Cooking Method: Baking

Baked Alaska

Growing up, my mother wasn’t exactly known for her culinary triumphs, but there was one legendary exception: Baked Alaska. She nailed it every single time. For years, I avoided making it myself, thoroughly intimidated by the whole spectacle. But lately, my father has been on a mission. Without fail, after every single meal, he’ll look around and ask, "Where is the Baked Alaska?!" With Father’s Day rolling around, I decided it was finally time to step up to the plate. As it turns out, it was actually much easier than I’ve been giving it credit for all these years.

By Leslie Blythe

Roast Chicken with Dates, Olives, and Capers

This recipe for Roast Chicken with Dates, Olives, and Capers is from Ottolenghi, who was inspired by the Chicken Marbella recipe from The Silver Palate Cookbook, by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins. Chicken Marbella is one of the most iconic recipes from the 1980’s cookbook. I was lucky enough to live around the corner from the tiny 11-by-16-foot shop, which was located at 274 Columbus Avenue (near 73rd Street) in New York City. While the classic recipe uses pitted prunes, Ottolenghi swaps them out for dates. The chicken needs to marinate for at least a day, preferably two, to soften and flavor.

By Leslie Blythe

Bacon Ranch Party Potato Casserole

This Bacon Ranch Party Potato Casserole is truly a crowd pleaser. It takes the classic Midwestern cheesy hashbrown funeral potatoes and gives them a punchy, modern upgrade by swapping out the traditional cream of chicken soup for tangy sour cream and zesty ranch seasoning, all topped with smoky bacon.

By Leslie Blythe

Bang Bang Shrimp

Instead of dealing with a messy stovetop deep-fry, this Bang Bang Shrimp is made for the oven. The shrimp is incredibly crunchy by using a smart fat-incorporation trick: mixing extra-virgin olive oil directly into the dry panko crumbs before breading. It’s served with this delicious Bang Bang Sauce. Most copycat recipes rely strictly on a heavy mayo base. This recipe cuts the mayo down significantly and introduces fresh lime juice and honey. This creates a much lighter, glaze-like sauce that yields a vibrant, tangy kick without weighing down the baked panko crust.

By Leslie Blythe

Hog Pogs

Hog Pogs are a brilliantly simple, wildly comforting vintage appetizer that hits all the best flavor notes: savory, creamy, salty, and warm. This four-ingredient appetizer is an open-faced cocktail toast. It’s raw ground Italian sausage, softened cream cheese, finely grated Parmesan, slathered on a slice of baguette and baked until golden. It can’t get any easier!

By Leslie Blythe

Easy Cheese Soufflé

Don't let the name fool you—while this is called a cheese soufflé, it’s technically a strata, though it does incorporate whipped egg whites, which helps the soufflé to puff up. It begins with rustic Italian Bread and uses fontina, Gruyère, and Parmesan cheeses. Like a strata, you refrigerate it overnight and bake it the next day, which is my kind of recipe! If you are apprehensive about making a traditional cheese soufflé, this is a good alternative.

By Leslie Blythe

Texas-Style Carrot Soufflé

While visiting my brother in Connecticut, he ordered in from Tejas Barbecue and got this Texas-Style Carrot Soufflé. It was incredibly delicious. So of course, I had to try to recreate it. A Texas-style carrot soufflé is a sweet, fluffy casserole, often served as a holiday side dish or dessert, featuring pureed carrots blended with butter, sugar, eggs, and baking powder. It is baked at 350°F until puffed and golden. The dish is popular for its light texture.

By Leslie Blythe

Baked Yams with a Parmesan Crust

Baked Yams with a Parmesan Crust are here to bring a savory, salty crunch to your table that’s totally addictive. The yams are pressed into a nutty mixture of freshly grated Parmesan. As they roast, the cheese transforms into a golden, lacy crust, which offsets the creamy, natural sweetness of the yams. It’s an effortless, budget-friendly dish that looks—and tastes—absolutely out of this world.

By Leslie Blythe

Tuscan Baked Spaghetti

Tuscan Baked Spaghetti with sun-dried tomatoes and sausage is a rustic, crowd-pleasing casserole that leans heavily into the bold, earthy flavors of Central Italy.
The brilliance of this specific combination lies in its texture. You have the silky pasta, the crumbly sausage, and the slightly leathery, intense bite of the sun-dried tomatoes. Topped with a generous dusting of freshly grated Parmesan, it hits every sensory note. Buon appetito!

By Leslie Blythe

Steak Diane Pie

This Steak Diane Pie captures the elegance of the original flambéed classic—infused with brandy, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce—and reimagines it as a rich, savory filling tucked beneath a lid of shattered-gold puff pastry. It’s creamy, boozy, and absolutely delicious. My husband always puts our guests’ initials on each pie.

The "Diane" in the name refers to Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt. Originally, Sauce à la Diane wasn't for beef at all—it was a peppery, cream-based sauce designed to complement venison (wild game).

By Leslie Blythe