Cuisine: Cheese

Cheesy Ham & Potato Casserole

I have a terrible habit of putting food in my freezer and then not using it. They other day, we had "nothing" in the fridge to eat, so after rummaging through my freezer I found some ham and made this Cheesy Ham & Potato Casserole. You could make it your own by adding any vegetables you have on hand.

Note to self - I really need to have a running list of what's in my freezer with a use by date!

By Leslie Blythe

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

Ravioli Casserole

This Ravioli Casserole is my "lazy" lasagna. It's a combination of ground beef, cheese, pasta sauce and cheese ravioli. I have also made Spinach Artichoke Ravioli Casserole, which is also quick and easy to make. This is perfect for a family weeknight meal.

By Leslie Blythe

Baked Cacio e Pepe Pie

My brother David made this Baked Cacio e Pepe Pie for dinner and said it was awesome and ridiculously easy to make. It's a recipe by MARY ELIZABETH WILLIAMS, Salon, that is Inspired by David Leibovitz and Food & Wine. I know, it's a lot of tags, but if you are interested, read on!

By Leslie Blythe

Hatch Chile Rice

I know I should have posted my Irish recipes, but I made this Hatch Chile Rice last night and it was really good. You could add chicken to it and make it more of a main course. I found these El Pinto chiles at my local supermarket. I am glad that Hatch Chiles have finally made it into the mainstream. I used to go every September and buy a VERY large Hefty Bag of them and have them roasted. Then I would bring them home and freeze 6 in ziplock bags. It took up most of my freezer! My car smelled like chiles for months! My daughters were not thrilled with this when they were little. Yes, I know I have a problem!

By Leslie Blythe

Baked Feta Pasta Trend From TikTok

I usually view viral recipes with a raised eyebrow, though I have to admit, this is a brilliant method for making cheesy pasta with absolutely no effort.  As I usually do, I changed it to suit my taste. Instead of using a block of feta cheese, I used goat cheese and used fresh thyme, and oregano instead of basil. I  also added some onion. The beauty of this dish is that you can make it your own and use what you have on hand. I'm sure I will get a lot of flack for going off the rails, but tant pis (means too bad in French and also the name of our family cat - it's a long story!...)

This viral TikTok recipe originally came from Tiiu Piret, who posted a version of the dish on her blog in February 2018, fellow Finnish blogger Jenni Hayrinen is credited with making uunifetapasta (Finnish for “oven-baked feta pasta”) go viral in her country after posting her simplified version a year later. The stores actually ran out of feta cheese. See Washington Post article. Because I am a lazy cook, this suits me to a tee!

By Leslie Blythe

Artichoke Heart Carbonara

Our whole family is obsessed with carbonara. When there is nothing to eat, this is our go-to meal. It's simple, fast and so good. This Artichoke Heart Carbonara is a vegetarian version (no bacon here!). Oh, and did I mention, we LOVE artichokes?! Fortunately, I always have cans of artichokes in my pantry. 

By Leslie Blythe

Artichoke Melts

Here's a different idea for lunch. We tend to have a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches, and that gets rather boring. So to change it up, try these Artichoke Melts. I always have cans of artichoke hearts in the pantry. It has slices of hard-boiled eggs on the bottom and is topped with a mixture of artichoke hearts, cheddar cheese, Dijon mustard, mayo, garlic powder, and some dill before going under the broiler until it's golden brown. Yum!

By Leslie Blythe

French Onion Cauliflower

I love French Onion Soup and decided to take the idea and transform a head of cauliflower. It turned out rather delicious. I caramelized some onions and topped the florets with some Gruyère cheese and croutons. I went back into my archives and found my recipe for French Onion Chicken Meatballs, which is also a winner.

By Leslie Blythe

Arancini

I have never been a fan of leftovers. However, I do like to turn leftovers into a completely new dish. These Arancini are a perfect example.

Arancini are the epitome of southern Italian street food. They are stuffed with mozzarella, dredged in breadcrumbs, and deep-fried. They are great as hors d'oeuvres dipped or served on a bed of lettuce as a light lunch.

By Leslie Blythe