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Home | Lisa Amtower

Lisa Amtower

A lifelong horsewoman and fox hunter, Lisa has been playing in the kitchen since she could reach the counter and get in her mom’s way. Growing up, she eagerly awaited the monthly arrival of Gourmet magazine, and much experimentation ensued with each issue. Her sister was a close collaborator in those endeavors. Lisa loves to plan for the next dinner party, and Thanksgiving is her most favorite day of the year.

Every Wednesday, Lisa teams up with three brilliant women at the local Salvation Army Community Center, where they produce up to 120 hot lunches for those in need. Creativity is the name of the game, and they all look forward to cooking hearty and healthy meals from the abundant food donations. They take turns being head chefs, and after every Wednesday service, they look forward to the next week.

Famously unfettered in the kitchen, Lisa admits that being a Leite’s Tester has brought new discipline to her cooking and made her even more adventurous. Lisa was hooked on Leite’s Culinaria when she took her first bite of David’s Ham and Cheddar Biscuits. Since then, her list of favorites has grown to include Beef Stew with Red Wine, and Cranberry Upside-Down Cake for an exceptionally beautiful dinner party dessert. She lives in upstate New York with horses, cats, and a husband.

A horse with a bridle on.
Sliced skirt steak topped with salsa with a bowl of salsa and charred lime halves on the side.

Seared Skirt Steak with Salsa

50 mins

A skillet with three chicken thighs on top of a mixture of leeks, rosemary, and cannellini beans.

Rosemary Chicken and Beans in a Creamy Cider Broth

1 hr 30 mins

A platter of meatball Stroganoff over buttered noodles.

Meatball Stroganoff

1 hr

Oven roasted radishes topped with herbs on a baking sheet.

Buttery Oven Roasted Radishes

40 mins

Two bowls filled with mashed potatoes and topped with beef stew.

Slow Cooker Irish Beef Stew

8 hrs 45 mins

A large yellow Dutch oven with a roast chicken on a bed of cooked shallots, topped with lemon zest and herbs.

Dutch Oven-Roast Chicken and Shallots

3 hrs

Five chicken breast pieces with grill marks on a platter, topped with halved cherry tomatoes, scallions, and cilantro.

Spicy Honey Lime Chicken

1 hr 30 mins

A rectangular baking dish filled with roast chicken, lemon slices, and garlic cloves.

Honey Glazed Chicken with Garlic Confit

1 hr 50 mins

Four pieces of pan seared salmon in a sweet tahini sauce, topped with pomegranate and pine nuts.

Pan Seared Salmon with Sweet Tahini Sauce

50 mins

A wooden cutting board with a bowl of caramelized onion and tomato jam and several toasted baguette slices on it.

Caramelized Onion and Tomato Jam

1 hr 30 mins

A pink bowl filled with lemon garlic shrimp pasta with a fork resting inside.

Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta

30 mins

Three grilled pork burgers topped with coleslaw and yum yum sauce on a wooden serving tray.

Grilled Pork Burgers

1 hr 15 mins

Several Swedish cardamom buns cooling on a wire rack.

Swedish Cardamom Buns

4 hrs

A white bowl filled with warm marinated lentil salad with feta cheese slabs on top.

Marinated Lentil Salad

50 mins

Two plates of apple, fennel, and orange salad

Apple, Fennel, and Orange Salad

25 mins

A white bowl filled with cranberry beans with warm spices; a spoon along side

Cranberry Beans with Warm Spices

9 hrs 45 mins

A bowl of spaghetti with anchovy and lemon

Spaghetti with Anchovy and Lemon

30 mins

Cranberry upside-down cake with a large piece missing, on a white plate with a serving knife beside it.

Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

1 hr 40 mins

Schug in a pottery bowl, on a wooden plate with a spoon and garnished with cilantro.

Schug

25 mins

A large bowl filled with jerk spiced lentils topped with cilantro and sliced green onions, flanked by a bowl of sliced red onions and another bowl of rice.

Jerk-Style Lentils

1 hr 10 mins

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