Categories
Main Dish Soup

With fall ‘fest’ approaching, it’s time for some stew recipes

Oktoberfest stew includes all the flavors of the traditional celebration, from beer and sausage to cabbage and potatoes. Paired with a thick, crusty slice of bread, it makes for a cozy, warming dinner.
Oktoberfest stew includes all the flavors of the traditional celebration, from beer and sausage to cabbage and potatoes. Paired with a thick, crusty slice of bread, it makes for a cozy, warming dinner.

I’m constantly amazed at how quickly we transition from pasta salad to thick, warming stew weather in Kansas.

I can always tell when other parts of the country are starting to move into whatever the next season is, because my Pinterest suggestions suddenly begin showcasing a totally new genre of food. Right now, with Canadian Thanksgiving behind us, temperatures starting to dip and Halloween on the horizon, my feed is punctuated by lots of soups, pies and spooky treats.

I was glad for that shift this week, when I decided it was time to make my first soup of the season: an Oktoberfest-inspired stew that did not disappoint in the least.

This comes from the blog “The Cozy Apron” by Ingrid Beer. You can find her post at https://thecozyapron.com/oktoberfest-stew/. I swapped out the sausage and added extra garlic in my version below. I also doubled what is listed below, and that gave us plenty of leftovers to store in the freezer, too.

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Oktoberfest Stew

Oktoberfest stew includes all the flavors of the traditional celebration, from beer and sausage to cabbage and potatoes. Paired with a thick, crusty slice of bread, it makes for a cozy, warming dinner.
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine German
Keyword beer, beer brats, bratwurst, cabbage, caramelized onions, caraway seeds, dunkel, fresh garlic, garlic, German stew, lager, marzen, minced garlic, Octoberfest meal, Oktoberfest meal, onion, parsley, potatoes, Russet potato

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion sliced thinly (I used white)
  • 16 to 19 ounces beer brats cut into half-inch rounds
  • 1/2 head cabbage thinly sliced or 10 ounces coleslaw cabbage
  • 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds ground or whole
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 6 to 8 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup Oktoberfest style lager like a marzen or a dunkel
  • 2 large Russet potatoes cut into one-inch pieces
  • 2 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven with a lid over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion, and saute until it is soft and starting to caramelize.
  • Add the sausage, and saute until there is no pink left (no worries about internal temperature, it’s going to get plenty of cook time).
  • Stir in the cabbage, letting it cook until it’s wilted down and starting to lightly brown.
  • Add in the caraway seed, salt, pepper, and the garlic, letting the garlic saute for a few minutes, or just until it starts to smell nice.
  • Add in the lager and stir, letting the mixture marry for about five minutes to let the beer reduce just a smidgeon.
  • Add the potatoes and stock, and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring regularly. Once the stew is boiling, turn the heat to low, and place the lid slightly askew on the pot, letting it cook for 40 minutes. Stir occasionally while it simmers.
  • When it’s done, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the apple cider vinegar and dried parsley. Serve alongside a slice of crusty bread.

This stew was delicious. The flavor combinations were out of this world, with the starchiness of the potatoes, the maltiness from the lager and the slight sweetness of the cabbage all complimenting the sausage. I baked a loaf of beer bread to go with our stew, and it paired beautifully.

And with the temperatures dipping just enough to let us turn off our air conditioner and open our windows, we enjoyed a great meal.

I can’t wait to savor this season of recipes for the next few weeks, at least until somebody somewhere starts posting about Christmas.

This piece first appeared in print on Oct. 17, 2024.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Bread Breakfast Dessert Main Dish Side Dish

Holy ‘crepe,’ everyone, this French dish is a must try

Crepes are actually super easy to make at home and don’t take any specialized equipment or skills, just a little speed and a hot skillet.
Crepes are actually super easy to make at home and don’t take any specialized equipment or skills, just a little speed and a hot skillet.

There are certain dishes that maintain a sort of lore I have built up in my mind for one reason or another.

One of those is crepes, which I have always viewed as a fussy, difficult food that only graces the tables of fancy French restaurants.

In doing some research, I discovered that the origin of crepes is a bit disputed, but they may come from as far back as the year 472, when legend says that French Catholics were presented with crepes by the pope when they were in Rome, according to the Institute of Culinary Education. Of course, the other story, that somebody managed to spill some porridge on a hot pan, is a lot less interesting, but I’d wager it’s more likely.

Regardless, I have never really thought about trying to make crepes in my own kitchen until this week, and my experience is why I believe the spill origin story—they’re actually really easy.

The recipe I made comes from the blog “Good Cheap Eats” by Jessica Fisher. You can find her original post at https://goodcheapeats.com/easy-homemade-crepes/. I doubled the vanilla in my version below, although if you wanted to make savory crepes, you can leave that ingredient out completely.

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Crepes

Crepes are actually super easy to make at home and don’t take any specialized equipment or skills, just a little speed and a hot skillet.
Course Breakfast, Dessert, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine French
Keyword crepes, easy crepes, eggs, quick breakfast, vanilla

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons butter divided
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 2/3 cup milk I used skim
  • 1 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla if you want to do sweet fillings

Instructions

  • Melt three tablespoons of the butter, and add it, along with the eggs, milk, flour, salt and vanilla to a blender or food processor. Blend until the mixture is smooth and completely combined.
  • Place the blender cup in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
  • When the batter is chilled through, melt the other tablespoon of butter in a small dish, and set it aside.
  • (If your batter separates a bit like mine did, you will want to give it a good stir or another quick blend before you begin cooking.)
  • Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, and brush the bottom and a bit up the sides with a thin coating of the melted butter.
  • Pour in 1/4 cup of the batter, immediately swirling the skillet to coat the bottom with the batter. It will start to cook quickly, so you’ll need to move fast on this step.
  • Let the crepe cook until the edges start to turn golden brown.
  • Gently run a spatula around the edges of the crepe to loosen it, and flip it over. Cook until the other side reaches your desired level of doneness, and transfer the crepe to a plate.
  • Repeat with the rest of your batter.
  • Serve your crepes warm or cold, stuffed with your favorite toppings. We tried peanut butter, and we also used strawberries with chocolate syrup, and both were winners. Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container.

These were just a bit eggy and light and very good with the toppings we tried. I’d like to try again without the vanilla so that I can stuff these with some eggs or veggies, too.

It was nice to realize the story I built up in my head about crepes was far more complicated than the actual food, and I can’t wait to make these a second time. It’s a good reminder that just because a food is French doesn’t mean it can’t be conquered in an American kitchen.

This piece first appeared in print on Oct. 10, 2024.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Main Dish

If food waste makes you green, try this easy fresh pasta

This spinach pasta is made with only three ingredients, including fresh spinach, flour and salt. It is easy to make and can be paired with a variety of sauces.
This spinach pasta is made with only three ingredients, including fresh spinach, flour and salt. It is easy to make and can be paired with a variety of sauces.

One of the staples in our refrigerator is a package of fresh spinach.

We use it for everything—putting it on sandwiches or burgers, wilting it into omelets and using it as a taco topping.

Despite its constant use, there often comes a time where it starts to go just a bit bad. It still tastes good, but it doesn’t look as nice, and it definitely loses that fresh crunch you’re looking for when you eat it raw.

In the past, this led to unfortunate food waste, but after I watched a video online recently, I knew I finally had the solution for this sad, wilting mess: turning it into fresh pasta.

The recipe I found is super easy. It comes from Maya Leinenbach, a German influencer who posts under the account “fitgreenmind” on Instagram. She focuses on plant-based recipes. I didn’t change the recipe because it was super simple, but I did determine the amounts and refine the directions for you.

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Three-Ingredient Spinach Pasta

This spinach pasta is made with only three ingredients, including fresh spinach, flour and salt. It is easy to make and can be paired with a variety of sauces.
Course Main Course
Keyword bread flour, easy pasta, food waste, fresh pasta, fresh spinach, pasta, spinach pasta

Ingredients

  • 1 1/3 cup flour I used bread flour
  • 1 cup fresh spinach
  • large pinch salt

Instructions

  • Add the flour, fresh spinach and salt to a food processor, and process until the mixture forms a dough. If it is too dry to come together, add a little more spinach. If it’s too sticky to handle, add just a touch of flour.
  • Dump the dough onto a clean countertop and knead several times until the dough is smooth, and there are no more white streaks from the flour. Form it into a ball and leave it on the counter, under a bowl (so it doesn’t dry out), until your pasta sauce is ready and it’s time to boil the pasta.
  • To cook the pasta, fill a large pot with water and salt it liberally. Bring it to a boil.
  • Using a clean pair of kitchen shears, start snipping pieces of dough off the sides of the ball into the boiling water. Try to keep them about the same size. Mine were about one-fourth inch wide and one inch long. (Don’t worry too much about making them look pretty.)
  • Boil for about three minutes. The pasta will float to the top of the water when it’s done. Drain the pasta and add it to your sauce. Serve immediately.

This made about two nice-sized servings of pasta. The spinach taste was pretty mild, and depending on the sauce, you wouldn’t even be able to tell it was there, outside of the color, so if you are trying to sneak more vegetables onto the table, this is a great way to do it.

It was really easy to make and made me feel like a real chef for just a moment. Also, I think you could shape this pasta a bit if you’re not into the goofy shapes. I wish I could tell you about leftovers, but we finished it off right away, so I’m not sure, but based on the texture, I’m guessing it would reheat OK.

And now I have something to make the next time our spinach starts looking a little sad. It’s a great option to keep food waste down while also enjoying a fabulous plate of pasta.

This piece first appeared in print on Oct. 3, 2024.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Air Fryer Appetizer Snack

Have a ball in the kitchen with a new potato dish

Garlic potato balls are made in the air fryer and are a wonderful texture, with a crispy outside and a mashed-potato-like inside.

I love watching cooking shows when I have a free moment.

One of my favorite TV chefs is Lidia Bastianich. She specializes in all kinds of Italian dishes that look positively amazing. Going to her restaurant in Kansas City someday is definitely on my bucket list.

I have only tried making a couple of her recipes over the years. Honestly, I’m a little intimidated by her ability to make even complicated food look effortless.

That being said, I rarely have the same hangups when I watch videos on social media from amateur cooks. I figure if they can do it, I can do it.

Well, I was humbled a bit with this week’s recipe, because although I made something delicious, it wasn’t nearly as pretty as the product the influencer managed to create.

This came from a TikTok user, “PlanetFood.” I added extra seasoning in my version and eliminated a garlic butter sauce, just to try to cut down on the mass of calories in this dish.

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Garlic Potato Balls

Garlic potato balls are made in the air fryer and are a wonderful texture, with a crispy outside and a mashed-potato-like inside.
Course Appetizer, Snack
Keyword air fryer, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, potatoes, Russet potato

Ingredients

  • 2 large Russet potatoes peeled and cubed
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions

  • In a large pot, boil the cubed potato they are fork tender.
  • When the potatoes are done, drain them well and add them to a large bowl. Add the garlic powder, onion powder and paprika.
  • Mash the potatoes with a masher or fork until the mixture is smooth.
  • Incorporate the cornstarch until it forms a thick mixture that you can easily shape with your hands. If it’s still too sticky or wet, add more cornstarch, a little at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.
  • Roll the mixture into packed, one-inch balls.
  • Add the balls to the basket of an air fryer (you could also fry these the old-fashioned way in oil), and spray them lightly with cooking spray. Try to space them apart. You might have to fry them in batches.
  • Air fry the potato balls at 200 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until they are golden brown.
  • Serve immediately.

These were tasty. They are crispy on the outside and like mashed potatoes on the inside. That also means you should be careful about how quickly you pop them into your mouth. They get pretty hot on the inside.

Mine kind of deflated a bit, and they stuck together more than I expected. I should have given them a better spray of cooking oil and maybe made sure the mixture was packed a little tighter.

Regardless, I really liked these, and I think I might have to give them another try sometime to share on a snack table during a football game.

And I learned my lesson about not being too egotistical about which recipes seem “easy” out there online. I need to keep reminding myself that I’m no Lidia, even if sometimes I play her in the newspaper.

This piece first appeared in print Sept. 26, 2024.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Main Dish

Keep ‘arayes’ open for a delicious Lebanese dish

These are called almost arayes because they weren’t cooked inside the pita like the traditional Lebanese dish, but they are still jam-packed with flavor from Middle Eastern spices, fresh herbs and a zingy sauce on the side.
These are called almost arayes because they weren’t cooked inside the pita like the traditional Lebanese dish, but they are still jam-packed with flavor from Middle Eastern spices, fresh herbs and a zingy sauce on the side.

With Internet shopping, pretty much any ingredient can be at our fingertips in a matter of days. That being said, my goal when choosing recipes is to try to stay away from exotic items that can’t be purchased locally.

We have to support our local grocery stores if we want them to continue to be a part of our communities.

Of course, sometimes that means taking a left turn on a recipe, and that happened this week when I tried a recipe for arayes, a Lebanese dish that features lamb cooked inside of pita. Well, unfortunately, the pita bread I found locally wasn’t thick enough to hold up to the traditional cooking method, so I decided to keep the spirit of the dish without actually doing it quite the right way.

So I’m giving you “almost arayes,” made with a recipe from Chef Derek Chen from his Instagram page @derekkchen. Like I said, I changed the way this dish was cooked from the original. If you want to do it his way, please check out his Instagram page. I also added extra garlic and substituted for baharat, because I couldn’t find that locally, either.

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Almost Arayes

These are called almost arayes because they weren’t cooked inside the pita like the traditional Lebanese dish, but they are still jam-packed with flavor from Middle Eastern spices, fresh herbs and a zingy sauce on the side.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Lebanese
Keyword allspice, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, fresh cilantro, fresh garlic, fresh parsley, Greek yogurt, ground lamb, lemon juice, minced garlic, olive oil, onion, paprika, pita bread, pita pocket, tahini

Ingredients

Arayes Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground lamb
  • 1/2 large onion grated (I used a vidalia)
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
  • 4 to 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 to 5 thick small pita

Sauce Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • For the meat mixture, grate the onion and then squeeze it out really well with a clean kitchen towel.
  • Add the onion, parsley, cilantro, garlic, coriander, allspice, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, one tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper, and give it a good stir to combine.
  • Add in the ground lamb and mix with a spoon or your hands until everything is very well combined.
  • Heat the last two tablespoons of olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the meat and saute, breaking it into large pieces as you go. Cook it until the largest piece registers 160 degrees in the middle, and remove it from the heat.
  • While the lamb mixture cooks, make the sauce by mixing all of the ingredients together until it is smooth.
  • Cut the pita into halves so you have pockets for the meat, and serve the lamb stuffed in the pita bread with the sauce on the side for dipping.

This was so good, and the sauce was phenomenal, too. I immediately tried to think of ways to use the leftovers on other dishes. This has a great depth of flavor, and it pulls in some spices we don’t normally see in Western dishes.

And now I need to learn how to bake nice, thick pita bread, too, for the next time I try this. If you have a good recipe, let me know.

This piece first appeared in print Sept. 19, 2024.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Main Dish

With tamale casserole, mi ‘masa’ es su ‘masa’

Chicken tamale casserole gives you all the traditional flavors and textures of tamales without all the time and effort in the kitchen.
Chicken tamale casserole gives you all the traditional flavors and textures of tamales without all the time and effort in the kitchen.

One of our friends likes to say that he won’t order foods from a restaurant that are easy to make at home. Instead, he tries to order dishes that he would never make for himself.

The list includes plenty of time-consuming, delicious meals.

For me, one of those items is tamales.

I did make tamales once. They were awesome. But it was also when we were stuck at home for the pandemic, and time was a little easier to find. Someday, I’ll do it again.

In the meantime, though, I have been satisfying those cravings by ordering tamales from our great local Mexican spots. Except now I have a way to get the same flavor profile with none of the intense work, thanks to a tamale-themed casserole.

This comes from the blog “Life Made Simple.” You can find the original post at https://lifemadesimplebakes.com/chile-verde-chicken-tamale-casserole-9/. I added extra sauce, extra cheese and extra garlic powder in mine.

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Chicken Tamale Casserole

Chicken tamale casserole gives you all the traditional flavors and textures of tamales without all the time and effort in the kitchen.
Course Main Course
Keyword chicken, chile verde, cilantro, corn, enchilada sauce, fresh cilantro, frozen corn, garlic powder, masa harina, Monterrey jack cheese, poblano peppers, rotisserie chicken, tamales

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 1 rotisserie chicken deboned and shredded
  • 1 cup chicken broth or stock
  • 19 ounce can chile verde enchilada sauce divided
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped (plus more for serving)
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 4 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese divided

Tamale Dough Ingredients

  • 3 cups masa harina
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 12 tablespoons cold butter cubed
  • 3 cups frozen corn thawed, divided
  • 1 roasted poblano pepper deseeded and diced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 1/4 cup chicken broth or stock

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a nine-by-13-inch deep baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray, and set it aside.
  • Add the chicken, broth, half of the sauce, cilantro and garlic powder to a large skillet. Heat it over medium-low, stirring occasionally, while you prepare the tamale layers.
  • Add the masa, sugar, baking powder, butter, two cups of corn, the poblano, salt and pepper to a food processor or blender. Process until everything is in coarse crumbs. Add the broth and process until the mixture is smooth and thick. Fold in the remaining corn.
  • Spread half of the tamale mixture evenly across the bottom of your baking dish. Sprinkle about one and one-fourth cup of cheese over that. Add in all of the chicken mixture, spreading it out over the cheese layer. Add another one and one-fourth cup of cheese. Spread the rest of the tamale mixture on the top.
  • Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce on the top, and then finish with the rest of the cheese.
  • Cover the dish with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes.
  • Serve topped with more chopped cilantro. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

This was absolutely delicious, and it reheated phenomenally. (Thank goodness, because it makes a ton of food.) All of the flavors of a good, chicken tamale were there, and we will definitely be making this again—much sooner than I’ll probably be making traditional tamales.

As a side note, I roasted my poblano by placing it under the broiler until it was charred on all sides and then placing it in a glass bowl with plastic wrap on top to steam for about 10 minutes. Then, I could scrape off the skin, scoop out the seeds and dice it up. Easy peasy. If you’re nervous about a poblano being too spicy, try an Anaheim pepper instead.

Now that I have a good copycat for tamales, I’ll have to explore some other tough dishes at our local restaurants. I’m looking at you, mole.

This piece first appeared in print Sept. 12, 2024.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Main Dish

Bored with dinner? End your ‘saffron’ with something totally different

Moroccan lamb meatballs are made with an earthy, spicy mix of herbs and spices and served doused in a delicious tomato sauce that pairs perfectly with couscous and some plain Greek yogurt on the side.
Moroccan lamb meatballs are made with an earthy, spicy mix of herbs and spices and served doused in a delicious tomato sauce that pairs perfectly with couscous and some plain Greek yogurt on the side.

For a couple months now, every time I open the pantry, I glance at this tiny canister of saffron I managed to buy on an extreme clearance.

The Britannica Encyclopedia explains that saffron is the most expensive herb because it has to be hand harvested from the tiny stigmas in the center of a particular crocus flower. It goes on to say that if you wanted to have a whole pound of saffron, you’d end up harvesting from about 75,000 flowers.

So I’ve also been slightly terrified of trying any of my small bunch of saffron in a recipe that doesn’t hold up.

I finally took the plunge, though, thanks to finding another generally expensive ingredient on sale: ground lamb. And boy, oh, boy, was it good.

Now, let me preface this recipe by saying that you don’t have to include saffron in it. It’s just a little flavor enhancer, but it’s not critical. I would be sure to use the lamb, though. It paired so beautifully with the spices and sauce, I just couldn’t imagine doing it any other way.

The recipe I tried comes from the blog “Moorlands Eater.” You can find the original post at https://moorlandseater.com/moroccan-lamb-meatballs-in-spicy-tomato-sauce/. I added extra garlic, lamb and a few other ingredients in my version.

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Moroccan Lamb Meatballs

Moroccan lamb meatballs are made with an earthy, spicy mix of herbs and spices and served doused in a delicious tomato sauce that pairs perfectly with couscous and some plain Greek yogurt on the side.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Moroccan
Keyword allspice, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, diced tomatoes, fresh garlic, ginger, ground lamb, honey, minced garlic, minced lamb, onion, paprika, red pepper flakes, saffron, spicy, tomato puree, tomatoes, turmeric

Ingredients

Spice Mix Ingredients

  • 3 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ginger
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Meatball Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground/minced lamb
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Tomato Sauce Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion diced (I used yellow)
  • 8 to 10 cloves garlic minced
  • 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
  • a small pinch of saffron strands soaked in 1 tablespoon warm water
  • 1 tablespoon tomato puree
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Combine all the ingredients for the spice mix in a bowl, stir it well, and set it aside.
  • For the meatballs, add the lamb to a mixing bowl along with about one-third of the spice mixture, salt and pepper. Mix well with a spoon or your hands until everything is well incorporated.
  • Roll the lamb into about one-inch balls.
  • In a large skillet with a lid, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the meatballs, in batches, and brown on all sides (don’t worry if they’re cooked through yet). Once they’re browned, remove them from the pan and place them to the side on a plate.
  • Start building the sauce by adding the onions to the skillet, sauteing until they are cooked through. Add in the garlic. Let it saute for one to two minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant.
  • Add the rest of the spice mixture, and saute for a couple minutes, letting it soak up any remaining oil or juices in the pan.
  • Add the diced tomatoes. Pour three-fourths cup of water into the empty can, and swirl it around to catch any remaining juices, and then pour that into the skillet, too. Also add in the saffron/water mixture, tomato puree, honey, coriander, salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
  • Raise the heat a bit to bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer the sauce without a lid on the pan for 10 minutes.
  • Put the meatballs into the pan, stirring them to make sure they’re coated in the sauce. Add the lid and simmer for another 10 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through. (Lamb should be cooked to 160 degrees. Be careful not to go far past that. It can dry out very quickly.)
  • Remove the skillet from the heat and serve immediately. We had ours with couscous with peas and a big dollop of plain Greek yogurt.

These were absolutely delicious, and it reheated well as leftovers, too. This is definitely a spicy dish, but it’s not overly scary, and if you serve it with some yogurt, not only do the flavors meld really well, but it also helps cool your tongue a bit.

This was earthy and full of great spices, many of which I don’t get to use off my spice rack very often.

Plus, the added bonus was I finally got to use my saffron, which made me feel quite fancy, to say the least. Now I just have to figure out how I will use the rest of it.

This piece first appeared in print Sept. 5, 2024.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Cookies Dessert

Let a youngster chip in on making these yummy bars

Potato chip krispies treats trades out the traditional rice cereal to create a sweet and salty no-bake treat that is absolutely delicious.
Potato chip krispies treats trades out the traditional rice cereal to create a sweet and salty no-bake treat that is absolutely delicious.

A few weeks ago, when the county fair carnival was in town, Joey and I decided to host our 6-year-old niece for a sleepover.

Well, I should say I decided to host her, and Joey was allowed to participate as the fun uncle who was then relegated to sleeping in the guest room with the dog.

We spent the whole of Friday night on all of the rides at the carnival. We might have gone on the big slide over a dozen times. I lost count.

Our niece came away with a stuffed animal, thanks to Uncle Joey, and a stunning face full of bright paints. We also fulfilled her one food request: a funnel cake. It was a long evening but a lot of fun.

On Saturday, after a lunch of macaroni and cheese, my little helper and I decided to make a treat recipe to share with all of you. These bars are a perfect recipe to make with a young, budding chef or just on your own. Regardless, the end result is the perfect combination of sweet and salty, and these were absolutely delicious.

This comes from the blog “Life of a Foodie.” You can find the original link at https://lifestyleofafoodie.com/ruffles-krispy-treats/. I added a little chocolate to my version.

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Potato Chip Krispies Treats

Potato chip krispies treats trades out the traditional rice cereal to create a sweet and salty no-bake treat that is absolutely delicious.
Course Dessert
Keyword butter, cookie exchange, mini marshmallows, no bake, potato chips, semisweet chocolate chips, sweet and salty

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons butter plus more to grease pan
  • 4 cups miniature marshmallows
  • about 8 ounces wavy potato chips
  • about 2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips
  • Coarse or flaked salt to taste

Instructions

  • Liberally grease the bottoms and sides of an eight-by-eight-inch baking pan with butter, and set it aside.
  • Add the three tablespoons of butter to a large saucepan over low heat. Once the butter is melted, add in the marshmallows, and stir constantly until they are melted and smooth. (This may take awhile, so it’s a good spot for a helper to step in to help stir.)
  • Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the potato chips. Don’t worry about whether they break and crumble as you go. Once the chips are well combined, dump the mixture into your prepared baking dish, smoothing it out evenly.
  • In a small, microwave-safe bowl, microwave the chocolate chips, 30 seconds at a time, until you can stir them and they are completely melted.
  • Drizzle the melted chocolate over top of the bars, and then top with a big pinch of coarse or flaked salt.
  • Let the mixture cool completely before slicing into bars. Store leftovers in an airtight container.

I loved the flavor combination in these, and so did the 6-year-old, although our bars turned out a lot chewier than I expected. If I were to bet why, I’m guessing it was a combination of having a bag of older marshmallows in my pantry and having a cooking assistant who insisted on taste testing quite a few of them before they went into the pot.

It’s always a great time to have our niece for a visit, and I love being able to share my interest in cooking with her, too.

I can’t wait for our next adventure together, but for now, I just need a nap.

This piece first appeared in print Aug. 29, 2024.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Dessert

Guests will pound the table for more of this cake

For a beautiful and lightly sweet dessert, look no further than this raspberry lemon pound cake, which is moist, full of fresh berries and has a light tartness from fresh lemons. It’s a great treat for summer or springtime.
For a beautiful and lightly sweet dessert, look no further than this raspberry lemon pound cake, which is moist, full of fresh berries and has a light tartness from fresh lemons. It’s a great treat for summer or springtime.

If you’ve been following my raspberry series the last few weeks, you know that I went on a mission to see if I could make raspberry dishes that my husband, Joey, (a known raspberry hater) would enjoy.

The other two recipes I tried received a thumbs up from him, but I wanted to see if I could win with one more.

This one might have been cheating a little, because it features fresh lemon juice and zest, and if there’s something Joey loves in a dessert, it’s a bit of citrus.

But, hey, if you make up your own challenge, I suppose you make up your own rules, too, right?

The recipe I landed on comes from the blog “The Seaside Baker.” You can find the original post at https://theseasidebaker.com/raspberry-lemon-pound-cake/. I eliminated the glaze from my version and added more raspberries and a smidgeon more lemon.

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Raspberry Lemon Pound Cake

For a beautiful and lightly sweet dessert, look no further than this raspberry lemon pound cake, which is moist, full of fresh berries and has a light tartness from fresh lemons. It’s a great treat for summer or springtime.
Course Dessert
Keyword butter, fresh lemon, fresh raspberries, frozen raspberries, lemon juice, lemon zest, pound cake, raspberry, sour cream, tea time

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries divided
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 cup butter room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • juice of 1 medium-sized lemon
  • zest of 1 medium-sized lemon
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a loaf pan by lining it with parchment paper and spraying it with cooking spray. Set it aside.
  • In a bowl, gently mix one cup of raspberries with the cornstarch, and set it aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until it’s light yellow (about two minutes).
  • Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the lemon juice and zest.
  • Finally, add the baking soda and salt and then alternate adding the flour and sour cream, beating in between, until everything is well combined.
  • Fold in the raspberry and cornstarch mixture, and pour the batter into the loaf pan, spreading it out evenly.
  • Lightly press the remaining raspberries about halfway into the top of the batter so you can still see the tops of the berries.
  • Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Let the pound cake cook completely before removing from the pan and slicing.
  • Store the cake in an airtight container.

I was absolutely head over heels for this recipe. It was moist and buttery and the pops of raspberries, combined with the light tartness from the fresh lemon was fabulous. I could totally picture this on the table for a tea party.

As for Joey, he said he gave the cake a seven out of 10. He said if you’re like him and really like lemon, go ahead and add a bit extra to this to make it even better.

Overall, I was pretty happy with my raspberry experiments, and Joey admitted that maybe he doesn’t dislike the berries as much as he used to, so it was a win in my book.

Unfortunately for him, that also means I will probably continue to use him as a guinea pig for all kinds of random ingredients, whether he thinks he likes them or not.

This piece first appeared in print Aug. 22, 2024.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Cookies Dessert

No one will razz you about these yummy cookies

Raspberry sugar cookies are not overly sweet and have a nice, light fruity flavor that is complimented by vanilla and butter. Plus, they’re just a pretty cookie to feature on your dessert table.
Raspberry sugar cookies are not overly sweet and have a nice, light fruity flavor that is complimented by vanilla and butter. Plus, they’re just a pretty cookie to feature on your dessert table.

As I promised, I’m back in this week’s column with the second recipe in my raspberry series.

After my triumph over Joey and his usual dislike of raspberries with last week’s recipe, I was feeling pretty confident about the others I picked out to try on him.

People often tell Joey just how lucky he is that he gets to try all these new recipes I make each week, but what they don’t realize is how often I push culinary boundaries with him.

He really is a good sport.

So the good news is that this week’s offering isn’t something super strange. I decided to see how he’d feel about a very simple cookie recipe.

I loved these, because they weren’t overly sweet (despite having sugar in the name), and they were really pretty, thanks to the natural color from the berries.

This comes from the blog “Chasety” by Chase Curtis. You can find the original recipe at https://chasety.com/raspberry-sugar-cookies/. I put extra vanilla and raspberries in my version. I also left out some extra sugar and food coloring.

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Raspberry Sugar Cookies

Raspberry sugar cookies are not overly sweet and have a nice, light fruity flavor that is complimented by vanilla and butter. Plus, they’re just a pretty cookie to feature on your dessert table.
Course Dessert
Keyword butter, cookie exchange, fresh raspberries, raspberry, sugar cookies, vanilla

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup butter softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup fresh raspberries chopped finely

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare one or two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper, and set them aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until the mixture is light yellow and fluffy (about three minutes). Beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth.
  • Beat in the flour, baking powder and salt until everything is well combined.
  • Dump in the raspberries and mix them in until they’re well incorporated. (Mine were especially ripe, so I just beat them in and didn’t worry about trying to preserve larger chunks of fruit. If you’d rather have visible raspberries, I’d recommend folding them in.)
  • Using a one-inch cookie scoop, place the cookies about two inches apart on the prepared baking sheet(s).
  • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the centers are set and the edges are just starting to brown.
  • Let the cookies cool completely before transferring them into an airtight container.

I really liked these. They just had a subtle, sweet flavor that I could definitely get behind.

On Joey’s end, he said he’d give these a five out of 10, but he was also quick to note that he’s not much of a sugar cookie fan as a general rule.

Regardless, after having the container out for a get together we had, I didn’t have any leftovers, so the rest of our friends apparently voted them a little higher than he did.

This particular raspberry experiment wasn’t quite the hit I was hoping for with my raspberry-averse husband, but the good news is that I saved the big guns for last. Just wait until you see what I have in store for you—and for him—next week.

This first appeared in print Aug. 15, 2024.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

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