Cooking Method: Baking

Sticky Bacon and Sage Wrapped Cocktail Sausages

I always have cocktail sausages in the fridge. You never know when you're going to have a party! These Sticky Bacon and Sage Wrapped Cocktail Sausages are really good and don't last long. 

By Leslie Blythe

Creamy, Cheesy Chipotle Chicken

A chipotle is a smoke-dried jalapeño. You can buy chipotles in a can with adobo sauce, which has chipotles that are stewed in a sauce with tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, salt, and spices. The first time I made tortilla soup, I used a whole can of chipotles! The recipe called for one canned chipotle. Let's just say it was smoking hot soup!!!
This Creamy, Cheesy Chipotle Chicken has a great smoky flavor and is cheesy and comforting. It's easy to make and perfect for a dinner after a busy day.

By Leslie Blythe

Tiramisu Layer Cake

My daughter Grace made this spectacular Tiramisu Layer Cake. This traditional Italian dessert is made with a sponge cake then layered with a creamy mascarpone filling, doused in coffee, coffee liqueur and topped with cocoa powder and chocolate curls.

By Leslie Blythe

Ginger Cake

This recipe for Ginger Cake is adapted from The Book of Jewish Food, by Claudia Roden. She has written many cookbooks and is best known as the author of Middle Eastern cookbooks including A Book of Middle Eastern Food, The New Book of Middle Eastern Food and Arabesque—Sumptuous Food from Morocco, Turkey, and Lebanon.

This cake is best made 3 days before you want to eat it, and it keeps a long time. I served it with a dollop of ginger preserves.

By Leslie Blythe

Banana Butterscotch Muffins

My husband made these Banana Butterscotch Muffins from Nigella Lawson's book, Nigella Express.Nigella says you can substitute white chocolate chips for the butterscotch chips, but her favorite is dark chocolate. Personally, I love the butterscotch.

By Leslie Blythe

Spaghetti and Beetballs with Kale and Lemon Butter

I ran into my friend Meghan the other day and she said she made this Spaghetti and Beetballs with Kale and Lemon Butter for her daughter, who is vegan. Beets are one of my very favorite things to eat, especially if they are pickled, and even for breakfast. Admittedly, this recipe is in the completely bizarre category, but I have to say it was delicious (even my husband liked it). The recipe calls for vegan butter and parmesan and gluten-free pasta. I did not use vegan anything, but if you happen to be vegan you will love everything about this. Suspend your disbelief and give it a try.

By Leslie Blythe

Nigella’s Cocktail Sausages

Nigella's Cocktail Sausages have sesame oil, honey, and soy sauce which give them a sweet-savory stickiness that makes this hors d'oeuvres not last long. It's a very easy appetizer or snack to make for any party.

By Leslie Blythe

Sticky Toffee Banana Cake

I happen to have a ton of bananas. I stumbled upon this recipe for Sticky Toffee Banana Cake, which is an excellent way of using them. This cake has amazing banana flavor and is topped with a rich, sticky and creamy toffee sauce. It's just too good to be true!

By Leslie Blythe

Amarena Cheesecake

The Amarena cherry is a small bitter dark colored Italian cherry grown in Bologna and Modena, Italy. It is usually bottled in syrup and used as a decoration on desserts.

These luscious and intensely flavorful amarena cherries can be used in place of any dish that requires ordinary candied cherries. You will find no end to using them. Use them for toppings, over pancakes, ice cream, dessert, champagne and even a glass of seltzer. My husband made this cheesecake recipe which came attached to the jar.

By Leslie Blythe

Pastéis de Nata (Portuguese Egg Tarts)

I was watching the Portugal episode of Somebody Feed Phil. I love Phil. Anyway, while eating his way through his trip he kept eating Pastéis de Nata, which is a specialty all over Portugal. They are little egg tarts with a cinnamon flavored custard nestled in a flaky puff pastry crust. I had to try them. There a very few Portugese Bakeries in Los Angeles, but I found Natas Pastries in Sherman Oaks. The beautiful tile covered walls made me feel like I was in Europe. We actually had a wonderful lunch there and then had these little custard tarts. Needless to say, I must go back VERY soon.

By Leslie Blythe