Cuisine: Bread

Hot Brown Turkey Casserole

My Dad grew up in Pittsburgh and one of his favorite things a called The Turkey Devonshire Sandwich, which is a hot open-faced sandwich on toasted bread with hot turkey, bacon, tomatoes, and a cheese sauce. This sandwich was first served at The Stratford Club in Pittsburgh's Shadyside neighborhood in 1930.
I decided to make him (actually, I had my husband make it!) a Hot Brown Turkey Casserole. This also originated as a sandwich called the Hot Brown and was invented in 1926 at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky to absorb the bourbon that guests had the night before. The 2 sandwiches are very similar, though I think the chef in Pittsburgh obviously copied it and changed the name!. Anyway, this is the casserole version, which is much easier to make and feeds a hungry or hungover crowd!

By Leslie Blythe

Beans with Leeks, White Beans and Cheddar on Toast

So, this Beans with Leeks, White Beans and Cheddar on Toast is a recipe that I adapted from a recipe from Nigel Slater. It was posted in The Guardian and it's basically "posh beans on toast". Beans on Toast is a British institution. The reason I made it is because I had the ingredients on hand and because I love leeks. Leeks are massively underappreciated and really add so much so many dishes. It was delicious and I initially thought I would have to serve soup with it, but that was not the case. You can adapt this recipe to ingredients you have.

By Leslie Blythe

Caraway Rye Bread (bread machine or by hand)

I bought a loaf of bread the other day and it was terrible, so I made croutons out of it. I happened to have some rye flour and a lot of yeast on hand. I dusted off my Williams-Sonoma bread machine that my late mother-in-law Jerry bought me years ago. I chose this Caraway Rye Bread recipe and it was absolutely delicious. I have also included the instructions to make it by hand.

By Leslie Blythe

Italian Style Soffritto Garlic Spread

I happen to love crushed red pepper flakes, so much so, that I have many packets in my purse at all times. I literally can't eat pizza without it. I recently bought Trader Joe’s Italian Style Soffritto Seasoning Blend* and love it. My husband Eric made this Italian Style Soffritto Garlic Spread on some leftover dinner rolls the other night. It was SO good, actually a little too good!

*If you do not have access to a Trader Joe's you could make your own Soffritto. The mixture consists of dried minced onion, tomato flakes, sea salt, dried minced garlic, crushed chili peppers, parsley flakes, crushed red pepper, dried sage leaves.

By Leslie Blythe

Lemon Rosemary Zucchini Bread

You turn your back on the garden for a day and then find a 5-pound zucchini the size of a baseball bat! I decided to make some zucchini bread, but I wanted something a bit different. I found this Lemon Rosemary Zucchini Bread. It has great flavor. I love to put it in the toaster.

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Cornmeal, Bacon, and Sun-Dried Tomato Madeleines

These Cornmeal, Bacon, and Sun-Dried Tomato Madeleines are about as good as it gets! For some reason, I happen to own 4 French Madeleine pans! I love the savory flavor that the bacon and sun-dried tomatoes impart. These are great to serve with a glass of wine.

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Socca

This recipe for Socca is from Drinking French, by David Lebovitz. I decided to make it because I have leftover chickpea flour from my Onion Bhaji recipe. Socca, farinata, torta di ceci, or cecina is a type of thin, unleavened pancake or crêpe made from chickpea flour. It originated in Genoa and later became a typical food of the Ligurian Sea coast, from Nice to Elba island. The great thing is that it's gluten-free. It has a very interesting texture and is really good served with an ice-cold rosé from Province.

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Josephina’s

I used to cater a big party on New Year's Eve every year and someone always brought this hors d'oeuvres called Josephina’s. It was one of the most delicious appetizers I've ever had. People inhaled them, or as they say in England - "Hoovered" them up. You've got to try them!

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Hatch Chile Cheddar Cornbread

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Gege’s Banana Bread

Gege's Banana Bread recipe is from my husband's grandmother. It was always made in this Cane Mixing Bowl by Mason Cash. I guess it just tastes better if you make in this bowl. I always seem to have several overripe bananas lurking on the counter. This recipe makes one loaf of bread, but I like to make 3 small loaves and freeze some.

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