Cooking Method: Simmering

Cornflake-Crusted French Toast with Bananas

Let's take French toast to a whole new level. Cornflake-Crusted French Toast with Bananas is light and with a deliciously crunchy coating. I know it's a bit decadent, but every once and awhile... 

By Leslie Blythe

Sweet & Smoky BBQ Sauce

This Sweet & Smoky BBQ Sauce is easy to make at home with ingredients you already have on hand. The bottled stuff is great, but nothing beats homemade.

By Leslie Blythe

Fettuccine with Chicken in Tequila Lime Cream Sauce

Yesterday, we were out for lunch and there was this pasta with tequila lime cream sauce. I did not order it, but it sounded so good that I came home and made it for dinner. Fettuccine with Chicken in Tequila Lime Cream Sauce is tequila-lime marinated chicken, creamy tangy lime-cream sauce which is perfect with pasta. It would also be delicious with salmon or shrimp.

By Leslie Blythe

Raspberry Rhubarb Crostata

I know I am very lucky to have daughters who bake. This Raspberry Rhubarb Crostata is one Zoe made from Ina Garten. She actually used a combination of raspberries, strawberries and rhubarb. What I like about it is that the crust is very forgiving and free-form.

By Leslie Blythe

Curried Carrot Soup

This Curried Carrot Soup recipe with puréed sweet carrots, curry, cashews, coconut milk, and apple is not your run of the mill carrot soup. A splash of fresh lime juice transforms this carrot soup into a sophisticated indulgence.

By Leslie Blythe

Tortilla Soup

WARNING: This is gonna be hot!

There are hundreds of recipes for tortilla soup. I found on in the Los Angeles Times years ago and have been making ever since. The first time I made this soup, I made a very big mistake. Instead of putting one chipotle chile packed in adobo sauce, I put the whole 4 ounce can of chiles in! This is REALLY not a good idea. We manage to eat it anyway…. I won’t go into details!

The reason that I like this recipe is that it is not roux* based, which makes it lower in fat. When I open a can of chipotle chiles packed in adobo sauce, I put one in the recipe. The rest I wrap individually in plastic wrap and put them in a zip-lock bag and freeze them for the next time I make soup.

*Roux is a cooked mixture of flour and a cooking fat, like butter, that is used to thicken sauces and gravies.

By Leslie Blythe

Moroccan Chicken with Dates & Olives

This Moroccan Chicken with Dates & Olives is absolutely delicious and very easy to make. Here are two ways to make it, one in a pressure cooker and the other on the stove top. The chicken is melt in your mouth good!

By Leslie Blythe

Basmati & Wild Rice with Chickpeas, Currants & Herbs

Another recipe from the Jerusalem cookbook - Basmati & Wild Rice with Chickpeas, Currants & Herbs. It's absolutely delicious and can be served warm or at room temperature. It can be difficult to find dried currants in the US, so I used dried cranberries, which worked well. Oh, and did I mention the crispy fried onions on top?

By Leslie Blythe

Shabu Shabu

What is shabu shabu? It’s a Japanese hot pot, featuring paper-thin slices of meat and fresh vegetables cooked together in a large open pot.The best thing about shabu shabu is that the ingredients can be customized to your own taste and preferences, from a wagyu beef to healthy vegetables.

By Leslie Blythe

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

This Chicken and Sausage Gumbo recipe is relatively quick to pull together compared to most traditional recipes. After preparing the roux, most of the time spent making gumbo is basically hands-free. You’ll just need to stir the pot occasionally to prevent sticking. You can serve it over rice for a complete meal and freeze the leftovers in gallon-size freezer bags. If there are any leftovers! Here is the recipe.

By Leslie Blythe