Categories
Breakfast Main Dish

Oh, baby, are you going to love this Mexican-Dutch fusion

A Mexican Dutch baby combines the traditional puffy pancake with lots of great south-of-the-border flavors, like chorizo and salsa, to make a meal that’s great for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
A Mexican Dutch baby combines the traditional puffy pancake with lots of great south-of-the-border flavors, like chorizo and salsa, to make a meal that’s great for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Sometimes I feel like I must try a recipe, just because it sounds too ridiculous or strange to ignore.

In this case, it was finding a guy online making a “Mexican Dutch baby.”

If you’re not familiar with a traditional Dutch baby, it’s basically a large, puffy pancake made in an already preheated pan in the oven.

I have generally only seen Dutch babies filled with fruit and powdered sugar once they come out of the oven, so the idea of a savory one—and a Mexican one, at that—intrigued me.

Now, I will warn you that I probably ruined this from being a true Dutch baby, because I beefed it up quite a bit, making it pretty impossible to puff up as much as a traditional one would, but just trust me that having this as a hearty, filling meal is totally worth whatever puffiness sacrifice you’re making.

I found this recipe on the YouTube channel @yaydadcooking. I doubled the recipe for my version, increased the amount of chorizo and paprika and also added garlic, onion and bell pepper.

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Mexican Dutch Baby

A Mexican Dutch baby combines the traditional puffy pancake with lots of great south-of-the-border flavors, like chorizo and salsa, to make a meal that’s great for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Main Course
Keyword bell pepper, chorizo, Dutch baby, fresh garlic, garlic, minced garlic, oaxaca cheese, paprika, potatoes, queso fresco, Russet potato, salsa, yellow onion

Ingredients

  • 9 ounces chorizo
  • 1 large Russet potato diced
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 1 bell pepper diced
  • 6 to 8 cloves garlic minced
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • Oaxaca cheese or queso fresco to taste
  • Your favorite salsa for serving

Instructions

  • Place a large, cast iron or oven-safe deep skillet in the oven and preheat to 425 degrees. (Mine is a 13-inch pan.)
  • While it preheats, heat a skillet over medium heat, and add the chorizo. Saute until it’s cooked through, and remove it from the pan, setting it aside.
  • In the leftover grease from the chorizo, saute the potato, onion and pepper until everything is cooked through (if there isn’t enough oil in the pan, add a little canola or vegetable oil to supplement). Add the garlic and saute for just a couple minutes or until it’s fragrant. Remove it from heat and stir the chorizo back into the mixture.
  • Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk or fork, and then stir in the flour, milk, paprika and salt and pepper. Whisk it some more until the mixture is lump free.
  • If the oven is preheated, carefully remove the hot pan and add the butter, letting it melt and swirling it to coat the bottom of the pan. Pour in the chorizo/veggie mixture and spread it evenly over the bottom of the pan, and then pour the batter mixture over the top of that.
  • Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the batter is golden brown and set.
  • Top the Dutch baby with cheese and salsa, slice and serve immediately.

This was really tasty, and it reheated extremely well out of the fridge the next day.

This would make for a good dinner or breakfast, either one, and the neat thing is you can really control the spice level, based on what salsa you choose. We went with a spicy green salsa, and it was delicious.

And I’m pretty excited to see this Dutch-Mexican fusion. It combines the best of both types of recipes into one, and that’s the kind of culinary world I want to live in.

This piece first appeared in print March 5, 2026.

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

I’ll give this recipe my ‘stamppot’ of approval

Stamppot is a traditional dish from the Netherlands, featuring creamy mashed potatoes, fresh kale and smoked sausage to create a hearty, but simple, meal.
Stamppot is a traditional dish from the Netherlands, featuring creamy mashed potatoes, fresh kale and smoked sausage to create a hearty, but simple, meal.

I love finding recipes that claim to be “national dishes” or “traditional” ones.

But I will also confess that, more often than not, when I declare that something is “traditional,” there is someone who will email me (very nicely, mind you) to let me know that, actually, the recipe I found wasn’t quite right.

Inevitably, the person I found making that dish online or in a cookbook somewhere doesn’t quite live up to the food one of my readers grew up enjoying.

So, I am very cautiously introducing you to what is supposedly the Dutch national dish: stamppot.

Stamppot is a mashed-potato meal that is mixed with some vegetables and served with sausage. It’s hearty and simple, and while Joey swore it could really have benefitted from a bit of gravy, it’s delicious, too.

Plus, while you’re eating a big plate of mashed potatoes, you’re also getting a huge serving of veggies along with it. That seems like a win to me.

This comes from the blog “Gypsyplate” by Jason Beiser. You can find the original post at https://gypsyplate.com/stamppot/. I added extra kale and garlic in my version and substituted an onion in place of shallots.

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Stamppot

Stamppot is a traditional dish from the Netherlands, featuring creamy mashed potatoes, fresh kale and smoked sausage to create a hearty, but simple, meal.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Dutch, Netherlands
Keyword bay leaves, comfort food, fresh garlic, garlic, kale, mashed potatoes, minced garlic, nutmeg, onion, smoked sausage, stamppot, yellow onion

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds potatoes cubed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 tablespoons butter divided
  • 16 ounces kale cut into strips (a big bunch)
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 1 1/2 cups milk warmed
  • pinch nutmeg
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 pound smoked rope sausage cut into bite-sized pieces

Instructions

  • Add the potatoes to a large stock pot and just cover them with cold water. Add the bay leaves and add a large pinch of salt.
  • Bring the water to a boil and cook until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain the water and discard the bay leaves.
  • While the potatoes cook, heat two tablespoons of butter in a large skillet with a lid over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until it’s tender. For the last couple of minutes, add the garlic and give it a quick saute until it’s fragrant.
  • Remove the onion and garlic and place it on a plate or bowl to the side, and add the kale to the skillet, along with one-half cup of water. Place the lid on the skillet to wilt the kale. Check on it after a few minutes and stir to help the kale cook down. Add more water if all of it evaporates, and continue that process until the kale is cooked to your liking.
  • Meanwhile, mash the potatoes with four tablespoons butter, the milk, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. (This made a slightly looser mash than I would normally make, but it had a great consistency once it was combined with everything else.)
  • Add the kale and sauteed onions and garlic to the mashed potatoes and stir to combine.
  • Set the potatoes aside, keeping them warm.
  • In the same skillet as before, saute the sausage until it’s cooked through and has a little color on it.
  • Serve the stamppot by placing a layer of the mashed potato/kale mixture on the bottom and topping with some sausage.

The amount of kale was a bit intimidating at first, but it does cook down a lot, and the flavor actually melds in with the mashed potatoes really well. I was afraid it would take over, but it was just a nice compliment to the rest of the dish.

The leftovers also reheated nicely, which was nice later in the week.

And this recipe may or may not be exactly what someone from the Netherlands would expect, but regardless, it was a darn tasty meal.

This piece first appeared in print Feb. 26, 2026.

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

Raise the bar with a dangerously easy pecan dessert

Butter pecan bars are made with a secret ingredient—a cake mix—making them super easy to put together while being a delicious addition to any dessert table.
Butter pecan bars are made with a secret ingredient—a cake mix—making them super easy to put together while being a delicious addition to any dessert table.

The National Pecan Shellers Association has a wealth of knowledge about pecans on its website.

One of the items that interested me the most is that the pecan tree is the only major nut tree native to North America.

I thought that was strange, because I know quite a few nuts who were born here, but what do I know?

Pecans have a long tradition in the region, with Native tribes cultivating wild trees as far back as the 1500s.

Even today, the association states that the United States produces about 80 percent of the world’s pecans.

When I was trying to decide what to make for a recent gathering, I found myself with a real hankering for something nutty, and that’s when I ran into a super easy dessert online.

It comes from the account @debtfreegranny on Instagram. This was simple enough that I didn’t mess with the recipe, but I did decrease the baking time by quite a bit, and that was a good move.

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Butter Pecan Bars

Butter pecan bars are made with a secret ingredient—a cake mix—making them super easy to put together while being a delicious addition to any dessert table.
Course Dessert
Keyword bar cookies, butter, butter pecan, cake mix recipe, cream cheese, easy dessert, pecans, powdered sugar

Ingredients

  • 13.25 ounce butter pecan cake mix
  • 8 tablespoons butter softened
  • 3 eggs
  • 8 tablespoons butter melted
  • 16 ounces powdered sugar
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 cup pecans chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
  • Grease a nine-by-13-inch baking dish with butter, and set it aside.
  • Add the cake mix, softened butter and one egg to a mixing bowl, and beat until it’s well combined.
  • Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
  • Add two eggs, melted butter, sugar and cream cheese to a mixing bowl (you can use the same one), and beat until it is smooth.
  • Pour the mixture evenly over the bottom layer, and sprinkle the top with all of the pecans, pressing them lightly into the batter.
  • Bake for one hour or until the top is set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only wet crumbs (think cheesecake consistency).
  • Let the bars cool completely before cutting.
  • Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

This was really simple, and the flavor was out of this world. It had a cake-y bottom with a cheesecake-y middle and lots of great pecan crunchiness on top.

It was perfect to throw on a dessert table to share with friends.

And, it appears, eating pecans is a great North American tradition, so I’m pretty sure these bars are an excellent way of honoring our history.

I just wonder if the Native tribes had cake mixes laying around, too.

This first appeared in print Feb. 19, 2026.

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

Give yourself the green light to make spicy chile verde

Chile verde spends a lot of time simmering in a pot, but putting it together is really easy. With plenty of fresh pepper and onion flavors, it’s a filling and excellent meal.
Chile verde spends a lot of time simmering in a pot, but putting it together is really easy. With plenty of fresh pepper and onion flavors, it’s a filling and excellent meal.

With the Chiefs out of the Super Bowl this year, it felt like there was a lot less pressure for Joey and I in hosting our annual party.

But that also meant a lot of hemming and hawing from our friends and family about attending.

It’s tough to commit to a Sunday night when you don’t really have a dog in the fight and Monday morning is looming.

We ended up with a great crew of four guests to watch the game and, thanks to our smaller contingent, a fridge full of leftovers to enjoy throughout the week.

The recipe I made for the group comes from the blog “Kevin is Cooking.” You can find the original recipe at https://keviniscooking.com/pork-chile-verde/. I added extra garlic in my version and added the optional potatoes.

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Chile Verde

Chile verde spends a lot of time simmering in a pot, but putting it together is really easy. With plenty of fresh pepper and onion flavors, it’s a filling and excellent meal.
Course Main Course
Keyword anaheim peppers, chile verde, cilantro, cumin, fresh cilantro, fresh garlic, jalapeno peppers, minced garlic, pork butt, pork shoulder, Serrano, slow cooking, tomatillos, white onion

Ingredients

  • 1.5 pounds boneless pork shoulder/pork butt
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1.5 pounds tomatillos
  • 6 anaheim chile peppers
  • 2 jalapeno peppers
  • 2 serrano peppers
  • 1 large white onion
  • 8 to 10 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro around 2 cups, stems included

Instructions

  • Prepare the pork shoulder by cutting it into one-inch cubes. Add them to a large bowl and season with the cumin, salt and pepper. Mix to coat the meat, and then set it aside. (I put mine in a covered container in the fridge over night.)
  • Husk the tomatillos and slice the stems off the peppers and give them all a good rinse. Also cut the onion in half, and add the tomatillos, peppers and onion to a large stockpot, covering them with water. Boil for about 8 minutes, and then remove them with a slotted spoon directly into a blender or food processor, along with the garlic and cilantro, blending until the mixture is smooth.
  • Set the sauce aside.
  • Heat the oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven with a lid, and saute the pork cubes on all sides (do this in batches), just until each side has some nice color on it.
  • Add all the pork back into the pot, along with all but one cup of the sauce, and stir to coat.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Place the lid on the pot and cook for about three hours (stirring occasionally) or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 180 to 190 degrees.
  • While the pork cooks, cube some Russet potatoes into one-inch pieces, and boil them until they are fork tender. Drain them and set them aside.
  • When the pork is done, add in the potatoes and the rest of the sauce, and stir to combine. Add more salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Serve with tortilla chips, with corn or flour tortillas or just in a bowl.

This was really, really good. It’s a bit spicy but not over the top. You could easily throw in a couple more anaheim peppers and skip the jalapenos and serranos, if you wanted to make it extremely mild.

We also threw a can of kidney beans in a few servings for leftovers, and that was great.

In the past, I made tomatillo sauces by roasting my vegetables under the broiler or in my air fryer and then blending them, and you could absolutely do that with this recipe, too.

The next time we make chile verde, if I decide to boil the veggies, I’m going to plan on making another soup at the same time to use the leftover water, because it smelled absolutely amazing.

And while I was bummed that we didn’t get to see some of our friends and family who didn’t get out on Sunday, at least I can drown my sorrows with some awesome food they didn’t get a chance to enjoy.

This piece first appeared in print Feb. 12, 2026.

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
Appetizer Snack

Relish the thought of a dill-laden dip this week

This pickle dip features lots of great pickle flavor, accentuated by bacon bits, fresh onions and lots of cheese.
This pickle dip features lots of great pickle flavor, accentuated by bacon bits, fresh onions and lots of cheese.

A few months ago, my niece and I were talking about wish lists.

At 8, her most recent birthday and Christmas desires have featured Barbies and their myriad accessories, and she’s also an accomplished artist, loving anything and everything craft-related.

“You know what your mom asked our grandma to get her for her birthday one year?” I asked her.

“What?”

I’m sure she was expecting something brilliant, since my sister is still held in reverence in their house.

“Pickles.”

“Pickles?”

She scrunched up her nose in disgust. The love of dill clearly skipped a generation.

She was even more horrified when I told her our grandma went all out and purchased a big, gallon jar of whole dills and that my sister ate and enjoyed every last one in the weeks following her birthday.

If that story disgusts you, as well, this may not be your favorite week for recipes. However, if you do like dill pickles, this is a great snack for you to make, and it’s a great one for a crowd.

This comes from the influencer “timewithariana.” You can find her on TikTok and on YouTube. I put more cheese in my version and figured out the amounts for all the ingredients.

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Pickle Dip

This pickle dip features lots of great pickle flavor, accentuated by bacon bits, fresh onions and lots of cheese.
Course Appetizer, Snacks
Keyword bacon bits, cream cheese, dill pickle, easy snack, Greek yogurt, green onion, non-fat Greek yogurt, pickles, ranch seasoning, sharp cheddar cheese, snack table, whipped cream cheese

Ingredients

  • 2 cups plain Greek yogurt
  • 8 ounces whipped cream cheese
  • 3 ounces bacon bits
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • 1 ounce Ranch seasoning packet
  • 4 to 5 stalks green onion diced
  • 32 ounces pickles drained and diced

Instructions

  • Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl, and stir to combine well. That’s it.
  • Serve with crackers or pretzels, and keep any leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container.

I made this for a couple get-togethers at our offices last week, and it went over really well. It’s one of those things that, when you tell people what it is, they look at you really skeptically. But once folks tried a scoop, quite a few came back for another try. It’s a little addictive.

It’s also not as overwhelmingly pickle-y as you kind of expect it to be. The cream cheese, cheddar and bacon really help to balance that out.

I also had a few questions about prepping the pickles from people we shared this with. I didn’t dab them dry, just tapped them on the side of the jar, and it didn’t mess up the consistency of the overall dip at all. Also, if you like heat, I think using spicy pickles would be awesome in this, too.

And it does make plenty, which makes it a great dip for a crowd.

And, in my case, the leftovers are all mine, because Joey happens to be in agreement with my niece on pickles.

The two of them don’t know what they’re missing.

This piece first appeared in print Feb. 5, 2026.

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

Don’t be ‘choco’late to the party if you want a chance at these brownies

These chocolate ganache gooey brownies feature a thick, chocolate topping with a hint of peanut butter, on top of dark-chocolate-laden cake-y brownies to provide a sinfully decadent dessert.
These chocolate ganache gooey brownies feature a thick, chocolate topping with a hint of peanut butter, on top of dark-chocolate-laden cake-y brownies to provide a sinfully decadent dessert.

In past years, January and February have felt like reset months for us.

Things slow down, activities are fewer, and it’s time to catch our breaths.

Not so this year. Last week, Joey and I were honored to be invited to speak at the Kentucky Press Association’s annual conference, and we ended up spending an extra day out of town, thanks to the deluge of snow, and while I might have normally been tempted to phone in my column this week, due to a lack of time, that simply wasn’t possible.

I have a dessert auction counting on me.

Well, OK, so it’s not really counting on me, but I promised Peace Connections in Newton that I would provide a dessert for their annual auction next week, and I was not about to disappoint.

I needed to find something that would be delicious and look darn tempting to drive up the bids for a great cause. Enter some chewy, decadent brownies.

This comes from the blog “Georgina Eliza.” You can find the original post at https://georginaeliza.co.uk/2022/09/23/chocolate-ganache-gooey-brownies/. I converted everything into U.S. measurements, and I added extra vanilla and chocolate in my version.

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Chocolate Ganache Gooey Brownies

These chocolate ganache gooey brownies feature a thick, chocolate topping with a hint of peanut butter, on top of dark-chocolate-laden cake-y brownies to provide a sinfully decadent dessert.
Course Dessert
Keyword brownies, chocolate ganache, cocoa powder, creamy peanut butter, dark chocolate, dessert auction, peanut butter, vanilla

Ingredients

  • 8 1/4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla
  • 16 ounces dark chocolate chips divided
  • 1 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Grease an eight-by-eight-inch baking pan, and set it aside.
  • Add the butter to a saucepan, and heat over low heat. When the butter is melted, add the sugar, milk and vanilla, stirring regularly until the sugar is dissolved, and then stir in half of the chocolate chips, stirring until the chocolate is melted.
  • Meanwhile, add the flour, salt and cocoa powder to a mixing bowl, and stir to combine.
  • Add in the chocolate mixture, and stir until everything is well combined, and pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it out evenly.
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until the top of the brownies looks set and crackled. (The brownies are meant to stay a bit gooey.)
  • Set the brownies aside to cool completely.
  • When they’re cooled, add the rest of the chocolate chips to a small saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring regularly, until the chocolate is melted. Stir in the peanut butter until everything is smooth, and pour it over the brownies, spreading evenly.
  • Put the brownies in the fridge until the topping sets up, and then store them in an airtight container.

These were fabulous. They were dense and chewy and would be awesome with a bowl of ice cream or a good cup of coffee.

They would also be a wonderful dessert to bid on to support Peace Connections on Thursday, Feb. 5, at Salem United Methodist Church, 115 Old Main St., Newton. The soup dinner is by donation and starts at 5:30 p.m. The dessert auction will begin at 6:15 p.m.

If you want more information about this awesome group, visit their website at https://www.peaceconnections.org/. They do a lot of good to help a lot of people in the area each year.

And if you’re like me, and your 2026 is already insanely busy, what better way to take something off your to do list than not having to make dinner yourself on Feb. 5?

This piece first appeared in print Jan. 29, 2026.

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

Easy garlic pasta recipe is too ‘shrimp’le to fail

These easy garlic shrimp noodles features a sweet sauce, punctuated by fresh garlic and ginger, along with lots of tasty pasta to soak it all up.
These easy garlic shrimp noodles features a sweet sauce, punctuated by fresh garlic and ginger, along with lots of tasty pasta to soak it all up.

The pantry clean-out continues this week.

Thanks to a stir-fry dish I shared with you back in June, I still had half of a package of lo mein noodles hanging out in the cupboard.

When Joey plopped a bag of shrimp in our cart on a recent grocery trip, I decided I needed to find something to make that could use both ingredients.

Then our week got really, really busy. There was no time to make anything fancy.

But the good news is that both shrimp and lo mein noodles are crazy quick to make.

So when I found a recipe for garlic shrimp noodles that promised to be done in 15 minutes, I jumped on it, and it wasn’t just great because it was a quick meal; it was great all on its own.

This comes from the blog “Lena’s Kitchen” by Lena Gladstone. You can find her original post at https://lenaskitchenblog.com/15-minute-garlic-shrimp-soba-noodles/. I added several spices and extra garlic in my version.

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Easy Garlic Shrimp Noodles

These easy garlic shrimp noodles features a sweet sauce, punctuated by fresh garlic and ginger, along with lots of tasty pasta to soak it all up.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian
Keyword 15-minute meal, dried ginger, easy dinner, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, garlic powder, ginger, hoisin sauce, honey, lime juice, lo mein, minced garlic, red chili flakes, sesame oil, sesame seeds, shrimp, soba noodles, soy sauce

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried ginger
  • 10 ounces soba or lo mein noodles
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound shrimp peeled
  • salt to taste
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Instructions

  • Prepare a sauce by adding the soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice, hoisin sauce, honey, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and dried ginger to a small bowl, and whisk until everything is well combined. Set it aside.
  • Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the package instructions.
  • While the noodles cook, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the shrimp with salt, and then saute in the shrimp in the hot skillet. When the shrimp is nearly cooked through, toss in the minced garlic and grated ginger, and saute until the shrimp is finished.
  • Decrease the heat to low, and add the noodles and sauce to the skillet, stirring to coat everything in the sauce.
  • When everything is heated through, serve, topped with sesame seeds.

I added the hoisin sauce and some extra honey above, because I didn’t think the sauce had quite the sweetness that I wanted it to have. Otherwise, the sesame oil was a bit overpowering. If you don’t have hoisin, you could add a bit more honey or a bit of brown sugar, instead, until you get the sauce how you want it.

I also left out green onions as a garnish, because Joey isn’t generally keen on raw onions, but that would have been a great addition, as well.

Luckily, Joey wasn’t upset that I hijacked his shrimp purchase with my own dinner plans—mostly because he’s a sucker for anything with plenty of garlic.

And now there’s a tiny corner of my pantry that is ready to be filled with another mystery ingredient sometime in 2026.

This piece first appeared in print Jan. 22, 2026.

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

Flavorful one-pan Middle Eastern dish is the ‘peas’ knees

One-pan beef, rice and peas is a simple dish that packs tons of flavor, with delicious caramelized onions, turmeric and other spices, along with fresh parsley to brighten the dish.
One-pan beef, rice and peas is a simple dish that packs tons of flavor, with delicious caramelized onions, turmeric and other spices, along with fresh parsley to brighten the dish.

People sometimes wonder how I manage to find a different recipe to try every week.

In the beginning of this column, over a decade ago, I thought I would source them from readers. I always assumed people would love sharing their favorites with me to try.

But I’ve found over the years that people like to keep their best recipes close to the vest.

The Internet is a wonderful resource for thousands of recipes, though, and one of my best resources of all is Joey, who sends me tons of videos he finds while scrolling in his spare time.

Recently, he discovered an online Israeli-American creator, and I found myself immersed in a pile of delicious-looking Middle Eastern dishes.

The recipe I tried comes from Ruhama Shitrit, who goes by “RuhamasFood” on several social media platforms. You can find the specific Instagram reel for this recipe at https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQo-rV7Dvxu/. I added more of the spices in my version.

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One Pan Beef, Rice and Peas

One-pan beef, rice and peas is a simple dish that packs tons of flavor, with delicious caramelized onions, turmeric and other spices, along with fresh parsley to brighten the dish.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Keyword basmati rice, black pepper, dijon mustard, fresh parsley, frozen peas, garlic powder, ground beef, honey, one-pan, one-pan dinner, one-pot dinner, onion, peas, spicy brown mustard, turmeric, yellow onion

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion sliced thinly
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 2 cups basmati rice rinsed and drained
  • 16 ounces frozen peas
  • about half a bunch of fresh parsley chopped
  • 1/2 tablespoon dijon mustard I used spicy brown, since that’s what I had on hand.
  • 1/2 tablespoon honey
  • 4 cups water boiling

Instructions

  • In a large skillet or pot with a lid, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute. When they are nearly cooked through, add in the salt, turmeric and pepper and saute for several minutes.
  • Add the ground beef, and continue to cook, breaking it apart as you go, until it is cooked through.
  • Add in the rice, peas, parsley, mustard and honey, and mix everything well.
  • Pour in the boiling water, and stir.
  • Cover the pan with a lid. Cook for five minutes on medium heat, and then lower the temperature to low for 40 more.

This was amazing. It was different from anything I’ve ever made, but it was hearty and made for a fabulous meal. The leftovers were awesome, too.

This recipe also made a ton of food, so it would be great for a family dinner. And I would say it’s very kid-friendly.

And now that I have several of Ruhama’s recipes saved, I’m also discovering a whole new genre of spices and seasonings I’ll need to invest in to keep trying more of her dishes.

I’d still love to receive recipes from readers every once in awhile, but having access to amazing cooks from around the world online is a pretty good way to try new things, too, even if shopping for ingredients in rural Kansas can sometimes pose a challenge.

This piece first appeared in print Jan. 15, 2026.

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

Try as you ‘maple,’ you can’t avoid these delicious bars forever

Maple apple pie bars combine the sweetness of apples with maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon to create a delicious dessert, worthy of enjoying alongside a hot cup of coffee.
Maple apple pie bars combine the sweetness of apples with maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon to create a delicious dessert, worthy of enjoying alongside a hot cup of coffee.

I generally make the exact same New Year’s resolution each year.

Unfortunately, I’m pretty sure my resolution messes up some of your resolutions, so I’ll apologize in advance for the calorie-laden recipes that will continue to grace my column in the coming months.

It’s necessary, though, in order for me to meet my ultimate goal: cleaning out my fridge, pantry and freezer.

Throughout the year, I tend to collect all kinds of random ingredients, from those that are leftover from experiments to things I find on the sale shelf and can’t leave there—just in case the perfect recipe comes along

The first item to exit my freezer in the spirit of a new year? A plastic bag of peeled and diced Granny Smith apples.

I bought a huge bag of apples months ago, because it was being clearanced out, and I couldn’t pass them up. So here they are, now in all their unhealthy glory.

This comes from the blog “A Latte Food.” You can find the original post at https://www.alattefood.com/maple-glazed-apple-blondies/. I added extra vanilla and cinnamon in my version.

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Maple Apple Pie Bars

Maple apple pie bars combine the sweetness of apples with maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon to create a delicious dessert, worthy of enjoying alongside a hot cup of coffee.
Course Dessert
Keyword apples, bar cookies, brown sugar, cinnamon, fall dessert, glaze, Granny Smith apples, maple syrup, powdered sugar, vanilla

Ingredients

Filling Ingredients

  • 2 large apples diced (I used Granny Smiths)
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon

Bar Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon

Glaze Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Prepare an 11-by-seven-inch baking pan (I actually used an eight-by-eight) by spraying it with cooking spray, and set it aside.
  • For the filling, combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan, and heat over medium-low, stirring regularly. Once it comes up to temp and the butter and sugar are melted together, cook for another three or four minutes, and then set it aside to cool.
  • For the bar layer, cream the butter, brown sugar and regular sugar together. Beat until everything is combined and the mixture is light and fluffy.
  • Beat in each egg, one at a time, and then beat in the salt and vanilla.
  • Finally, beat in the flour, baking powder and cinnamon until the dough is well combined.
  • Spread half of the dough evenly into your prepared pan.
  • Spread the apple filling evenly over the dough layer.
  • Spread the other half of the dough on top of that. (This is easier said than done. I ended up doing rough dollops all over the top and lightly spreading them out with a scraper. Don’t worry about not getting 100-percent coverage.)
  • Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Let the bars cool while you make your glaze.
  • Add the butter, syrup, vanilla and cinnamon to a saucepan and heat it over low heat, stirring regularly. Once everything is melted and well-combined, remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar until all of the lumps are gone. (You can speed that process up by sifting the sugar into the pan.)
  • Allow the glaze to cool for about 10 minutes so that it thickens, and then pour it over the bars. Once the glaze and the bars are fully cooled, slice them and serve.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container.

These were delicious. They were soft and flavorful. I love the combination of maple, cinnamon and apples, and these bars were a great dessert to share with friends.

I’m sorry if these sugar-filled, delicious bars mess with any of your resolutions going into 2026. But if it’s any consolation, there is a really nice empty space in my freezer.

This piece first appeared in print Jan. 8, 2026.

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

‘Tuscan’ play at this shrimp pasta game

Creamy Tuscan shrimp features Italian seasonings, alongside pasta, mushrooms and more. It’s a great, filling dish for a cold night.
Creamy Tuscan shrimp features Italian seasonings, alongside pasta, mushrooms and more. It’s a great, filling dish for a cold night.

A few weeks ago, as one of my officemates, who shall remain nameless, glanced at my column, he remarked, “You’re really on a pasta kick right now, aren’t you?”

“Yeah,” I told him. “I’m always on a pasta kick.”

I mean, it’s kind of a silly question. Pasta is amazing.

So, despite the judgement from the peanut gallery, I made yet another pasta dish this week—well, actually I added pasta to a dish—and it was delicious. It was perfect for an evening meal on a cold day.

This comes from the blog “Salt & Lavender.” You can find the original post at https://www.saltandlavender.com/creamy-garlic-shrimp-with-sun-dried-tomatoes-and-basil/. I added mushrooms, onion, and pasta, as well as extra seasonings in my version.

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Creamy Tuscan Shrimp

Creamy Tuscan shrimp features Italian seasonings, alongside pasta, mushrooms and more. It’s a great, filling dish for a cold night.
Course Main Course
Keyword 30-minute meal, baby bellas, baby spinach, basil, fresh garlic, fresh mushrooms, fresh spinach, heavy cream, lemon juice, linguine, minced garlic, onion, oregano, parsley, pasta, shrimp, spaghetti, sun-dried tomatoes, yellow onion

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces spaghetti or linguini
  • 2-4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 small yellow onion
  • 8 ounces fresh mushrooms sliced (I used baby bellas)
  • 1 teaspoon flour
  • 6 to 8 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes oil drained
  • 1 pound raw shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach packed
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Prepare your pasta according to the package directions.
  • While it cooks, melt two tablespoons of butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. When it’s melted, add in the onion and mushrooms, and saute until the onion is cooked through. (If the veggies soak up all the butter, you might add a tablespoon or two more to make sure there’s a little fat in the pan for the next step.)
  • Stir in the little bit of flour and add the garlic, sauteing until the garlic just becomes fragrant and the flour is all absorbed.
  • Stir in the cream, lemon juice, basil, oregano, parsley and sun-dried tomatoes, being sure to incorporate any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet.
  • Let the mixture come to a low simmer, and let it cook for two minutes.
  • Add the shrimp, letting them cook in the sauce for about five minutes or until they’re cooked through.
  • Finally, stir in the pasta and spinach, stirring to wilt the spinach into the sauce, and add salt and pepper to taste.

This was creamy and full of flavor. Adding all the extras meant that it wasn’t an overly saucy dish, but there was enough to give everything a good coating.

If you’re not much of a shrimp fan, just leave it out, and then serve this with some grilled chicken. It would be an excellent combination, too.

And yes, if you’re feeling like the pasta is a bit much, just leave it out, too. Just don’t tell me. I’m still on that kick.

This piece first appeared in print Jan. 1, 2026.

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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