Cooking Method: Baking

Make-Ahead French Toast Casserole with Caramel-Hazelnut Topping

While on the east coast, one of my best friends Jessica and her husband Marc just happened to be visiting her mom for the weekend, who lives not far from me, and invited me to brunch. She made this fantastic Make-Ahead French Toast Casserole with Caramel-Hazelnut Topping. It is a delicious and easy-to-make breakfast dish that can be prepared ahead of time. It is made with day-old bread, eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. The bread is soaked in the egg mixture overnight, which makes it soft and custardy. The casserole is then baked until golden brown and topped with a caramel-hazelnut topping. You can use pecans or walnuts if you prefer.
This recipe is perfect for busy mornings or when you want to make a special breakfast for guests. It can be made up to 24 hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator. When you are ready to bake, simply remove the casserole from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes. Then, bake according to the instructions.

By Leslie Blythe

Vegetable & Goat Cheese Tart

I am in Connecticut for a while staying with my mom. I found a fabulous little farmers market super close by at the Stamford Museum & Nature Center. I bought some vegetables and decided to make this Vegetable & Goat Cheese Tart. This tart is very versatile. You can use any combination of vegetables. You can make one big one or individual tarts. I used herbed goat cheese, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, and asparagus. It's so simple and easy to make. Serve it with a mixed green salad.

By Leslie Blythe

Coronation Quiche

I finally decided to make the controversial Coronation Quiche. I have to say, it's rather underwhelming. I had to hold back from adding shallots, and more cheese. I think it's a risky thing to make for guests due to the addition of tarragon, which you either love or hate. It's described on the King's website as A deep quiche with a crisp, light pastry case and delicate flavours of Spinach, Broad Beans and fresh Tarragon. Eat hot or cold with a green salad and boiled new potatoes - perfect for a Coronation Big Lunch! I beg to differ. Give me Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation Chicken!

By Leslie Blythe

Hash Brown Casserole

I made this Hash Brown Casserole, which is a copycat Cracker Barrel recipe. However, I did not use any condensed canned soup. Every single person at the table said WOW this is so good. I was told to keep this in my rotation!

By Leslie Blythe

Hot Pimiento Cheese Dip

Hot Pimiento Cheese Dip is a classic Southern dish that is perfect for parties or game day. It is made with cream cheese, mayonnaise, cheddar and jack cheese, pimientos, and scallions, and it is baked until it is bubbly and golden brown. Serve it with crackers, chips, or vegetables for a delicious and easy appetizer.

By Leslie Blythe

Asparagus Tart with Fromage Blanc & Comté

It was 10 years ago that I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I am cancer-free and intent on staying that way. During all the chemo and radiation, I asked my friends to send me recipes so that I could keep blogging every single day… Why I thought I had to keep doing it is crazy. I now blog when I want to! This recipe is from one of my best friends Jessica. She knows more about me than anyone, which is rather frightening (for her)!

Guest blogger Jessica (Denver, CO). Spring has not sprung yet here in Colorado, but we’re doing our damnedest to pretend that it has. So I broke out this great recipe, loosely adapted from an Epicurious recipe, to brighten up a recent dinner with out-of-town guests. It was just delicious.

By Leslie Blythe

Peanut Butter, Scallion, and Bacon Canapés

We used to be members of the California Club in downtown Los Angeles. They often served these peanut butter and bacon canapés that were our favorite. Peanut butter and bacon are a classic combination, and the scallions add a nice freshness and crunch. The combination of salty and sweet flavors is really addictive. I will admit, the recipe sounds extremely strange, and when I made these, they disappeared in less than 5 minutes! My husband insists that the Cal Club version was lots of butter, then peanut butter, then bacon on toast.

By Leslie Blythe

Baked Bacon and Leek Risotto

I found this recipe on Sainsbury's website. I have completely changed it. Yes, Baked Bacon and Leek Risotto is much easier to make than stovetop risotto. The oven does the hard work of cooking the rice, so you don't have to stand over the stove stirring constantly. This dish is also less likely to overcook, as the oven will keep the risotto moist and creamy.

By Leslie Blythe

Tortuga Rum Cake

I made this Tortuga Rum Cake. It has a combination of almond and all-purpose flours, which makes the cake moist. You pour rum syrup over the cake while it's warm so the syrup soaks into the cake. Rum cakes are very popular in the Caribbean and were made available by the Tortuga Rum Company, Ltd, which was the first rum maker in the Cayman Islands in 1984. They then used their rum to make the famous Tortuga Caribbean Rum Cake in 1987. You can order them online, but it's easy to make your own.

By Leslie Blythe

Egg Boats

I often have random leftover ingredients from various catering events. These Egg Boats are a product of that. I used goat cheese, but you can use your favorite cheese.

By Leslie Blythe