"In my own restaurant! I opened a restaurant with my husband in Marin County called Picnic. At first we hired a chef to prepare all the menus, but as we went along I started doing it myself. It was a great place to learn. We had a communal table and several small tables outside, but most of our business was take-out. We'd post two dinner menus every night and people would come in and pick up food on their way home. Later we opened a sister restaurant and ran both for five years before selling them."

Now the mother of three young children, Leslie has started a mini-version of those restaurants out of her home. "It's really a way for me to be creative," she says of her delicious home-cooked and nutritionally balanced, Tuesday Night Dinners. The only way to get in on the yum is to be on Leslie's list. She sends an email every Thursday with the menu for the next Tuesday's meal. RSVP by Sunday and your meal is ready anytime after 4:00 pm on Tuesday. All you have to do is pick it up (she's in Hancock Park), warm it and voila, a home cooked (but better) meal after a long day. The only work you need to do is opening the wine and spending some quality time with your mealtime companion of choice.

A portion for four is $50.00, for two, $30.00. Past meals have included, Chinese BBQ pork tenderloin with stir fried brown rice and broccoli; chicken pot pie (all food groups inside); and Chimichurri chicken breast with lemon roasted potatoes and grilled carrots. To get on Leslie's list for future Tuesday Night Dinners, drop her a line at lesliesimpson@mac.com, and tell her Datebook sent you.

But everyone is tired, and who wants to make a special dinner after a full day of work? Especially when that Thai take-out menu is tacked to the fridge and dialing is so easy. That's what makes Leslie's service so ideal--it's much better than greasy take-out and feels like it was made special just for you.

If your commute doesn't pass anywhere near Hancock Park, Leslie has invented two delicious, super simple Tuesday Night Dinner-style menus just for Datebook that will help you turn a regular Tuesday into date night. Both of these recipes can be made fast and easy with a roast chicken and common ingredients, most of which you probably have in your kitchen already. Leslie favors the chickens you can get on Sundays at the Larchmont Farmer's Market. We at Datebook completely agree--they are fantastic. But if you are on the way home and thinking spur-of-the-moment, weeknight romance, a roast chicken from any supermarket will do.

Serves two, with a little left over

1 whole roast chicken

1 small yellow onion -- peeled and cut in half
1 clove garlic -- peeled
2 tomatoes -- cut in half
1/2 chipotle chile canned in adobo sauce (a whole chile will be spicy)
1 Tbs -- fresh cilantro leaves
1 Tbs -- all purpose flour

1Tbs olive oil
4 cups chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste

For garnish: 1 ripe avocado sliced, .25 cup cotija cheese -- grated (or cheddar), Tortilla chips, crumbled

1. Separate the chicken meat and discard the skin and bones. Tear the chicken into bite sized pieces. Cover and set aside.

2. In a food processor or blender, puree the tomatoes, onion, garlic, chipotle chile, cilantro and flour until smooth.

3. In a heavy bottom pot, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the onion/tomato mixture and cook for 8-10 minutes -- stirring often, careful not to burn the bottom.

4. Add the chicken stock to the pot and simmer for 15-20 minutes to blend the flavors.

5. To serve, put the chicken in the serving bowls and top with crumbled tortilla chips and grated cheese. Add the broth to the bowls and slice the avocados on top.

Serves two

1 whole roast chicken

1 small head red leaf lettuce -- or other favorite
1 small head butter lettuce -- or other favorite
1 cup brown rice (Whole Foods and Trader Joes have cooked brown rice in the frozen foods section)
1 large heirloom tomato
3 scallions -- chopped -- white part and 1 inch of green

Dressing:
2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
6 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
10 large, fresh basil leaves
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

1. Wash the lettuces and tear into small pieces.

2. Separate chicken meat and tear into bite-sized pieces. Discard bones and skin.

3. Slice tomato and chop scallions.

4. Cook or microwave the rice right before you are ready to serve your salad.

5. To make the dressing: Put all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. There will be dressing left for another night and it will keep for two weeks in the refrigerator.

6. Put chopped scallions in the bottom of the serving bowl and add half of the dressing. Toss to combine. Add lettuce, tomato, chicken and warm rice. Toss and serve.