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

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

Prawn & Orange Curry With Basmati Rice

This recipe for Prawn & Orange Curry With Basmati Rice is from Nadiya Hussain, who is one of my favorite chefs. She won the sixth series of BBC's The Great British Bake Off in 2015. She has a show on Netflix called Nadiya’s Time to Eat. Everything she makes has an interesting and brilliant twist. The prawn curry with orange zest and juice has wonderful flavor and it's quick to make.

By Leslie Blythe

Chicken à la King

Chicken à la King is tender chicken in a creamy sauce with mushrooms,  pimientos and peas. There are many different stories about the origin of this recipe. A classic dish that evokes childhood memories, Chicken à la King is elegant and comfort food at its best.

You can read about the origins of Chicken à la King here.

By Leslie Blythe

Spaghetti with Heirloom Tomatoes and Basil

When you have fresh tomatoes from your garden, make this no-cook pasta sauce. The roughly chopped tomatoes are marinated in olive oil, sherry vinegar, pepper flakes, shallots, garlic, fresh basil, tossed with pasta and shaved Parmesan cheese. It's light and full of the flavors of summer.

By Leslie Blythe

Honey Lime Shrimp

The great thing about this Honey Lime Shrimp is that it cooks quickly, requires minimal preparation, and tastes delicious. I served it on rice with some snap peas. The tip is not to overcook shrimp, which turns tough and chewy.

By Leslie Blythe

Curried Chicken & Pasta Salad

This recipe was printed in The Los Angeles Times in 2000. It's from the Mustard Seed Café in LA. The original recipe calls for shells, but I used fusilli. The combination of curry powder, turmeric, mango chutney, mixed into mayonnaise makes the perfect dressing and the celery and almonds give it crunch. It’s great for a hot summer day.

By Leslie Blythe

Israeli Couscous Salmon Salad

Last night we were invited to the Hollywood Bowl to see Peter and the Wolf with Viola Davis and Dudamel (it was fabulous!). I made Israeli Couscous Salmon Salad for dinner, which is a great make-ahead meal for any outdoor occasion. It has a tangy lemon dill dressing and I threw in some blanched asparagus. I also made Simple Summer Peach Cake, which I made last week, but this time I made individual tarts. I love going to the Hollywood Bowl. It's my favorite summer concert venue.

By Leslie Blythe

Zucchini Butter Spaghetti

This Zucchini Butter Spaghetti is incredibly delicious. If you are wondering how to use all of your homegrown zucchini, this is it! Grated zucchini is cooked down with butter and garlic and tossed with parmesan cheese and fresh basil. It's so simple, yet bursting with flavor.

By Leslie Blythe

Simple Summer Peach Cake

I made this Simple Summer Peach Cake for my friend's birthday. There's nothing quite like fresh summer peaches. This cake only takes 15 minutes to prepare. You could serve it with some whipped cream or ice cream, but it's delicious on its own.

By Leslie Blythe