Beyoncé wasn’t joking when she said “girls run the world,” former WNBA superstar Lisa Leslie took the time out to chat with Vixen about her latest foodie venture with Boston Market and we were certainly blown away. When the three-time WNBA MVP is not reminiscing about her successes as an Olympic champ, she is in the kitchen cooking up her favorite recipes. And for the holiday season, she’s teamed up with Boston Market to bring in the holiday, the hearty way.
The baller diva gave us the inside scoop of her inspiration for cooking, her signature dish for the holiday and her advice to those who are less inclined in the kitchen. With Thanksgiving tomorrow, Leslie was generous enough to share one of her favorite easy-to-cook 3-course meals that will have all your guests begging for more.
Check out her yummy recipes below and don’t be afraid to hop into the kitchen and get started.
Photo Credit: Getty
VIBE Vixen: Who inspires your cooking?
My husband inspires my cooking. He grew up in Texas so I have incorporated some Southern dishes and spices into my recipes.
What is your favorite holiday to cook for?
Thanksgiving because that is when the majority of my family come over to participate in the cooking and celebration.
Are you big on traditional holiday meals or do you like to switch it up?
I am big on traditional holiday meals. One thing I like to do to make my life easier, though, is rely on the experts at Boston Market to help me with my traditional sides, like sweet potatoes, creamed spinach and more.
What is your favorite meal to cook?
Seafood Gumbo. It is my award-winning recipe. It might not be easy but it worth it.
Now that we know what your favorite dish to cook is, what dish is your signature one?
My signature dish is my homemade baked macaroni and cheese. My family all look forward to it every Thanksgiving.
What would your advice be to someone that is not a pro in the kitchen?
One easy way to handle Thanksgiving is to order the turkey and all the fixings from Boston Market. Just throw away the bag [laughs].
How do you balance cooking for the holidays and spending time with your family?
It is a tradition for me to make a fried turkey and my mac and cheese BUT for the other sides, I use Boston Market as a base and then customize with my own ingredients. For example, I use the cinnamon apples to make a great apple cobbler and the creamed spinach as a base for a spinach pie.
Photo Credit: Getty
Lisa’s Recipes for Creamed Spinach Pie:
Ingredients:
2 cups Boston Market® Creamed Spinach
3 large eggs
½ cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1 8-inch prepared pie crust
½ cup fried onions
Cooking Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Place the creamed spinach in a mixing bowl.
3. Wisk eggs and mix with creamed spinach.
4. Fill pie crust with the spinach mixture, top with Gruyere cheese and place in oven.
5. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown.
6. Remove from oven. Top with fried onions and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Lisa’s Recipes for Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
2 cups Boston Market® Mashed Potatoes
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced and roasted
Directions for Roasting Garlic:
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Peel garlic cloves, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.
3. Place on a cookie sheet and roast in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
Directions for Garlic Mashed Potatoes:
1. In a mixing bowl, combine hot mashed potatoes and roasted garlic and mix well.
2. Place mixture in a casserole dish.
3. Heat in microwave for 3-4 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the mashed potatoes are warm.
Lisa’s Recipes for Apple Cobbler
Streusel Topping Ingredients:
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ pound (1 stick) butter
Pinch of salt
Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients together by hand until it forms pea size nuggets.
Cobbler Ingredients:
3 cups Boston Market® Cinnamon Apples
1 cup streusel topping, see recipe above
Vanilla ice cream
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Fill a 6” x 12” x 2” casserole dish with cinnamon apples.
3. Top with streusel topping.
4. Place in preheated oven and bake for 18 minutes and let cool for 5 minutes.
5. Serve with a vanilla ice cream.
Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients:
6 cups Boston Market® Green Beans
1 pound button mushrooms, quartered and stemmed
½ cup yellow onion, minced
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
2/3 cup red bell pepper, diced
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups 2% milk
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
¼ cup Parmesan garlic bread crumbs
½ cup fried onions
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add onion, garlic and sauté until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add bell pepper and mushrooms, and cook until softened and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 6 minutes. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Set aside to cool.
3. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add ¼ cup flour, whisk constantly until mixture begins to turn a light almond color, about 2 minutes. Pour in milk, and continue whisking until mixture has thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in cayenne pepper, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Add mushroom and bell pepper mixture. Toss with green beans.
4. Butter a 6” x 12” x 2” casserole dish. Spread half the green bean mixture over the bottom. Sprinkle on half the shredded Parmesan, and spread with the remaining green beans. Combine the remaining Parmesan and breadcrumbs, and sprinkle over casserole.
5. Place in preheated oven. Cook covered, until mixture is bubbly and heated through, about 10 minutes. Uncover, and cook until top is golden brown, about 30 seconds. Top with fried onions and serve immediately.