Leslie Keller Books

I've dined in the Chart House restaurant in Scottsdale many times over the years. It has a great view of a large pond that abuts the McCormick Ranch golf course. I can't recall a time when the restaurant was full which is surprising because I've never had a bad meal nor bad service.  If you go, make sure to ask for a table with a view.  The ducks, swans and egrets will keep you entertained if your dinner companion bores you. I dined on a Sunday evening with a friend. We started with the salad bar which they now call the Farmer's Bar.  I could be wrong but I felt like it had been trimmed down somewhat from past years, however it still includes caviar, Caesar salad, some pasta and potato salad selections with extras.  At only $10 in addition to your entre it's about standard for a salad course. The advantage is you can go back as many times as you like.  Despite the idea of a salad bar at a nice restaurant, it's good. My friend ordered the Shrimp, Crab, Av...

My readers have been asking me to include recipes in my books. Since the Wild Bronco Steakhouse only exists in my imagination, there are no actual recipes to include. However, I have many of my own recipes which I think would work in the restaurant.  As part of my regular posts, I will be including at least one new recipe every month. This is a recipe I've used for years which was modified from an original in my Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook copyright in 1980. I'm amazed I've had this cookbook for so many years and I still use it for some of my favorites. Here is my version of their original recipe. 13.5 ounce package Graham Cracker Crumbs 5 - 8 ounce packages of cream cheese (you can lighten the recipe slightly by using reduce or fat free cream cheese 1 3/4 cups sugar (plus sugar for the crust as specified on the box) 3 tablespoons flour 2 egg yolks 5 whole eggs 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream 1 tablespoon grated orange peel - optional, I usually lea...

Here's a cocktail which will get the bull raging and keep you cool at the same time. This is made with a few simple ingredients and you can change it around by using limeade or another flavor of frozen sherbet. 1 1/2 ounces Tequila 1 ounce Pineapple Juice - fresh, canned or frozen concentrate 1 ounce Orange Juice - fresh or frozen concentrate 1 tablespoon Lime Juice - fresh or bottled If you replace the fresh juice with frozen concentrate use less ice. Combine ingredients in a blender with ice. Blend thoroughly. Pour into a Collins or parfait glass. Garnish with pineapple or orange slice. Happy Trails, Leslie Visit my website Twitter       Instagram       Facebook       Menu for Murder       Cocktails at Sunset

I selected this book on impulse because it had almost five hundred four star reviews on Amazon.  The cover description was intriguing but the story left much to be desired.  Be forewarned that this review includes spoilers. The book starts with Willa Drake as a young woman whose mother disappears one night. The reader doesn’t know if she was fed up with her life and walked away or committed suicide.  Willa has a confusing relationship with her father but seems close to her younger sister. I was perplexed as to what was happening between the family members because the story was so ambiguous. After several chapters of meandering, a new chapter begins with Willa married with grown sons.   A few short paragraphs into the new chapter her husband dies in a car accident.  The reader knows nothing about what got her to this place and what happened in her life to make her the person she has become.  The author alludes to a strained relationship with her...