Cooking Method: Sautéing

Caesar Salad with Pancetta

This is Ina Garten's Caesar Salad with Pancetta. It has crispy cubes of pancetta, which is an Italian bacon made of pork belly meat that is salt cured. She also adds roasted cherry tomatoes that are bursting with natural flavor.

By Leslie Blythe

Shrimp Caneel

This Shrimp Caneel recipe is something I used to make a lot when I was newly married. I often made it with chicken. It's a Caribbean inspired dish with a touch of curry powder. The recipe comes from one of my all-time favorite cookbooks, Beyond Parsley, the cookbook of the Junior League of Kansas City, Missouri.

By Leslie Blythe

Sweet, Sticky and Spicy Chicken

What could be better than Sweet, Sticky and Spicy Chicken? It's very fast and easy to make and guaranteed to be a hit the whole family will love. This chicken dish uses boneless skinless chicken breast and tastes delicious. Great as an appetizer or as a main dish served over rice.

By Leslie Blythe

Blackened Chicken with Avocado Cream Sauce

This Blackened Chicken with Avocado Cream Sauce is a perfect blend of paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper. The Avocado Cream acts as a cooling agent to tone down the spiciness. This spice blend would also work really well on fish. You can serve it with rice, quinoa or as a taco.

By Leslie Blythe

Persian-ish Rice with Tahdig

Tahdig is a special Iranian cuisine with a crispy, browned layer of rice at the bottom of the rice pot that everyone wants. The bottom layer of the rice gets pan-fried while the rice above it gets steamed. There are a few ways to make tahdig. The simplest is to use plain rice. This recipe mixes the rice with yogurt to give it a thick, pasty texture before spreading it in the pot. It comes from Samin Nosrat's, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking Netflix episode 4 - Heat.

By Leslie Blythe

Corn Medallions with Aioli, Cotija Cheese and Lime

My daughter Zoe made these Corn Medallions with Aioli, Cotija Cheese and Lime. It’s basically Mexican-style street corn sautéed instead of grilled.

It’s the perfect mashup of the balanced flavors that comprise great dishes - sweet corn, garlic aioli, sour lime, and salty cheese.

Cotija cheese is named after the town of Cotija, Michoacán where it originated, Cotija cheese has a strong, salty flavor and mostly used as a topping or mixed into sauces. Feta is a good substitute.

By Leslie Blythe

Shrimp, Leek, and Spinach Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce

My husband was out of town last weekend and I can never figure out what to eat. Usually, I buy something ready made. I can see your eyes rolling, but I do cook a lot and sometimes get tired of it. Though this time I decided to make myself an elegant lunch. Why not?

This Shrimp, Leek, and Spinach Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce is quick to make. The dish relies on the leeks, tang of lemons with the richness of cream sauce for its flavor.

By Leslie Blythe

Black Eyed Peas for New Years Day

Eating Black Eyed Peas on New Year’s Day is a Southern Tradition for Luck and Prosperity in the New Year.  I think we could all use some luck in 2019!

By Leslie Blythe

Lemony Yogurt Brussels Sprouts Casserole

Brussel sprouts often get a bad wrap! This Lemony Yogurt Brussels Sprouts Casserole is a lighter, fresher way to serve them. I'm always trying to come up with new ways to serve Brussels Sprouts and this recipe is definitely a keeper. This method would also work with broccoli or cauliflower.

By Leslie Blythe

Albondigas Soup

Family Traditions
Every Christmas eve, my wonderful mother-in-law made the most amazing Albondigas soup. I still carry on the tradition. She also serves tamales, which she used to buy every year from a secret source in East Los Angeles. I now make my own tamales!

By Leslie Blythe