Cooking Method: Assembling

Stuffed Avocados with Creamy Chickpea Salad

Stuffed Avocados with Creamy Chickpea Salad is a delicious and healthy dish that is perfect for a light lunch or dinner. It is made with chickpeas, Greek yogurt, red or green onion, garlic, red bell pepper, and parsley. It is then stuffed into ripe avocados, and the avocados are topped with a sprinkle of black pepper.
This dish is a great source of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. It is also vegetarian and gluten-free, making it a great option for people with dietary restrictions.

By Leslie Blythe

Spiedie Marinade for Chicken

I've always been keenly interested in regional food in the US, especially when it really doesn't leave a region. This Spiedie Marinade for Chicken is a perfect example. I was recently on the east coast and happened to find this marinade at Wegman's (the best damn supermarket in the whole country!).

Spiedie Pronounced "spee-dee," is a type of grilled chicken dish that originated in Upstate New York. They are typically made with boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs that are marinated in a mixture of olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, herbs, and spices. The chicken is then grilled over high heat until cooked through.

The key to a good spiedie marinade is to use a variety of flavors that complement each other. The olive oil helps to tenderize the chicken, while the vinegar and lemon juice add acidity and brightness. The garlic, herbs, and spices add depth and complexity of flavor.

It’s typically served in a small sub roll...the Spiedie Sandwich! You can also use this marinade on steaks, pork chops, lamb, fish, and even mushrooms.

You can read about the complicated and controversial history of the Spiedie here.

By Leslie Blythe

David’s Overnight Oats: Strawberry Banana

My brother David makes a lot of overnight oats, which make a great grab-and-go breakfast. This version uses strawberries, banana chips, and organic banana milk. The oats are soaked overnight, which makes them soft and creamy.

By Leslie Blythe

Pickled Beet, Arugula & Herbed Goat Cheese Sandwich

I know this probably only appeals to .08% of the population, but I loved this sandwich, mainly because pickled beets are my favorite. The combination of the sweet and tangy pickled beets, the peppery arugula, and the creamy goat cheese is delicious. It's a really well-balanced sandwich that is both healthy and satisfying.

By Leslie Blythe

Columbia’s 1905 Salad

Columbia's 1905 Salad is from Florida's oldest restaurant in Tampa, and the oldest Spanish restaurant in the United States, called Columbia Restaurant. The restaurant opened in 1905, but this famous salad wasn't "invented" until 1940 by waiter Tony Noriega. He made it using leftover Spanish and Italian ingredients from the kitchen. The Columbia’s legendary salad is tossed tableside. They are the biggest restaurant consumer of Lea & Perrin’s Worcestershire sauce in the country, which is the “secret sauce” in the dressing recipe.

By Leslie Blythe

The McCarthy Salad

The McCarthy Salad is almost as famous as the Polo Lounge where it was first served. Neil McCarthy was a regular guest at The Beverly Hills Hotel and captain of a local polo team in the 1940s. One day at the Polo Lounge he requested a very specific list of ingredients for a salad and the McCarthy salad was born. The recipe has remained untouched and has been a signature dish at the hotel ever since.

Here it is on the current menu.

McCARTHY SALAD $44
Iceberg, Romaine, Grilled Chicken, Egg, Beets Tomatoes, Cheddar, Smoked Bacon, Avocado Balsamic Vinaigrette

By Leslie Blythe

Dates Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Pistachios

These Dates Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Pistachios is one of Evan Kleiman's signature appetizers. She recommends using Cypress Grove Purple Haze fresh goat cheese with a hint of lavender and fennel pollen. The tart tangy cheese pairs really well with the sweetness of the dates.

By Leslie Blythe

Lentil Chickpea Salad with Maple Tahini Dressing

This Lentil Chickpea Salad with Maple Tahini Dressing is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and a power bowl of nutrition. It lasts in the fridge for up to 5 days, which makes it the perfect packable lunch.

By Leslie Blythe

Tokyo Hot Dog

My daughter and her boyfriend took me to this fun brewery in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. They wanted me to try the Tokyo hot dog. All I can say is that I'm hooked and  I want to make this when I get home! I love hot dogs. This Tokyo hot dog is a new and different way to serve hot dogs. Put away the boring ketchup, mustard and relish and try this!

By Leslie Blythe

Muffuletta Sandwich

moof-fuh-LEHT-tuh or moo-foo-LE-ta
There is this place called Roma’s Market in Pasadena, California owned by Rosario Mazzeo. He is famous for The Sandwich. This wonderful sandwich is wrapped in pink butcher paper, and is simple:
crusty bread made by a Sicilian baker, a drizzle of good olive oil, a couple of slices each of capicola, mortadella, salami and provolone. It’s very plain, but utter perfection in its simplicity. We often pick them up for lunch.
The other day my husband bought a jar of Muffuletta Italian Mix. We came home and I suddenly had an epiphany - why not convert The Sandwich to a Muffuletta!? I have included a recipe from scratch, though you could go to your local Italian deli/market and buy a similar sandwich...
Napoleon House is where my aunt Marjorie and Uncle Bob, who was a political science professor at Tulane, took me for my first Muffuletta. The Napoleon House muffuletta is considered by many to be the "other" definitive version, different from most others in that it's heated. I personally prefer my muffulettas cold, but that said, they do an excellent sandwich here. Don't forget to order their signature drink, the Pimm's Cup, while you're waiting for your muff to arrive.
The Story...
Muffuletta sandwiches can be found all over New Orleans. It is a Sicilian sandwich that consists of a round loaf of bread (about 10 inches across) filled with Italian salami, olive salad, cheese, Italian ham, and freshly minced garlic. The key ingredient is the olive salad. A true Muffuletta Sandwich must always be served at room temperature, never toasted; it is considered blasphemy to heat the sandwich.
The Italian Market, the Central Grocery on Decatur Street, claims to have invented this sandwich in 1906. Italian immigrant, Signor Lupo Salvatore, owner of the Central Grocery, started making the sandwiches for the men who worked the nearby wharves and produce stalls of the French Market. Most of the farmers who sold their produce there were Sicilian. Every day they used to come to my father's grocery for lunch. They would order some salami, some ham, a piece of cheese, a little olive salad, and either long braided Italian bread or round muffuletta bread. In typical Sicilian fashion, they ate everything separately. The farmers used to sit on crates or barrels and try to eat while precariously balancing their small trays covered with food on their knees. My father suggested that it would be easier for the farmers if he cut the bread and put everything on it like a sandwich; even if it was not typical Sicilian fashion.

By Leslie Blythe