Categories
Snack

This easy snack is simply ex‘straw’dinary

Cheese straws don’t have a hole through them, but they do have a whole lot of great cheesy flavor. They’re a perfect snack pairing for a wine tasting.
Cheese straws don’t have a hole through them, but they do have a whole lot of great cheesy flavor. They’re a perfect snack pairing for a wine tasting.

A few months ago, I did something I do all the time: make a recipe for this column.

Unfortunately, I forgot a crucial step: taking a photo of the end product.

We hosted a stop on a wine walk in Newton, and after looking up good pairings for wine, I landed on homemade cheese straws.

I don’t know why they’re called straws, since they don’t have a hole in them, but I’m sure someone had a reason at some point.

I made a huge batch of them, and every last one disappeared by the end of the night. They were a huge hit, and I couldn’t wait to share them with you.

Until I looked through my camera roll and realized I was going to need to make them again.

Well, it’s finally time. I whipped up another batch to share with folks last week, but this time, I managed to remember to take my photos. It was a good thing, too, because they were all gone pretty quickly this time, as well.

This recipe comes from the website “Food & Drink” by Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock. You can find the original post at https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/cheese-straws. I added more of the seasonings in my version.

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Cheese Straws

Cheese straws don’t have a hole through them, but they do have a whole lot of great cheesy flavor. They’re a perfect snack pairing for a wine tasting.
Course Snack
Keyword cayenne, charcuterie board, dry mustard, easy snack, sharp cheddar cheese, wine tasting

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated
  • 1 2/3 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons water

Instructions

  • Beat the butter and cheese together for a few minutes until the ingredients are completely combined and look almost spreadable.
  • Add in the flour, mustard, salt and cayenne and beat until well combined, and then beat in the two tablespoons of water.
  • Once the dough is fully formed, lightly dust your work surface with flour, and knead the dough a few times to make sure it’s in a workable state. If it’s sticky, just add a little more flour.
  • Place a large sheet of parchment paper on the work table, and roll out the dough into about a one-quarter-inch thickness, keeping the dough in as much of a square shape as you can.
  • Put the dough sheet (still on the parchment) onto a baking sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes or until it’s chilled through.
  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  • For baking, line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and cut the dough into strips that are about six inches long and one-quarter-inch wide.
  • Place the strips about one-half inch apart on the prepared sheets. Bake each sheet by itself for 12 to 15 minutes or until the straws are crisp and browned around the edges. Let them cool on the counter before placing them in an airtight container.

These reminded me a bit of a Cheez-It flavor. The sharp cheddar is really enhanced by the mustard and cayenne. And don’t worry about the pepper, they aren’t spicy.

Plus, they do pair really well with a nice glass of wine, but they’d also be good to snack on with pretty much anything.

And the benefit for you is you are under no obligation to take any photos. All you have to do is enjoy.

This piece first appeared in print Oct. 30, 2025.

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

Make a pie that feels like it’s payday every day

Featuring salty peanuts, along with a peanut butter and marshmallow base and homemade caramel on top, this pie, inspired by Payday candy bars, is a must for any peanut lover.
Featuring salty peanuts, along with a peanut butter and marshmallow base and homemade caramel on top, this pie, inspired by Payday candy bars, is a must for any peanut lover.

One of my duties as a speech and debate coach over the years was hosting weekend tournaments.

And part of that duty was organizing a concession stand to feed all of the students who came.

That meant buying what felt like a heinous amount of hot dogs, chips and candy, along with tons of pop and bottled water. Since I only played host once in the fall and once in the spring, I tried to balance buying enough to keep everyone satisfied with not buying so much that I had tons of leftovers to contend with.

One leftover that always baffled me, though, was in the candy bar category. Kids would snap up the Snickers and Reese’s, and even the plain Hershey’s bars, but if there were Baby Ruths or Paydays in there, they were inevitably still left over at the end of the day.

And while it’s OK that all those kids were horribly wrong, it doesn’t mean that you and I need to be, which is why, this week, I’m presenting one of the most sinful desserts I’ve made of late: a Payday-inspired pie.

This comes from the blog “House of Nash Eats” by Amy Nash. You can find her original post at https://houseofnasheats.com/payday-pie/. The only thing I added was some extra salt and some extra peanuts in my version.

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Payday Pie

Featuring salty peanuts, along with a peanut butter and marshmallow base and homemade caramel on top, this pie, inspired by Payday candy bars, is a must for any peanut lover.
Course Dessert
Keyword butter, caramel, heavy cream, mini marshmallows, Payday, peanut butter chips, peanuts, sweet and salty, sweetened condensed milk, Thanksgiving pie, vanilla

Ingredients

Bottom Layer Ingredients

  • 1 unbaked pie crust for a nine-inch pan
  • 10 ounces peanut butter baking chips
  • 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 large pinch of salt
  • 2 cups miniature marshmallows

Top Layer Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups dry-roasted peanuts
  • coarse or flaked sea salt to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Place your unbaked pie crust into a nine-inch pie tin, crimp the edges and then prick the bottom all over with a fork.
  • Place a sheet of parchment paper into the crust to line it and fill it with pie weights or dry beans.
  • Bake for 15 minutes, and then carefully remove the parchment paper and weights, and bake for another 15 minutes or until the crust is golden.
  • Set it aside to cool.
  • In a saucepan, add the peanut butter chips, sweetened condensed milk, butter and salt and heat over medium heat. Stir regularly until everything is melted together.
  • Add in the marshmallows, and continue stirring until they melt into the mixture.
  • Pour the mixture into the prepared crust.
  • Evenly sprinkle all of the peanuts on top of the filling, and set the pie aside.
  • For the final layer, add just the sugar to a small pot and heat it over medium, stirring constantly. The sugar will melt and turn amber. At that point, add the butter, and stir until it is melted.
  • Carefully pour in the heavy cream, and let the mixture cook, still stirring constantly, for another minute on the heat.
  • Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let the mixture cool for at least five minutes before pouring evenly over top of the peanuts.
  • Refrigerate for about four hours or until the pie is cooled through. Before serving, sprinkle the top with coarse or flaked salt, to taste.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container.

This was so dense that it was actually a little tough to slice, but I take that as a sign of greatness. The pie was peanut-buttery and sweet, with plenty of salt to balance it all out. It really was much like eating a candy bar.

And if my small amount of market research is any indicator, you might not have to share this dessert with any teenagers in your life.

No promises, though, and I’d recommend having a secret stash of Snickers bars to distract them, just in case.

This piece first appeared in print Oct. 23, 2025.

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

Making this for someone special could create a ‘meat’ cute

Sunday casserole is extremely easy, roasting in the oven for a few hours and yielding a rich, delicious beef dish that creates its own gravy and tastes perfect over mashed potatoes, noodles or rice.
Sunday casserole is extremely easy, roasting in the oven for a few hours and yielding a rich, delicious beef dish that creates its own gravy and tastes perfect over mashed potatoes, noodles or rice.

I first met Joey when I was 19 years old, and even then, he was forced into being my recipe guinea pig.

I decided that I wanted to make a fancy meal for him one weekend, so I hunted for some ideas and came up with a brisket dish for two, and I decided to pair it with mashed potatoes and some veggies.

I was living at home still, and while I felt perfectly comfortable mashing potatoes, roasting some meat and cooking peas, I was terrified of making gravy.

I have to admit that my mom had to step in and give me an assist before she and Dad made themselves scarce and I was able to set the table with my big dinner, complete with candles for the ambiance.

At this point, I don’t know if Joey even remembers that night, but for me, it was formative, not only because it was the first time I put myself out there and cooked for someone I really, really liked, but also because that was the day I learned a gravy-making skill that I still use regularly.

Well, except for this week, because the recipe I tried was not only delicious, but it made its own gravy, too.

This recipe is one that my wonderful mother-in-law shared with me quite awhile ago. I’m officially mad at myself for not making it sooner. I did, however, add carrots and garlic and some seasonings in my version below.

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Sunday Casserole

Sunday casserole is extremely easy, roasting in the oven for a few hours and yielding a rich, delicious beef dish that creates its own gravy and tastes perfect over mashed potatoes, noodles or rice.
Course Main Course
Keyword carrots, chuck roast, cooking sherry, cream of celery, dry sherry, fresh garlic, garlic powder, minced garlic, onion, onion powder, stew meat

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds beef stew meat or roast cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces
  • 3 10.5- ounce cans cream of celery soup
  • 1 yellow onion sliced
  • 3 large carrots sliced into bite-sized coins
  • 3/4 cup cooking sherry
  • 6 to 8 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • prepared mashed potatoes noodles or rice for serving

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
  • In a deep nine-by-13-inch pan, add everything but the last ingredient (the stuff for serving), and stir to coat the meat and vegetables.
  • Spread everything out evenly and bake for three hours or until the meat and vegetables are cooked through.
  • Serve over mashed potatoes, noodles or rice.

This was so flavorful and really good.

We opted for mashed potatoes, and like I said, the dish magically created a thick, tasty brown gravy in the oven that was perfect to pour over the top of everything.

It was like a Sunday roast, but it was all ready to serve straight out of the casserole dish.

And the leftovers reheated really well, too, which was nice.

Plus, it let me think back to the very start of my relationship with Joey. (This was pre-beard, if you can imagine it.) I still like cooking for him, and we cook together quite often, too.

They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but honestly, it might just be all about the gravy.

This piece first appeared in print Oct. 16, 2025.

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 Snack

Bake a ‘cinn’sational treat to celebrate autumn weather

Cinnamon chip oatmeal blondies have a crisp bottom, with chewy middles and highlight the warmth of cinnamon and earthiness of grains. They would make for a great addition to any fall snack table.
Cinnamon chip oatmeal blondies have a crisp bottom, with chewy middles and highlight the warmth of cinnamon and earthiness of grains. They would make for a great addition to any fall snack table.

In 2024, the Joetta Di Bella and Fred C. Sautter III Center for Strategic Communication in the School of Communication and Media at Montclair State University released a study about the ongoing popularity of pumpkin spice lattes.

Apparently, according to their study, apple spice was starting to edge out pumpkin on the popularity scale last year, but companies were still churning out all kinds of pumpkin-spice-themed products for the season.

I don’t know if Montclair reprised the study for 2025, but what I know I can get behind is the common denominator between both pumpkin and apple spice anything: cinnamon.

As a general rule, I view cinnamon as a year-round addition in my baking, but now that we’re having some crisper days, it’s on my radar even more.

Plus, I had a bag of cinnamon baking chips taking up space in my freezer, and with a gathering at the office on the calendar, it seemed like the perfect time to use them up.

The recipe I’m sharing with you comes from the blog “Keep it Sweet Desserts” by Lauren Lilling. You can find her original post at https://www.keepitsweetdesserts.com/cinnamon-chip-oatmeal-blondies/. I loved her amount of vanilla, but I did decide to add some cinnamon in my version and only used one bag of cinnamon chips.

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Cinnamon Chip Oatmeal Blondies

Cinnamon chip oatmeal blondies have a crisp bottom, with chewy middles and highlight the warmth of cinnamon and earthiness of grains. They would make for a great addition to any fall snack table.
Course Dessert, Snacks
Keyword blondies, brown sugar, cinnamon, cinnamon baking chips, cinnamon chips, fall dessert, oatmeal, old-fashioned oats, quick oats, vanilla

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter
  • 3 cups brown sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 cup old-fashioned or quick oats
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 10 ounces cinnamon baking chips

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a nine-by-13-inch baking dish by lining it with parchment paper, and set it aside.
  • Add the butter and brown sugar to a saucepan and heat over medium, stirring constantly until the mixture is melted and smooth. Remove it from the heat, and set it aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla, and then beat in the butter/sugar mixture until smooth. Stir in the flour, oats, salt, cinnamon and baking powder until it is just combined, and then fold in the cinnamon chips.
  • Transfer the batter to your prepared pan, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Let the bars cool before slicing, and store them in an airtight container.

These got rave reviews at our office party. I didn’t pack up a single one at the end of the night.

The bottoms were crisp, and the rest of the bars were soft, creating a great texture combo. And I was especially happy with the addition of the cinnamon in addition to the baking chips. I think it gave the whole blondie a little more warmth. And the oatmeal was a nice flavor addition, too.

I’ll have to put these on rotation for holiday snack tables this year.

Because although the pumpkin spice study claimed that people are experiencing a bit of fatigue with the flavor, since it’s been popping up all over the place, hopefully we can all agree that cinnamon is timeless. We don’t need a study to tell us that one.

This piece first appeared in print Oct. 9, 2025.

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

‘Olive’ making snacks for a crowd of readers

Green olive dip is super easy to make, coming together in a matter of minutes. With a creamy, brine-y flavor, it’s great with everything from crackers to fresh vegetables.
Green olive dip is super easy to make, coming together in a matter of minutes. With a creamy, brine-y flavor, it’s great with everything from crackers to fresh vegetables.

One of the best parts of hosting events in our office is that I can make food I know Joey will hate and share it with everyone who comes.

Last week, when we hosted a ribbon-cutting to celebrate the newly finished windows on our Newton building, I pulled out one such recipe, which featured green olives.

Oh, and it also had mayonnaise in it.

Which means it was a double threat to Joey’s sensibilities.

But he was definitely in the minority, as the bowl was wiped clean by the end of the evening, and the cracker tray was only littered with a few crumbs.

I think it was a hit.

And now I might have to make another batch for me to enjoy, too, because it was really, really good—well, if you like olives.

This recipe comes from the blog “Simple Recipes.” You can find the original at https://simplerecipes.me/2-minute-green-olive-dip/. I added extra seasoning in my version.

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Green Olive Dip

Green olive dip is super easy to make, coming together in a matter ofminutes. With a creamy, brine-y flavor, it’s great with everything from crackers to fresh vegetables.
Course Appetizer, Snack
Keyword cream cheese, easy dip, easy snack, garlic powder, green olives, mayonnaise, Miracle Whip, onion powder, pimentos, snack table

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise I used Miracle Whip
  • about 12 ounces green olives with pimentos
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • salt to taste.

Instructions

  • Add the cream cheese and mayonnaise to a food processor or blender and process until the mixture is smooth.
  • Drain the green olives, but reserve the juice, and give them a rough chop.
  • Add the olives, along with the onion and garlic powder, to the processor and pulse several times to combine the ingredients.
  • Start by adding one tablespoon of the olive brine and pulse to combine. Continue to add more brine, about a tablespoon at a time, pulsing in between, until the dip reaches your desired consistency.
  • If needed, mix in some salt.
  • Serve with crackers, pita bread or fresh vegetables. Store the dip in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

This was super easy to make, so if you ever forget you need to take a snack or are crunched for time, this is a good dip to throw together quickly.

I especially liked it on carrots, but it was great on wheat crackers and other goodies, too. The flavor profile is definitely olive-forward, but it’s not overpowering, and the cream cheese, mayo and seasonings help to balance it out.

Plus, it was kind of pretty. It might make for a good Christmas treat, with its red and green flecks.

And despite Joey’s protests, he was solidly overruled by all the wonderful people who took the time to celebrate with us. It was great to have everyone in our office, even if they didn’t leave me any leftovers.

This piece first appeared in print Oct. 2, 2025.

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 Soup

Turmeric-based veggie soup will help you feel golden

For a great low-calorie and vegan meal, vegetable noodle soup packs a ton of flavor with lots of delicious spices and fresh vegetables.
For a great low-calorie and vegan meal, vegetable noodle soup packs a ton of flavor with lots of delicious spices and fresh vegetables.

Every time I use turmeric in a recipe, I remember back to the time I ruined the one and only manicure I’ve ever had while using it in a delicious Jamaican recipe.

Knowing it has the ability to stain everything, I have been diligent about wearing an apron when cooking with it ever since (although I’m still very willing to sacrifice my nails for the cause).

This week’s recipe featured turmeric, so I paid careful attention to what I was doing while stirring, watching the broth turn a beautiful yellow color.

I managed to get through the cooking process completely unscathed.

But then, when I sat down with my steaming bowl of soup, I realized that my capacity to make a mess went beyond the kitchen and into the dining room as I managed to spill it directly down my shirt.

So typical.

But also so worth it.

This recipe comes from the blog “Munch Meals by Janet.” You can find the original post at https://munchmealsbyjanet.com/2020/11/09/vegan-vegetable-noodle-soup/. I added extra seasoning, broth and ingredients in the version below.

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Vegetable Noodle Soup

For a great low-calorie and vegan meal, vegetable noodle soup packs a ton of flavor with lots of delicious spices and fresh vegetables.
Course Main Course, Soup
Keyword bay leaves, carrots, celery, fresh garlic, garlic powder, minced garlic, onion, oregano, pasta, potatoes, turmeric, vegan, vegetable broth, vegetable stock, vegetarian, yellow onion

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 4 ribs celery diced
  • 4 large carrots diced
  • 6 to 8 cloves garlic minced
  • 6 to 8 cups vegetable broth
  • 4 teaspoons oregano
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons turmeric
  • 2 bay leaves
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 large potatoes cubed
  • 16 ounces pasta something tubular; I used cavatappi

Instructions

  • In a large stockpot or Dutch oven with a lid, heat the oil over medium heat.
  • Add the onion, celery and carrots, and saute until everything is softened.
  • Add the garlic and saute for a couple minutes, just until it’s starting to be fragrant, and add in six cups of broth, oregano, garlic powder, turmeric, bay leaves, salt and pepper, potatoes and pasta, and stir to combine.
  • Cover the pot and raise the heat slightly. Let the soup come to a gentle boil.
  • Lower the heat to keep the soup at a simmer, and leave the lid on for 14 to 15 minutes or until the pasta is cooked through and the potatoes are fork tender. Add more salt and pepper, if desired.
  • Fish out the bay leaves and discard them, and then serve.

This had so much flavor. The turmeric added an earthy, peppery flavor, and the combination of all the vegetables in the broth made it an excellent, hearty dinner.

And luckily, my stain treatment managed to slay the turmeric, and my shirt is good as new.

Next time I pull that bottle off my spice rack, I’ll have to remember that I don’t just need my apron—I might need to get a bib, too.

This piece first appeared in print Sept. 25, 2025.

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

Nothing about wine-braised ribs falls short

Braised short ribs are seared to perfection before being slow cooked in the oven with lots of vegetables and seasonings, along with wine and beef stock, to create a rich sauce.
Braised short ribs are seared to perfection before being slow cooked in the oven with lots of vegetables and seasonings, along with wine and beef stock, to create a rich sauce.

I am generally pretty useless when it comes to remembering the different cuts of meat.

If I’m ordering a steak, I know that a t-bone will have, well, a t-shaped bone in it, but I forget which cut has the best marbling or is the leanest, etc., etc.

But after this week’s experiment, I now understand a new one: the beef short rib. And I also know that I really enjoy eating them.

If you’re like me and have no idea what a short rib is, the easy answer is that it’s literally a short piece of rib.

According to a post from the Lake Geneva Country Meats website, short ribs come from the area between the chuck section of a cow (where we get chuck roasts and a variety of steak cuts) and the rib section. The pieces aren’t big enough for steaks, so they get to be their own cut.

They’re extremely flavorful and are a favorite of a lot of chefs. And now me, too.

The recipe I tried comes from the blog “Good Food Baddie” by Capri Lilly. You can find her original post at https://goodfoodbaddie.com/red-wine-braised-short-ribs/. I added extra seasoning in my version below and changed some of the directions around.

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Braised Short Ribs

Braised short ribs are seared to perfection before being slow cooked in the oven with lots of vegetables and seasonings, along with wine and beef stock, to create a rich sauce.
Course Main Course
Keyword beef broth, beef stock, black pepper, cabernet sauvignon, carrots, celery, dry red wine, fresh garlic, jalapenos, minced garlic, onions, oregano, parsley, short ribs, slow cooking, smoked paprika, thyme, tomato paste, yellow onion

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
  • 3 pounds bone-in short ribs
  • 1 medium onion diced (I used yellow)
  • 4 large stalks celery diced
  • 4 carrots diced
  • 2 to 4 jalapenos diced
  • 24 to 30 cloves garlic about two large heads, minced
  • 4 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 4 teaspoons fresh ground pepper plus extra for seasoning the meat
  • 2 teaspoons salt plus extra for seasoning the meat
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 750 ml dry red wine I used cabernet sauvignon
  • 3 to 4 cups beef stock or broth

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Heat the oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven or pot with a lid. Meanwhile, sprinkle the short ribs on all sides with salt and pepper, to taste, and once the oil is hot, sear each rib on all sides. You will have to do this in batches.
  • Remove seared ribs to a plate on the side.
  • Add the onion, celery, carrots and jalapeno to the pot, and stir regularly, sauteing until the vegetables are starting to soften. Add in the garlic and saute for another couple of minutes, just until it starts to be fragrant, and stir in the tomato paste, parsley, pepper, salt, smoked paprika, rosemary and thyme. Continue stirring for about two minutes, letting the tomato paste brown slightly and incorporate with all the vegetables.
  • Pour in the wine, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to get all of the browned bits incorporated.
  • Raise the heat to bring the mixture to a boil, and then lower it back to medium and simmer, stirring regularly, until the wine mixture reduces by about half. (This will take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes.)
  • Pour in three cups of beef stock, and stir to combine. Return the ribs to the pot. You’ll want to make sure the meat is covered in liquid, so if it isn’t quite covered, add the other cup of the beef stock and supplement with some water until they are.
  • Let the liquid come back up to a simmer, put the lid on the pot and put it in the oven for about three hours or until the meat is falling off the bone.
  • For serving, the recipe author suggests straining out and discarding the vegetables, but we served ours as a part of the meal. Be sure to remove the bones, and then serve the meat, along with the sauce from the pot. We served ours over mashed potatoes.

This was heavenly. I love a good pot roast, and this was one step above that. The deep flavors of the wine paired perfectly with the tomato and beef to create a rich, fabulous dinner.

We ended up halving the recipe when we made it, so I was pretty bummed it was a single serving meal. I would have loved to have some leftovers.

But now that I am firmly aware of what a short rib is, I’ll be on the lookout for it in our local grocery store and butcher shop. This is definitely worthy of a permanent place in the recipe box.

And hopefully, by the next time I end up at a steakhouse, I can educate myself on the difference between a filet and a strip, too. If not, I may just have to order the chicken instead.

This piece first appeared in print Sept. 18, 2025.

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

Sometimes it pays to give memories a fair ‘cake’

Mom’s chocolate cake is extremely moist and always receives rave reviews at gatherings. On top of that, it’s easy to make.
Mom’s chocolate cake is extremely moist and always receives rave reviews at gatherings. On top of that, it’s easy to make.

It’s amazing how memory works.

There are so many experiences from my childhood that seemed so big, so awesome, so magical, and once I experienced them again as an adult, I realized that those were better left as cherished memories than something to revisit.

I remember, for example, taking Joey to see Coronado Heights near Lindsborg for a day trip. I told him all about the castle on the hill and was excited to go back.

And yes, while the view is spectacular from the top, I will say that the towering walls of my memory weren’t quite the same ones I saw years later.

Food can be that way, too. The colored sugar water in plastic barrels I remember enjoying as a child just aren’t all that satisfying to my grown up palate.

But then there are foods that really do live up to the hype. For me, that’s my mom’s chocolate cake. I made it recently—actually I made four of them—to share with guests at our 10-year anniversary party for Harvey County Now, and based on the compliments we received, I’m not the only one who thinks it’s an amazing dessert.

Plus, the other great thing about this cake is that it’s egg- and dairy-free, for those who struggle with those foods.

So, no website for this week’s offering, just me referencing a well-worn recipe card my mom wrote for me long ago. And I didn’t make any changes to that recipe. You can’t mess with perfection, right?

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Mom’s Chocolate Cake

Mom’s chocolate cake is extremely moist and always receives rave reviews at gatherings. On top of that, it’s easy to make.
Course Dessert
Keyword chocolate cake, cocoa powder, dairy-free, dump cake, easy baking, easy cake, egg-free, moist cake, vanilla

Ingredients

  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups water
  • 2/3 cup canola oil
  • 1/2 cup cocoa
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Grease and flour a nine-by-13-inch pan, and set it aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat all the ingredients together until the batter is smooth.
  • Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Let the cake cool before slicing or icing it.

This cake is so incredibly moist, that my sister and I used to riot when my mom would frost it to take to a potluck. We loved it just by itself.

And it’s the same cake Joey requested for his groom’s cake for our wedding (German chocolate icing added).

I’m sure my mom will roll her eyes when she sees how much I pontificated about her cake recipe this week. I can just hear her now, “It’s just a dump cake, guys.”

But regardless of whether or not there are some nostalgia tastebuds working their magic, this is still a darn good cake, and it’s easy to make, too.

Plus, it stands up way better than my memories of eating melty Airheads candy, peeled from my towel, at the city pool in the summer.

Some things are best left in the past.

This piece first appeared in print Sept. 11, 2025.

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 Breakfast Snack

Hashing out language isn’t always an easy task

Hash browns sausage bites are crispy and cheesy, with just enough seasoning. They’re great for a snack table or for a brunch buffet.
Hash browns sausage bites are crispy and cheesy, with just enough seasoning. They’re great for a snack table or for a brunch buffet.

Editing for the newspaper leads me into strange rabbit holes sometimes.

This week, it was a fair amount of research on hash browns.

I have always spelled it as one word “hashbrowns,” but it turns out that I’m wrong. Also, apparently it’s not “hash brown,” although you can have “hash brown potatoes.” If it’s on its own, hash browns is always a plural noun, like pants or sheep.

So, technically, you wouldn’t have one “hash brown.” Instead, you have one hash browns. Which still doesn’t sound right, if I’m being honest.

Despite the research, and no matter how you spell it, though, they’re delicious, and they were a great addition to this week’s recipe.

This recipe comes from the blog “Charm Recipes.” You can find the original at https://charmrecipes.com/how-to-make-crispy-hashbrown-and-sausage-bites. I added extra seasonings in my version.

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Hash Browns Sausage Bites

Hash browns sausage bites are crispy and cheesy, with just enough seasoning. They’re great for a snack table or for a brunch buffet.
Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Brunch, Snacks
Keyword appetizer, bell pepper, eggs, football snack, frozen hashbrowns, garlic powder, green bell pepper, hash browns, onion, paprika, party snack, red pepper flakes, sharp cheddar cheese, thyme

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground sausage
  • 1 small onion finely diced
  • 1 green bell pepper finely diced
  • 3 cups frozen shredded hash browns thawed
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 teaspoon thyme

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and prepare a mini-muffin tin by spraying the wells with cooking spray. (I ended up needing to do two batches, so if you have two, prepare them both.)
  • Add the sausage, onions and peppers to a large skillet and saute over medium heat, breaking apart the sausage as you do, until the sausage is cooked through and the veggies are soft.
  • Remove the skillet from the heat and drain off any excess fat.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the hash browns, cheese, eggs, flour and seasonings, and stir well. Stir in the slightly cooled sausage mixture, as well.
  • Fill each well of the mini-muffin tin with the mixture, pressing it down firmly so that all the wells are filled compactly to the brim.
  • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the tops are golden brown and crispy.
  • Carefully run a knife around the edges of each bite to help release them from the tin, and transfer them to a plate.
  • Repeat with the remaining mixture.
  • Serve warm, although these were also tasty at room temperature. If you wanted a dipping sauce, these would pair well with a little cream gravy or some salsa on the side, too, but they don’t really need anything extra.

These were addictive. I made them for the snack table for a fantasy football draft this weekend, and I didn’t bring a single one home. They are crispy and easy to just pop in your mouth. They’d be great for a brunch, too.

And they gave me the opportunity to understand the complexity of spelling out hash browns, but truth be told, after all the digging into etymology, I might just stick to saying “shredded potatoes” from now on, just to be on the safe side.

This piece first appeared in print Sept. 4, 2025.

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

Can’t tell the varieties apart? You just have to ‘apple’y yourself.

Apple strudels are easy to make with a sheet of puff pastry, some honeycrisp apples and warm spices and brown sugar to go with them. They pair nicely with a cup of tea or coffee.
Apple strudels are easy to make with a sheet of puff pastry, some honeycrisp apples and warm spices and brown sugar to go with them. They pair nicely with a cup of tea or coffee.

“Those apples were kind of pricey, weren’t they?” Joey asked me as we exited the grocery store recently.

“They’re honeycrisps,” I told him.

“So, they’re high-end apples?”

“I mean, kind of.”

It’s amazing that after 15 years of marriage, I can still discover new things about my husband. Case in point: he has no knowledge of apple varieties. At all.

I’m not saying I’m an expert, but I don’t think he could tell a Granny Smith from a red delicious.

OK, so it’s probably not that bad, but you get my point.

Regardless of his lack of apple knowledge, after I had my honeycrisps sliced up and baked with plenty of warm spices, Joey agreed that they were absolutely delicious, despite being a more expensive variety.

The recipe I tried comes from the Instagram account @tisrarewegetout. I switched up the seasoning a bit for my version.

Print

Apple Strudels

Apple strudels are easy to make with a sheet of puff pastry, some honeycrisp apples and warm spices and brown sugar to go with them. They pair nicely with a cup of tea or coffee.
Course Dessert
Keyword apple, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, easy dessert, fall dessert, ginger, honeycrisp apples, nutmeg, puff pastry, tea time

Ingredients

  • 13.2 ounce sheet puff pastry thawed
  • 2 large honeycrisp apples
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon cloves
  • 1 egg

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Prepare a baking sheet (or two) with parchment paper.
  • Roll out the puff pastry and cut it into about four-inch squares. Place the squares about one inch apart on the prepared sheet(s).
  • Slice the apples into about 1/4-inch slices, and cut a hole out of the middle to remove the core. (There’s no need to peel them.)
  • Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves, and dip the apples in the mixture, coating them on all sides.
  • Place one coated apple slice in the middle of each puff pastry square, and fold the corners of the pastry up to the middle of the apple slice (you can cut some slits in the pastry to make it fancier, if you so desire).
  • Beat the egg in a small bowl, and brush each pastry with a liberal coating of egg. If you still have any liquid in the bowl from the sugar mixture, pour it evenly over the top of the prepared pastries.
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the apples are softened.
  • Serve warm with some ice cream or a good cup of tea or coffee.

These were amazing right out of the oven. They were still awesome a day later, but the puff pastry wasn’t nearly as crisp after it sat in a container over night.

The warmth of the spices with the sweetness of the apples and crunch of the pastry was a fabulous combination.

This was easy to make, too, and would be nice for a breakfast or brunch or if you’re hosting an afternoon tea or coffee.

And I would argue this was worth the “high-end” apples—even if Joey is still not sure I actually know the difference.

This piece first appeared in print Aug. 28, 2025.

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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