Cuisine: Cheese

Buffalo Chicken Nachos

Well, for starters, I'm not a huge football fan. I only watch the Super Bowl for the ads and typically root for the team that is winning. I'm only half paying attention, though I do provide good snackage! I used to make my late mother-in-law a plate of nachos while she watched the USC games. She loved nachos and I loved making them for her. I always enjoyed hearing her screaming "GO, GO, GO!" This is a rather long-winded intro to my Buffalo Chicken Nachos, which is a variation of the traditional nacho recipe. You can make this buffalo chicken in the instant pot or a slow cooker. There was also the infamous Buffalo Chicken Pizza Incident, which you can read about...

By Leslie Blythe

Scottish Rumbledethumps

This Scottish Rumbledethumps is game-changing. Rumbledethumps is a traditional dish from the Scottish Borders. The main ingredients are leftover mashed potatoes and cabbage. Similar to Irish colcannon, and English bubble and squeak, it is either served as an accompaniment to a main dish or as a main dish itself.

The beauty of the dish is it can be made the day before and heated up. It can be a side dish alongside a hearty stew, or, if you prefer to eat it on its own, with a fried egg on top.

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

Dutch Baby with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Pancetta & Arugula

I love making Dutch Baby pancakes for lunch or dinner. A Dutch baby pancake, sometimes called a German pancake is a large American popover or British Yorkshire pudding.
I made this Dutch Baby with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Pancetta & Arugula because they were the ingredients I had on hand. It's very versatile, you can change the type of cheese, you could use bacon instead of pancetta, etc.

By Leslie Blythe

Mexican Fideo (Vermicelli)

I was researching ways to use Fideo pasta (Vermicelli) and ran across this recipe. It was actually called Sopa de Fideo, though there is nothing "soupy" about this. It's more like a tomato mac & cheese. Regardless, this Mexican Fideo (Vermicelli) (I renamed it!) was a huge hit with my husband. It only took 10 minutes to make. If you have kids at home, this is a must-try dish.

By Leslie Blythe

Cranberry Rosemary Cheese Spread

This jewel-studded Cranberry Rosemary Cheese Spread is a delicious combination of flavors. It even has dried apricots in it. It would actually be delicious on a toasted bagel.

By Leslie Blythe

Chopped Salad with Medjool Dates, Manchego & Farro

My husband had this Chopped Salad with Medjool Dates, Manchego & Farro salad at a restaurant called True Food Kitchen. You can add salmon to the top to make it more of a meal. I am in love with this salad, mainly because it has so many textures. It calls for Marcona almonds, but I used toasted slivered almonds instead.

Farro is a food composed of the grains of certain wheat species. Because it contains more fiber than other popular grains like rice or even quinoa, farro might have even more positive benefits when it comes to digestion and cardiovascular health. It's also exceptionally high in protein for a grain and supplies more than 10 different vitamins and minerals.

By Leslie Blythe

Cauliflower-Cheese Pie with Grated Potato Crust

This Cauliflower-Cheese Pie with Grated Potato Crust is a recipe from the Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen, which was written in 1977.  It was listed by the New York Times as one of the top ten best-selling cookbooks of all time. She was a pioneer in vegetarian cuisine. It's very dated and yet right on par with what we all should be thinking about - using simple ingredients to create an interesting and delicious meal.

I brought this cookbook with me when I was a newlywed in London. I always write notations in all my cookbooks and this particular recipe said it was a definite "make again". We have been strictly quarantining in our home this past week and happen to have the ingredients to make this. It had been years since I did, and now I wonder why it took me so long to revisit this.

By Leslie Blythe

Polish Sausage, Sauerkraut and Pasta Bake

This Polish Sausage, Sauerkraut and Pasta Bake had my husband's name all over it. Oddly enough, I had all the ingredients. It's actually quite delicious and I think the next time I make it, I will use diced par-boiled potatoes instead of pasta, but it was good, it's up to you.

By Leslie Blythe

Cheesy Brussels Sprout and Bacon Bake

I saw this Cheesy Brussels Sprout and Bacon Bake on Diane Morrisey's Instagram account and she dared anyone to make it and not take a bite right out of the pan. Well, she was right, I did do just that. This is just a great combination all done in one pan. I dare you to make it!

By Leslie Blythe