins
- Yields: 4 Servings
New Mexico Stacked Enchiladas
Jessica here, guest-blogging for Leslie.
This is a photo of our tasty New Mexico-style stacked enchilada. It’s a family favorite, especially during this dark pandemic winter.
How to make it? Well, as we lawyers say, it depends. There’s an easy way and a hard way.
The easy way? Buy everything: shred a roast chicken, open a can of refried beans and another of enchilada sauce; layer it all evenly between three corn tortillas, bake at 400° F for 10-15 minutes, top with a fried egg – and there you have it.
The hard way is what you see in this photo. But it was actually a collaborative effort. My husband made green chile using Hatch chiles that he’d roasted, frozen, and defrosted.
I poached chicken breasts in white wine, water, and some aromatics (black and pink peppercorns, chile powder) and shredded them.
Then, I realized I had no canned refried beans. What to do? Well, I had a can of pinto beans, so I made my own. And may never use canned ones again, because these were so delicious.
- Prep: 20 mins
- Cook: 15 mins
- Yields: 2 Servings
Eggplant Smothered with Charmoula Marinade
Charmoula is a Moroccan spice blend, is best known as a tart marinade for fish. Here, its fresh taste is a perfect complement to the warm creaminess of eggplant. This dish should be prepared ahead, to give the eggplant time to absorb the charmoula.
- Yields: 4 Servings
