Cooking Method: Sautéing

Butternut Squash Soup with Cannellini Beans, Ham and Swiss Chard

I made this Butternut Squash Soup with Cannellini Beans, Ham and Swiss Chard with leftover ingredients I had In my fridge. Here are two ways to make it - on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot. You could also purée a few cups of it to make it a creamy soup. Serve it with some good crusty bread and a salad. I love butternut squash, which has more potassium than a banana. Its benefits are too many to mention!

By Leslie Blythe

Bistro Pepper Steak

My husband has been watching Chef Stephane from The French Cooking Academy on YouTube. You can learn how to make a pan sauce for steak like the kind you get in a Parisian bistro. Oh, what I would do to be in any Parisian bistro right now!

Anyway, here is the recipe for Bistro Pepper Steak. The key is deglazing the pan. My husband threw in some mushrooms, which are not in the original recipe. You can watch Stephane make it in this video.

By Leslie Blythe

Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Flatbread

I made this quick Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Flatbread last night. I used store-bought naan, but you can use any type of flatbread. You can use crumbled goat cheese, blue cheese or feta cheese and it can be made about 20 minutes ahead and then popped in the oven before serving.

By Leslie Blythe

Pollo a la Mostaza (Chicken with Mustard)

A few years ago, we met our friends at their favorite Mexican restaurant. They always order this Pollo a la Mostaza (Chicken with Mustard). This isn't anything we would have ever ordered, but we tried it. It's probably one of the best things we have ever had. We think and talk about it all the time. We went back and talked to several waitresses to find out what the ingredients were. I had already figured out what it was and they confirmed it. So my husband and I worked on recreating it at home. It took a few times, but this is it. We nailed it. This is the description on the menu:

Grilled chicken breast with our special creamy mustard sauce enhanced with chipotle. Served on a bed of rice and Julienne vegetables.
It's sweet, spicy and has these crispy frizzled carrots and leeks on the top... 

By Leslie Blythe

Acorn Squash with Sausage, Peas & Onions

This Acorn Squash with Sausage, Peas & Onions is surprisingly simple, inexpensive, and delicious. It's also very versatile given that you can add anything that you have on hand, like mushrooms, broccoli. etc. This is one of our favorite dinners. My mother-in-law used to make this for us. It reminds me of her every time I make it.

By Leslie Blythe

Grilled Sausages with Caramelized Onions on Corn Polenta

Grilled Sausages with Caramelized Onions on Corn Polenta is a delicious combination. The sausages are nestled on a bed of polenta that has fresh corn and Parmesan cheese and then topped with grilled sausages and richly sweet, caramelized onions. It's perfect for a cool autumn night.

By Leslie Blythe

White Bean Dip with Herbs

This White Bean Dip with Herbs is creamy and a nice change from hummus. Cannellini beans are White Kidney Beans, which are a little meatier than Navy or Great Northern beans, they have a nutty, earthy flavor. You can use any white bean for this recipe. Chickpeas, also known as Garbanzo Beans, which are used in hummus, are a bit grainier in texture. The fresh herbs and garlic shine through. You can serve it with vegetables or pita chips.

By Leslie Blythe

Chicken & Stuffing Casserole

I made this Chicken & Stuffing Casserole for my Dad. It's a bit of a jump start on Thanksgiving. You can use chicken or turkey. I used chicken thighs. It's covered in stuffing and baked until it's golden brown and crunchy on top. There are no cans of condensed soup involved in this recipe. You can make it ahead and put it in the oven later in the day. Usually, you would make something like this to use up leftovers, but I threw caution to the wind and made it now. Oh, and I also made him a pumpkin pie. If only i could wear a sweater and go out for a walk through some piles of fallen leaves!  This is the one thing I truly hate about living in Los Angeles in the autumn, I feel like I've been robbed! That will change in February!

By Leslie Blythe

Chicken Saltimbocca

Saltimbocca (alla Romana or Roman-Style) is an Italian dish made of veal lined or wrapped with prosciutto and sage; marinated in wine, oil. This dish is also popular in southern Switzerland. My friend Melanie made this Chicken Saltimbocca, which is the American version that uses chicken instead of veal, spinach instead of sage and is rolled up and cooked in stock or you could use white wine. Saltimbocca in Italian means 'jump in your mouth’.

By Leslie Blythe

Milanese-Style Savoy Cabbage

My husband Eric seems to be obsessed wtih Savoy cabbage lately. He has made several versions. This Milanese-Style Savoy cabbage is loosely based on a recipe from Academia Barilla. Savoy cabbage has a mild flavor, and works really well sliced thinly in soups and stir-fries.

By Leslie Blythe