Category: Main Dish

Recipes for main dishes.

Categories
Main Dish

Get ready for ‘summer’ all the hot weather with this pasta

Lemon ricotta pasta is a fabulous summer dish, featuring a light flavor of lemon combined with creamy ricotta and parmesan. It can be customized with a variety of proteins or eaten as a vegetarian dish.
Lemon ricotta pasta is a fabulous summer dish, featuring a light flavor of lemon combined with creamy ricotta and parmesan. It can be customized with a variety of proteins or eaten as a vegetarian dish.

After spending a few days out at Camp Mennoscah last week, hanging out with a rambunctious group of 8-year-olds and sweating profusely, I decided I wanted something light and refreshing when I went to cook dinner back at home.

I spent way too much time going through recipes online, convinced that there had to be something that fit the bill that wasn’t just a normal, old salad.

As it usually does, the Internet finally provided me with exactly what I was looking for: a light, lemony pasta dish.

I had to change it a bit, since our local grocery store didn’t have everything I needed, but since I’m so thankful to have the opportunity to shop locally for my food, I was definitely still buying my supplies there. And the good news is it was still absolutely delicious.

This comes from the blog “Olive and Mango.” You can find the original post at https://www.oliveandmango.com/lemon-ricotta-pasta-with-arugula/. I substituted spinach in my version, because I couldn’t get arugula, and I also added extra ricotta and some chicken.

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Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Lemon ricotta pasta is a fabulous summer dish, featuring a light flavor of lemon combined with creamy ricotta and parmesan. It can be customized with a variety of proteins or eaten as a vegetarian dish.
Course Main Course
Keyword fresh lemon, fresh spinach, grated parmesan cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, penne pasta, red chili flakes, ricotta cheese, rigatoni pasta, summer pasta, vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces tubular pasta ex. penne, rigatoni
  • 15 ounces whole milk ricotta
  • 1 cup freshly grated parmesan plus more for serving
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 cups baby spinach or arugula
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • red chili flakes for serving (optional)
  • cooked chicken shrimp, etc. (optional)

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta in a stock pot according to the package directions. Reserve one cup of the pasta water and drain the rest.
  • In the same pot, off the heat, add the ricotta, parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and stir them well.
  • Whisk in about 1/2 cup of the pasta water, stirring until the sauce is smooth. If it’s not as loose as you’d like, add more water, a little at a time, until it’s to your desired consistency.
  • Add in the spinach/arugula, and stir to coat and let it start to wilt.
  • Stir in the pasta (and any cooked protein you’re adding), and coat it with the sauce, as well.
  • Serve immediately with more grated parmesan and a sprinkling of red pepper flakes.

With the cheese sauce and pasta, you would think this dish was super heavy, but the lemon flavor made it taste really light and summery.

We opted to add chicken to our pasta, but we discussed how great it would be with some seared shrimp, a grilled steak or even some grilled salmon. It would be an easy one to customize, and if you’re looking for a vegetarian dish, it was awesome without the meat, too.

Between this great pasta, a few loads of laundry and some quality time in air conditioning, I’m pretty sure I’m fully recovered from my time at camp.

And now I know exactly what to have on the menu when I do it all again next year.

This piece first appeared in print July 3, 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

You’ll ‘loaf’ this lightened-up classic dish for dinner

It isn’t a fancy meal, but turkey meatloaf is a lighter version of the down-home classic, and with some added garlic, onions and herbs, it makes for a tasty dinner.
It isn’t a fancy meal, but turkey meatloaf is a lighter version of the down-home classic, and with some added garlic, onions and herbs, it makes for a tasty dinner.

There are a few dishes that feel specifically American.

Meatloaf is one of those, despite it also being the butt of many sitcom jokes over the years.

According to an article by Erica Martinez for “Food Republic,” meatloaf has been on recipe cards since the 1870s, but it may be even older than that.

“[F]ood historians believe that the concept of meatloaf has been in existence since the fifth century, when medieval Europeans would dine on a dish made of diced meat scraps combined with fruit, nuts, and spices,” she writes.

Regardless of its origins, I still think we can claim it as our own here.

Unfortunately, it needs to be a “sometimes food” for most of us, considering its higher fat content, which is why this week’s recipe, which subs in ground turkey, is a great meatloaf to try.

This comes from the blog “Recipes by Lucy.” You can find the original at https://www.recipesbylucy.com/turkey-meatloaf-2/. I added extra garlic and seasonings in my version. I also rounded up the amount of ground turkey to two pounds, since I thought that made more sense.

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Turkey Meatloaf

It isn’t a fancy meal, but turkey meatloaf is a lighter version of the down-home classic, and with some added garlic, onions and herbs, it makes for a tasty dinner.
Course Main Course
Keyword basil, black pepper, catsup, dijon mustard, fresh garlic, ground turkey, ketchup, light recipe, meatloaf, minced garlic, onion, oregano, panko, parsley, tomato paste, Worcestershire, yellow onion

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds ground turkey
  • 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup yellow onion finely diced
  • 4 to 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 rounded teaspoons dried parsley
  • 2 rounded teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 rounded teaspoons dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper (hang some over the edges for easier removal), and set it aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, basil, pepper and salt.
  • In a small bowl, beat the milk and egg together with a fork or whisk until they are well combined, and pour those into the bowl with the other ingredients. Mix with a large spoon or your hands until everything is just incorporated. (Don’t over mix, or you could end up with a less-than-awesome texture.)
  • Add the meat mixture into the prepared loaf pan, and spread it out evenly.
  • Prepare the glaze in a small bowl by adding the ketchup, tomato paste, dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until it is well combined.
  • Spread about half of the glaze mixture over the top of the meatloaf, and put it in the oven to bake for 45 minutes.
  • Spread the rest of the glaze on top, and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meatloaf reaches at least 165 degrees.
  • Let the meatloaf sit for five to 10 minutes before carefully removing it from the pan, slicing and serving.

This was pretty darn good. I felt like I could have thrown even more herbs in there, if I wanted to, but this meatloaf certainly didn’t lack flavor. The glaze was especially good.

It was also the perfect companion to some homemade mashed potatoes. It was definitely a great nostalgia meal. And, if you’ve ever been accused, as Rodney Dangerfield’s wife was, of making a meatloaf that was so bad that it glowed in the dark, then it’s time to try a new recipe.

Honestly, I think Dangerfield should have been happy his wife was making him such a time-honored recipe. No wonder that guy didn’t get any respect.

This piece first appeared in print June 26, 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
Air Fryer Appetizer Main Dish Side Dish

Wrap up your dinner plans with crispy lumpia

Lumpia is a Filipino dish that can be made by either deep frying or air frying. They’re full of ground pork, cabbage and spices.
Lumpia is a Filipino dish that can be made by either deep frying or air frying. They’re full of ground pork, cabbage and spices.

There are many times when I silently curse my past self for inconveniencing me in the present.

I’ll fail to put something away correctly or decide I’ll totally remember we’re out of something rather than putting it on the shopping list, etc.

But the past couple of weeks, I have been pretty proud of past me for making my life slightly easier.

About a month ago, I found myself with several inches of leftover fresh ginger, and rather than letting them go to waste in the refrigerator, I peeled them (something I really don’t like doing) and put them in the freezer.

Now, when I just need an inch, I have pre-peeled ginger at the ready. I’ll be sad when I use it all up, but in the meantime, it definitely came in handy with this week’s recipe, which turned out really well.

This comes from cookbook author Rasa Malaysia on her website. You can see her original post at https://rasamalaysia.com/lumpia-filipino-spring-rolls-recipe/. I added extra garlic and cabbage in my version.

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Lumpia

Lumpia is a Filipino dish that can be made by either deep frying or air frying. They’re full of ground pork, cabbage and spices.
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Filipino
Keyword air fryer, cabbage, chicken bouillon, deep fried, egg roll wrapper, eggs, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, ground pork, lumpia, minced garlic, soy sauce, spring roll wrappers

Ingredients

  • 1 package lumpia egg roll or fry-able spring roll wrappers
  • 2 pounds ground pork I used a pork/beef combo
  • 8 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 inch ginger minced
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 crushed chicken bouillon cube or 1/2 teaspoon bouillon powder
  • 2 eggs
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 6 to 10 ounces green cabbage shredded
  • cooking oil if deep frying or cooking spray (if air frying)

Instructions

  • If your wrappers are square, cut the stack down the middle so that you have two stacks of rectangular wrappers to use. (It’s a good idea to keep these under a damp paper towel while you work so they don’t dry out.)
  • In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, bouillon, eggs, salt and pepper, and cabbage, and mix well to combine.
  • Fill a small bowl with some water, and lay one of the rectangular wrappers in front of you, with one of the short sides facing you.
  • Using your fingers, dipped in the bowl of water, wet the last half-inch or so of the short end furthest from you. Add a couple tablespoons of the mixture at one end of the wrapper, and then roll it tightly, careful not to let the filling squeeze out the sides, until it’s completely rolled up, pressing lightly to seal the wrapper. Set it aside.
  • Repeat until all the filling and/or wrappers are used.
  • If you’re deep frying the lumpia, heat about one-half inch of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry them, a few at a time, turning them to get them golden brown on all sides, and then transfer them with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel lined plate. (You may want to temp them to make sure they are at a safe internal temperature, too.)
  • If you’re air frying them, preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees, lightly spray your lumpia with cooking spray and air fry for about nine to 12 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meat is 160 degrees.
  • Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.

Joey mixed up a spicy, mustard-based sauce for us to eat these with. Honestly, these would be a great side dish for an Asian meal, but we just ate them as our main dish.

They were lightly flavored, which made them an especially good vessel for a nice sauce, but they were also crispy and very tasty.

And I didn’t even have to peel any ginger to make this particular dinner work. If only past me hadn’t decided to put off doing the dishes until the next day, too, her planning would have been perfect.

This piece first appeared in print June 19, 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 Side Dish

Want a veggie stir fry this week? I say go ‘floret’

Chinese vegetable stir fry is heavy on the broccoli but really packs some great flavor with seasonings and the addition of earthy mushrooms and fresh garlic and ginger.
Chinese vegetable stir fry is heavy on the broccoli but really packs some great flavor with seasonings and the addition of earthy mushrooms and fresh garlic and ginger.

People often comment that they don’t understand how Joey and I can work together as a married couple and not want to kill each other.

Honestly, 99 percent of the time, we get along really well, both at home and at work.

If there is something that could spell trouble in paradise, though, I’d say it would have to be the one thing we have never been able to agree on: broccoli.

I love it. Joey thinks it makes the house smell like flatulence every time I cook it.

We’ve had to agree to disagree.

But since he was out of the house for a couple days last week, I took full advantage and made this week’s recipe, which features a ton of delicious broccoli, and I have zero regrets about filling our house with the delicious aroma of my favorite veggie.

This comes from the blog “Once Upon a Chef” by Chef Jenn Segal. You can find the original post at https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/chinese-vegetable-stir-fry.html. I added extra garlic and other spices in my version.

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Chinese Vegetable Stir Fry

Chinese vegetable stir fry is heavy on the broccoli but really packs some great flavor with seasonings and the addition of earthy mushrooms and fresh garlic and ginger.
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Chinese
Keyword baby bellas, broccoli, dry mustard, fresh broccoli, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, green onion, minced garlic, mustard powder, red bell pepper, red pepper flakes, rice win vinegar, sesame oil, shiitake, soy sauce, vegan, vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 pound broccoli cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 8 ounces baby bella or shiitake mushrooms sliced thin and stems removed
  • 1 red bell pepper sliced thin
  • 4 to 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 green onions thinly sliced (separate the light and dark parts into two piles)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated

Instructions

  • Start by preparing all of the vegetables. Cooking will go quickly, so having everything prepped will make things easier.
  • Add the soy sauce, water, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, cornstarch, red pepper flakes and mustard powder to a bowl, and stir to combine well. Set it aside.
  • Add about one inch of water to a deep non-stick skillet, and bring it to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook for about three minutes or until it’s just shy of how tender you like it. Drain it, and run cold water over the broccoli so it stops cooking. Set it aside to finish draining.
  • If there is any liquid left in the skillet, dry it, and then add the vegetable oil, heating it over medium-high heat.
  • Add the mushrooms and red peppers, stirring regularly, and letting them cook for about five minutes or until the peppers are softened.
  • Add in the light-colored parts of the onion, the ginger and garlic, and saute for another minute or so, until you can really smell the ginger and garlic.
  • Dump in the broccoli and stir to combine the ingredients. Once the broccoli is heated back through, pour in the sauce you prepared earlier, and continue stirring constantly, being sure to coat the vegetables in the sauce.
  • Once the sauce thickens to your liking and the vegetables are hot, remove the skillet from the heat and serve immediately, topped with the dark green onions.
  • I served mine with lo mein noodles. You could also eat this with rice or just by itself.

This was really yummy. I should have cooked the broccoli just a bit less for the sake of my leftovers, since it was a bit mushy by the time I reheated it, but it was still flavorful and just what I wanted.

Who can complain about a big dish of well-seasoned veggies?

Well, OK, I know one guy, but that’s what he gets for leaving me home alone. You never know what kind of culinary mischief I might get into.

This piece first appeared in print June 12, 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

Think you can’t eat chili in summer? That’s your ‘poblano’

Chorizo poblano chili is a great meal year round. Featuring some robust spices like chili powder and paprika, along with a combination of chorizo, ground beef and fresh peppers, this chili is a hearty dish that is a real crowd pleaser.
Chorizo poblano chili is a great meal year round. Featuring some robust spices like chili powder and paprika, along with a combination of chorizo, ground beef and fresh peppers, this chili is a hearty dish that is a real crowd pleaser.

There is really only one part of winter that I like: getting to eat soup.

But then I realized one day that you really don’t have to reserve having a big bowl of soup, stew or chili to the cold months. Honestly, despite being a warm food, it’s not an awful summer meal.

You don’t have to heat up the kitchen with the oven, you generally get leftovers to put in the fridge for those days you spend all day in the yard and don’t want to cook, and there are plenty of fresh garden veggies around to include.

So, yeah, I’m on board with eating a hot bowl of deliciousness any time of the year.

Obviously, what I’m really after is justifying the fact that I’m sharing a traditionally warm-weather recipe with you in May, but I figure this is my column, and if you’re not impressed, you can just put it in your recipe box to try in the fall.

This comes from the blog “Abras Kitchen” by Abra Pappa. You can find the original recipe at https://abraskitchen.com/chorizo-poblano-chili/. I added extra spices in my version below.

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Chorizo Poblano Chili

Chorizo poblano chili is a great meal year round. Featuring some robust spices like chili powder and paprika, along with a combination of chorizo, ground beef and fresh peppers, this chili is a hearty dish that is a real crowd pleaser.
Course Main Course
Keyword chicken stock, chili powder, chorizo, cumin, diced tomatoes, fresh garlic, ground beef, jalapeno peppers, kidney beans, minced garlic, onion, oregano, paprika, poblano peppers, vegetable stock

Ingredients

  • 1 pound chorizo
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 6 to 8 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 poblano peppers diced
  • 1 jalapeno pepper diced (remove ribs and seeds for a milder taste)
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 15- ounce can kidney beans drained and rinsed
  • 2 15- ounce cans diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock

Instructions

  • Heat a large pot over medium-high heat.
  • Add the chorizo and ground beef, cooking until it’s browned and cooked through, and breaking it apart as you go.
  • Remove the meat with a slotted spoon to a plate over to the side.
  • Remove all but two tablespoons of fat from the pot. Add in the onions and peppers, and saute until they are softened. Add in the garlic and saute for a couple minutes until the garlic just starts to brown.
  • Pour in the beans and spices. Stir well, letting the spices toast a bit (about two minutes).
  • Add in the diced tomatoes, cooked chorizo and beef, and the chicken stock, and scrape the bottom of the pot to incorporate any stuck-on bits.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil, and then turn the heat down to a simmer, and let the chili cook for one hour, stirring regularly, until the liquid reduces to a consistency you like. Add more spices, as needed, and serve.

This was not nearly as spicy as I thought it would be. When I did the “add more spices” step, I added quite a bit more to really punch up the spice level, but it was probably perfect for quite a few folks’ palates.

Combining the chorizo with the ground beef gave this chili a bit more of a robust flavor that we really enjoyed.

And I’m sorry if I was too harsh with those of you who are in the “soup is only for winter camp” earlier. I was probably hungry. But after a big bowl of chili, I am definitely feeling much better.

This piece first appeared in print May 22, 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

You ‘nita’ stop what you’re doing and try this pressure cooker recipe

Pork carnitas can be made in a pressure cooker and yield flavorful, delicious pulled pork that is especially delicious in a taco.
Pork carnitas can be made in a pressure cooker and yield flavorful, delicious pulled pork that is especially delicious in a taco.

Any time I find pork shoulder at a great price at our local grocery store, it’s a no-brainer for me to put it in the cart and let Joey know that I wouldn’t mind if he threw it on his smoker over the weekend.

That’s why it was a little weird last week when Joey put one in the cart and asked if I would prepare it instead.

He found a recipe for carnitas made in a pressure cooker, and of course, we had to give it a try.

This comes from the blog “Platings and Pairings.” You can find the original post at https://www.platingsandpairings.com/best-instant-pot-pork-carnitas/. I added extra seasoning in my version and added a step to the preparation.

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Pressure Cooker Pork Carnitas

Pork carnitas can be made in a pressure cooker and yield flavorful, delicious pulled pork that is especially delicious in a taco.
Course Main Course
Keyword basil, brown sugar, carnitas, chili powder, coriander, cumin, fresh lime, fresh oranges, garlic salt, Instantpot, oregano, paprika, pork butt, pork shoulder, pressure cooker, smoked paprika, tacos

Ingredients

  • 4 to 6 pounds pork shoulder
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon garlic salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 tablespoon oregano
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon basil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon coriander
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 oranges
  • 1 lime

Instructions

  • Trim most of the fat off the pork shoulder and cut the meat into two-inch cubes.
  • Combine the garlic salt, cumin, oregano, brown sugar, basil, coriander, chili powder and paprika in a bowl and stir to combine. Reserve about 2 tablespoons, plus 2 teaspoons, of the mixture.
  • With the rest of the spice rub, pour it over the pork, coating it as evenly as possible.
  • Add the pork to your pressure cooker, along with one cup of water.
  • Cut your oranges and lime in half. Squeeze as much juice out of each half as you can into the pressure cooker, and then place the fruit, cut side down, into the pressure cooker, as well.
  • Seal the pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 40 minutes, and then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before opening the cooker.
  • While the pork cooks, prepare a rimmed baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
  • When the pork is done, remove it with a slotted spoon and shred it with two forks. Put the shredded pork on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the reserved seasoning over top of the pork and give it a stir, spreading it out evenly on the sheet.
  • Preheat the broiler in your oven to high and place the baking sheet under it. Let the pork crisp for around three minutes, checking regularly. Remove the pork when it’s just starting to crisp up along the edges.
  • Serve the pork as a taco, sandwich, or however you like it.

This was delicious. Joey graciously acted as my sous chef, trimming and breaking down the pork shoulder while I prepared the spices. We enjoyed the pork in some corn tortillas, along with avocado, fresh spinach and some hot sauce.

The leftovers reheated very nicely, too.

The next time we find a good deal on a large piece of pork, Joey and I may have to thumb wrestle to see who will be the one to cook it.

The good news is that no matter who wins, there won’t be any losers.

This piece first appeared in print May 8, 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

A fresh veggie-based pasta sauce will keep them ‘aspara’guessing

It sounds weird at first, but making a pasta sauce from asparagus is not only easy, it’s a delicious way to enjoy the fresh greens.
It sounds weird at first, but making a pasta sauce from asparagus is not only easy, it’s a delicious way to enjoy the fresh greens.

According to the website “The Kitchen Project,” asparagus is a very old vegetable.

Historical records show it was grown in ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt.

It takes a few years to get a plant going, but once you have an asparagus plant established, the growing season will last about three months, and a healthy plant can grow six inches every day.

With my gardening skills, I don’t think I could get a plant to live long enough to get to that point, but I’m always willing to enjoy the fruits of others’ labor when it comes to fresh vegetables.

With asparagus harvesting season just around the corner, I wanted to share a unique way to use the veggie for those who start getting tired of just roasting stalks.

This comes from “Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street.” You can find the original recipe on their YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/pLjflANPvNk?si=tSQSwkFV5PW35UTV. I replaced the shallots with onions, increased the garlic and figured out the amounts for several of the ingredients in my version below.

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Asparagus Pasta Sauce

It sounds weird at first, but making a pasta sauce from asparagus is not only easy, it’s a delicious way to enjoy the fresh greens.
Course Main Course
Keyword asparagus, fresh garlic, garden fresh, grated parmesan cheese, heavy cream, lemon juice, linguine, onion, parmesan, pasta sauce, vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds fresh asparagus
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt plus more, to taste
  • 6 to 8 cloves garlic minced
  • pepper to taste
  • 16 ounces fettuccine pasta
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions

  • Trim ends off asparagus and then cut the stalks into one-inch pieces.
  • Put the pieces into a food processor, and process until it is finely chopped.
  • Save out about one cup of the asparagus mixture and set it aside.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and melt the butter in it.
  • When the butter is melted, add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and saute until the onion is soft.
  • Add in the garlic and saute for about one minute. Add in the remaining asparagus from the food processor and stir to combine the ingredients. Let it saute for four to five minutes, stirring regularly.
  • While the asparagus sautes, begin cooking your pasta, according to the package instructions. When it’s done, be sure to reserve at least one cup of the pasta water when you drain it.
  • Once the asparagus is just starting to brown a bit, add in the heavy cream. Once it comes to a low simmer, add in the reserved asparagus, and stir.
  • Continue stirring regularly, letting the cream reduce a bit until dragging a spatula across the bottom of the pan leaves an empty trail for a few seconds before the sauce runs back into it.
  • Turn the heat to low and stir in the parmesan.
  • Add your drained pasta to the skillet. Add a touch of the pasta water, and toss the pasta with the sauce. If you want the sauce a little looser, add more pasta water until it’s at a consistency you like. Stir in the lemon juice and more salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with a little more fresh parmesan on top.

We ate our pasta with some meatballs, but it would also pair really well with chicken.

It was fresh and pretty, and it tasted like, well, asparagus, but with the addition of the parmesan, it had almost Alfredo qualities, and it was just a really nice sauce for dinner.

I’m looking forward to some locally grown asparagus popping up around the area so that I can make this again, and now that I know the ancient Italians were also eating asparagus, I guess the pasta combination just makes sense. Buon appetito!

This piece first appeared in print May 1, 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

Holy ‘mole’ were these enchiladas out of this world

Pork enchiladas with mole verde features a roasted pork tenderloin smothered with a bright tomatillo-based sauce that features a ton of fresh flavors.
Pork enchiladas with mole verde features a roasted pork tenderloin smothered with a bright tomatillo-based sauce that features a ton of fresh flavors.

I had a moment recently where I thought I was going crazy.

Joey was making something that required kitchen twine, which I knew I had, and I even knew which drawer it was in.

But after shuffling everything around in that drawer and several others, I just couldn’t find that darn ball of twine.

About a week later, I was making some cookies and pulled a scoop out of that same drawer, revealing my ball of twine, tucked snuggly into it. Of course.

I was happy to finally find it, because it came in handy this week when I decided to try something new.

This comes from the fabulous television chef Pati Jinich. You can find her original recipe at https://patijinich.com/pork-tenderloin-enchiladas-with-mole-verde/. I added extra garlic in my version and left off a pickled radish garnish she made.

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Pork Enchiladas with Mole Verde

Pork enchiladas with mole verde features a roasted pork tenderloin smothered with a bright tomatillo-based sauce that features a ton of fresh flavors.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword corn tortillas, fresh cilantro, fresh garlic, fresh parsley, fresh sage, Italian parsley, jalapeno peppers, pepitas, pork loin, pork tenderloin, romaine lettuce, Serrano, tomatillos, white onion

Ingredients

Pork Ingredients

  • 2 pounds pork tenderloin
  • 8 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 tablespoons fresh sage finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil divided

Mole Verde Ingredients

  • 1 pound fresh tomatillos husked and cleaned
  • 1 or 2 serrano or jalapeno peppers
  • 3/4 cup raw pepitas
  • 6 to 8 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 medium white onion roughly chopped
  • 3 to 4 leaves romaine lettuce roughly chopped
  • 1 1/2 cup cilantro leaves and upper stems
  • 1 cup Italian parsley leaves and upper stems
  • 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cup broth reserved from the tenderloin
  • 12 corn tortillas for serving

Instructions

Pork Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  • Cut a slit (don’t cut all the way through) down the length of the tenderloin.
  • In a small bowl, combine the garlic, sage, salt, black pepper and four tablespoons oil, and stir. Spread the oil mixture all over the tenderloin, and especially into the slit you created.
  • Tie the tenderloin with kitchen twine, wrapping it around the entire length, so it holds together. (The tenderloin can be prepped up to 24 hours in advance.)
  • Heat the other two tablespoons of oil in a Dutch oven with a lid over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, add in the tenderloin, letting it brown for a few minutes on all sides.
  • Add three cups of water to the Dutch oven, cover it, and roast the tenderloin for 30 minutes or until the meat is cooked through to an internal temperature of 150 degrees.
  • Remove the tenderloin from the Dutch oven and let it rest on a cutting board for around 15 minutes, tenting it loosely with aluminum foil. Transfer the juices to a measuring cup, and set them aside.
  • Once it’s done resting, dice the pork into bite-sized pieces.

Mole Verde Directions

  • Put the tomatillos and peppers into a saucepan, cover them with water, and bring them to a low boil over medium-high heat. Let them simmer for about 10 minutes until everything is fork tender.
  • While the vegetables cook, add the pepitas to a dry saucepan and heat over medium-low. Stir them regularly to keep them from burning, and remove them once they are lightly browned and start popping in the pan.
  • Drain the tomatillos and peppers and add them to a blender, along with the garlic and salt. Puree until it’s smooth. Add in the pepitas, onion, lettuce, cilantro and parsley and puree again until smooth.
  • Heat the canola oil over medium in a Dutch oven with a lid (I used the same one as for the pork). Add in the pureed sauce and one and one-half cups of the reserved broth from the pork (save the rest in the fridge for reheating leftovers). Stir until the mixture is at a low simmer, and then cover the pot with the lid askew and let it cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every five. (Warning: this sauce will spit and pop all over the place and gets pretty messy.) If it starts sticking to the bottom of the pot too much, turn the heat down a bit. The sauce is done when it thickly coats the back of a spoon. Add more salt and pepper, to taste.

To Serve

  • Carefully dredge both sides of a tortilla in the sauce, and place it on your serving platter or plate. Put a scoop of the pork onto the tortilla, fold it over and add more sauce, as desired, to the top.
  • Alternatively, we added the pork to the finished sauce, skipped the dredging, and ate it like tacos.

This was absolutely delicious. The sauce has this amazing, bright flavor, and the pork was delicious, too. It was also awesome for leftovers. When you reheat the sauce, just add a little bit of that pork broth to loosen it back up, and it’s perfect. I will definitely be making this again.

And when I do, one thing is certain: I’ll know where to look for my twine.

This piece first appeared in print April 10, 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 Side Dish

Prepare to be mesme‘riced’ by creamy risotto

Red pepper risotto features roasted red bell peppers that melt with fresh parmesan into a creamy, delicious dish that can be paired with everything from mushrooms to shrimp to sausage for dinner.
Red pepper risotto features roasted red bell peppers that melt with fresh parmesan into a creamy, delicious dish that can be paired with everything from mushrooms to shrimp to sausage for dinner.

Joey and I have a shared joke when we go out to eat about which one of us “won” dinner, especially when we’re trying someplace new.

A few weeks ago, Joey definitely won. He ordered a special that included fish (which I was not all that interested in) on top of an absolutely amazing mushroom and roasted red pepper risotto.

It was creamy and flavorful, and before we pulled into the driveway at home, I had already managed to find a similar-looking recipe online to try.

Plus, this crossed something off my food bucket list, since the first time I tried to make risotto, it ended up being a little crunchy and not the deliciously creamy rice dish it was supposed to be. This was going to be my risotto redemption.

I found this recipe on the blog “The Genetic Chef” by Natalie Gregory. You can find the original post at https://www.thegeneticchef.com/red-pepper-risotto/. I added extra garlic in my version.

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Red Pepper Risotto

Red pepper risotto features roasted red bell peppers that melt with fresh parmesan into a creamy, delicious dish that can be paired with everything from mushrooms to shrimp to sausage for dinner.
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Keyword apple butter, Arborio rice, chicken stock, dry white wine, fresh garlic, minced garlic, parmesan cheese, red bell pepper, red wine vinegar, risotto, sweet onion, yellow onion

Ingredients

  • 2 large red bell peppers
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 4 cups chicken stock divided
  • 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 3 teaspoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • About 20 to 30 minutes before you’re ready to start the risotto, line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the whole peppers on it.
  • Turn your oven broiler on high, and place the peppers under it, letting the peppers char. Turn them to char them on all sides. (Watch them carefully.)
  • When they’re charred all the way around, carefully place them in a glass bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it set until they’re cool enough to handle easily.
  • When you’re ready to start, pull off as much of the charred skin as you can, slice the peppers into quarters and remove the stem and seeds.
  • Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, and saute until they are soft but not browned. Stir in the garlic and saute for a couple minutes.
  • While the onions cook, add the peppers and approximately half of the stock to a food processor or blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth.
  • Pour the rice into the skillet with the onions, and stir to coat it in the remaining oil.
  • Turn the heat to medium-high, and pour in the wine. Stirring regularly, let the wine completely evaporate, and then add in the pepper/stock mixture.
  • Pour the rest of the stock into the food processor/blender cup to rinse the rest of the peppers out of it, and pour it into the skillet, as well.
  • Add salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Stir in the red wine vinegar.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil, and then lower the heat to a simmer, stirring occasionally and letting it cook for 20 minutes.
  • Remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the butter and parmesan. Add more salt and pepper, if desired.
  • We sauteed some sliced baby bella mushrooms and shrimp and served that on top of our risotto to make it a full meal.

This was really, really good. Roasting the peppers added a ton of flavor to the dish, and the risotto came out creamy and starchy and delicious. It was a great pairing for the shrimp and mushrooms.

It would also be great if you wanted to slice up and saute some rope sausage. Also, if you’re into spice, you might want to add some cayenne pepper or some red pepper flakes to kick it up a notch.

I told Joey this would have to make an appearance for a dinner party sometime. It felt luxurious and was a great meal.

Joey might have “won” dinner when we were out at the restaurant, but we were both winners while eating this risotto at home—and we didn’t even need to leave a tip.

This piece first appeared in print March 27, 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

Don’t skip this week’s a‘braising’ recipe

Making red wine braised beef is a bit of a labor of love, but the rich flavors and tender vegetables produced by this recipe make it well worth the effort.
Making red wine braised beef is a bit of a labor of love, but the rich flavors and tender vegetables produced by this recipe make it well worth the effort.

Several years ago, my parents gifted me with a gorgeous, red braising pot.

It’s a ceramic-coated cast iron pot, and I always feel like whatever I put in it should be really extraordinary.

This week’s recipe really fit the bill for using my special pot, since I was getting ready to embark on a dinner project that was going to take some decent preparation and several hours of braising to accomplish, and boy, did it stand up to the task.

The recipe I tried comes from the blog “Well Seasoned Studio” by Ari Laing. You can find the original post at https://www.wellseasonedstudio.com/red-wine-braised-beef/. I added extra garlic in my version.

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Red Wine Braised Beef

Making red wine braised beef is a bit of a labor of love, but the rich flavors and tender vegetables produced by this recipe make it well worth the effort.
Course Main Course
Keyword bay leaves, beef broth, beef stock, braised beef, cabernet sauvignon, carrots, chuck roast, dijon mustard, fresh garlic, fresh thyme, leeks, mashed potatoes, onion, red wine, Sunday dinner, sweet onion, tomato paste, yellow onion

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 to 4 pound beef chuck roast
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 large sweet onion cut into one-inch pieces
  • 2 leeks halved and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 8 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 cups red wine I used a cabernet sauvignon
  • 2 cups beef broth or stock
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
  • 2 bay leaves
  • about 12 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 3 large carrots cut into one-inch pieces
  • mashed potatoes for serving

Instructions

  • Set your roast out to come to room temperature while you prep all of your vegetables.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Using paper towels, pat the roast dry all the way around, and then season it liberally with salt and pepper.
  • Put a large Dutch oven (or braising pot—just make sure what you use is deep, has a lid and is oven-safe) on the stovetop and heat the oil on medium-high heat.
  • Add the roast, and sear it on all sides, cooking each side for about three or four minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate, and add the onion and leeks, along with just a bit more salt. Saute, stirring regularly, until they are soft.
  • Add the garlic to the pot and saute for one or two minutes until it just starts to brown and is fragrant.
  • Stir in the tomato paste, making sure to incorporate everything in the pot well.
  • Pour in the wine, and using a wooden spoon or spatula, scape the bottom of the pot to get all the stuck on bits up. Let this cook for two or three minutes, and then add the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, bay leaves, thyme (I tied mine together in a bundle with cooking twine so it will be easy to remove later), and carrots.
  • Add the roast back to the pot, pushing it down into the ingredients so that it’s mostly submerged.
  • Cover with a lid and put the pot in the oven. Cook until the meat is tender enough to shred with a fork, which will take about three hours.
  • Remove the pot from the oven and use tongs to carefully put the roast on a cutting board. Let it rest for five to 10 minutes before shredding it with two forks.
  • Meanwhile, remove the thyme and bay leaves from the pot. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper, if needed. Add the shredded beef back to the pot, and stir.
  • Serve the beef and veggies over mashed potatoes, along with some of the amazing sauce you created.

This was heavenly. The meat melted in your mouth, and the vegetables were cooked to perfection. We enjoyed a glass of the leftover cabernet sauvignon with our dinner, too, which made it feel extra special.

I have made plenty of chuck roasts in my slow cooker, and they’re always delicious, but this treatment just took everything up a notch, and while it does take a bit of a time commitment, I will absolutely be making this again.

After all, I need all the excuses I can get to let my pretty cast iron pot shine.

This piece first appeared in print March 20, 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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