Moscow Mule

Years ago, my late friend Brady gave us 25 original Moscow Mule mugs from the legendary late Cock n' Bull restaurant on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood.  The Cock n' Bull invented the Moscow Mule Cocktail. It's unclear why he thought we needed 25 and I guess I will never know.  They are very rare and hard to find, I think he collected them from eBay. Legend has it that in 1941, Jack Morgan, the owner of the Cock ‘n’ Bull,  developed a ginger beer that he was trying to sell to patrons of the pub. He apparently teamed up with the head of the vodka division of Smirnoff. They both complained of poor sales of their products and developed the Moscow Mule to try and boost the sales of both the ginger beer and vodka. Another version of the story is that the bartender made up the drink to “clean out the basement to get rid of a lot of dead stock.” Somehow, they must have found a copper manufacturer to make these glorious mugs. The mugs are key to this drink, which keeps it arctic cold!

The only time I actually used all 25 mugs, was when I catered a party and the Moscow Mule was the featured drink. At the end of the night, I had to go around and pry them out of the hands of the guests before leaving!

By Leslie Blythe

Beans with Leeks, White Beans and Cheddar on Toast

So, this Beans with Leeks, White Beans and Cheddar on Toast is a recipe that I adapted from a recipe from Nigel Slater. It was posted in The Guardian and it's basically "posh beans on toast". Beans on Toast is a British institution. The reason I made it is because I had the ingredients on hand and because I love leeks. Leeks are massively underappreciated and really add so much so many dishes. It was delicious and I initially thought I would have to serve soup with it, but that was not the case. You can adapt this recipe to ingredients you have.

By Leslie Blythe

Pickled Beet Juice Vinaigrette

I love Pickled Beets and Eggs. It's something I grew up eating. You either love them or hate them! I made a batch and was staring at them thinking that I could make a vinaigrette out of the juice. Why not?! Pickled Beet Juice Vinaigrette is definitely going to stay in my repertoire. It worked really well in the salad I made with the pickled eggs, hearts of palm (I love those too!), cherry tomatoes, cheese, and arugula. Oh, and I also have a recipe for Pickled Deviled Eggs with Crispy Prosciutto!

By Leslie Blythe

Pickled Beets and Eggs

I grew up eating Pickled Beets and Eggs. I LOVE them and even eat them for breakfast. It is a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch dish. I know you either love them or hate them!

By Leslie Blythe

Crispy Braised Chicken Thighs With Cabbage and Bacon

This Crispy Braised Chicken Thighs With Cabbage and Bacon is simply divine. 
Braising is a technique which highlights the crispy skin and produces the most tender, fall off the bone chicken underneath. The chicken thighs are nestled in a bed of cabbage and bacon. It's all made in one pan for easy cleanup.

By Leslie Blythe

Dutch Baby with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Pancetta & Arugula

I love making Dutch Baby pancakes for lunch or dinner. A Dutch baby pancake, sometimes called a German pancake is a large American popover or British Yorkshire pudding.
I made this Dutch Baby with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Pancetta & Arugula because they were the ingredients I had on hand. It's very versatile, you can change the type of cheese, you could use bacon instead of pancetta, etc.

By Leslie Blythe

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

I have had a lone sweet potato on my counter since the holidays. I decided to make this Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchilada Casserole. It turned out to be absolutely delicious. It's vegetarian and packed with flavor!

By Leslie Blythe

Old-School Pork Chops with Apple and Sage

These Old-School Pork Chops with Apple and Sage is another Jamie Oliver recipe. The chops are finished off with a bit of Stilton cheese on top (you could also use blue cheese or gorgonzola), which elevates it to a whole new level.

By Leslie Blythe

Green Beans with Warm Raisin-Caper Dressing

I love these Green Beans with Warm Raisin-Caper Dressing. The beans are blanched, quickly drained and then tossed with capers, golden raisins, whole-grain mustard and sherry vinegar. You could use this vinaigrette on other vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, etc. It would also be delicious on salmon.

By Leslie Blythe

Mexican Fideo (Vermicelli)

I was researching ways to use Fideo pasta (Vermicelli) and ran across this recipe. It was actually called Sopa de Fideo, though there is nothing "soupy" about this. It's more like a tomato mac & cheese. Regardless, this Mexican Fideo (Vermicelli) (I renamed it!) was a huge hit with my husband. It only took 10 minutes to make. If you have kids at home, this is a must-try dish.

By Leslie Blythe