Category: Side Dish

Recipes for side dishes.

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
Side Dish

Prepare to paint the town red with a from-scratch Mexican rice

Merely calling this dish red rice doesn’t do it justice as far as all the flavor it possesses. With a combination of fresh vegetables cooked down into white rice, it’s easy to create a tomato-y, delicious side dish for your next Mexican food entree.
Merely calling this dish red rice doesn’t do it justice as far as all the flavor it possesses. With a combination of fresh vegetables cooked down into white rice, it’s easy to create a tomato-y, delicious side dish for your next Mexican food entree.

Sometimes, in reflecting on my childhood, I realize just what a weird kid I was.

I’ll forever be thankful that I had supportive parents who had a “go with the flow” attitude about my idiosyncracies.

One of those strange traits flashed in my mind recently, when I decided I wanted to make a Mexican-style rice as a side for dinner. I suddenly remembered back to eating Mexican food with my family at a locally owned kiosk at the mall. We would go every so often, and the food was great—especially the Mexican rice.

I got to a point where I stopped ordering an entree. I would just get a double side order of rice, and that would be my meal. I loved it. I’m sure my parents were wondering if I was switched at birth.

Weird or not, though, I still love rice, and especially the kinds you get a Mexican restaurant, so when I tried out the recipe I shared with you last week from TV chef Pati Jinich, I had to try one of her rice recipes, as well, to go with it.

You can find the original recipe on her website at https://patijinich.com/red-rice/. I added extra garlic in my version.

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Red Rice

Merely calling this dish red rice doesn’t do it justice as far as all the flavor it possesses. With a combination of fresh vegetables cooked down into white rice, it’s easy to create a tomato-y, delicious side dish for your next Mexican food entree.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword carrots, chicken broth, corn, fresh tomatoes, frozen carrots, frozen corn, frozen peas, garlic, Italian parsley, peas, pickled jalapenos, rice, vegetable broth, white rice

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ripe tomatoes quartered
  • 1 small white onion chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
  • 2 cups white rice
  • 4 sprigs fresh Italian parsley chopped
  • 2-3 tablespoons pickled jalapeno slices
  • 3/4 cup carrots diced (fresh or frozen)
  • 1/2 cup peas fresh or frozen
  • 1/2 cup corn fresh or frozen

Instructions

  • Add the tomatoes, onion, garlic and salt to a food processor or blender, and blend it until the mixture is smooth.
  • Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a large liquid measuring cup.
  • Look at how much liquid is in the cup, and then measure out enough chicken broth in a separate measuring cup so that you’ll have four cups of total liquid. (Don’t mix them together yet.)
  • Heat the oil in a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat. Add the rice, and stir regularly, cooking for three or four minutes until the rice is a milky color. Pour in the reserved tomato mixture, and continue to stirring regularly, letting the rice absorb most of the liquid. This will take another three or four minutes.
  • Stir in the chicken broth, parsley, jalapenos, carrots, peas and corn, and stir to combine.
  • Cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes or until the rice is cooked through. (If it isn’t cooked through and there is no more liquid in the pot, add a few tablespoons of water, cover and let it cook for another three minutes or so.) Fluff with a fork, and serve.

This was the perfect side dish, and I loved the added veggies in this rice, too. It was a nice change of pace from the more standard types of Mexican rice. If you like more spice to your food, you could add even more jalapenos. This didn’t have much of a kick to it, but letting the sauce cook a bit with the rice really made the tomato flavors pop, which I really liked.

And my parents would have been proud to see me eating rice as a side dish instead of just an entree. Let’s just not talk about how I consumed the leftovers, OK?

This piece first appeared in print April 17, 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
Side Dish

This is a really ‘yammy’ way to eat sweet potatoes

This sweet potato souffle has all the hallmarks of traditional holiday sweet potatoes—the delicious flavors of brown sugar and pecans—but without the heaviness and drippiness of syrup and marshmallows.
This sweet potato souffle has all the hallmarks of traditional holiday sweet potatoes—the delicious flavors of brown sugar and pecans—but without the heaviness and drippiness of syrup and marshmallows.

When I was a teacher, I often said that I wished I could have a day or so to audit my colleagues’ classes, just to get a feel for their style and methods.

I had a bucket list of people I would have loved to sit in on to learn some tricks of the trade.

One of those people is Mindy Barter, the contributor of this week’s recipe and a former colleague of mine at Haven High School.

It’s no surprise to me that she chose a recipe for sweet potatoes that has just the right amount of sugar and is a little different from the way everyone else makes them. I think that’s kind of her style in life, too.

Mindy, who is from Newton, said, “This is from my mother in law. This has been a favorite of my family’s for a long, long time.”

After making this and sharing it with some friends, I can tell you I totally understand why.

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Sweet Potato Soufflé

This sweet potato souffle has all the hallmarks of traditional holiday sweet potatoes—the delicious flavors of brown sugar and pecans—but without the heaviness and drippiness of syrup and marshmallows.
Course Side Dish
Keyword brown sugar, butter, Christmas side, holiday side, pecans, potluck dish, souffle, sweet potatoes, Thanksgiving side, vanilla, yams

Ingredients

Topping Ingredients

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/3 cup butter melted

Soufflé Ingredients

  • 3 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs well beaten,
  • 1/2 cup butter 1 stick, melted

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a medium-size casserole dish with nonstick spray.
  • For the topping, combine brown sugar, flour, nuts and butter in mixing bowl. Chill in the fridge until ready to use. This helps the crumble maintain its form and not melt into the sweet potatoes.
  • For the soufflé, combine sweet potatoes, sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs and butter in a large mixing bowl in the order listed. Beat thoroughly with a hand mixer for about three to four minutes to increase the fluffiness of the sweet potato mixture. Add a splash of milk, if needed, and mix.
  • Pour mixture into the baking dish (I use around a two-quart dish). Bake for 25 minutes. At this point, the dish can be covered and refrigerated for a couple of days, if making ahead of time.
  • (If you refrigerated ahead of time, make sure to reheat the potatoes again before adding the topping—around 10 to 20 minutes.)
  • Sprinkle the surface of the sweet potato mixture evenly with the topping mixture and return to oven for 10 to 20 minutes or until crumble is browned. Allow to set at least 30 minutes before serving.
  • The brown sugar and pecan crust should be slightly browned and crunchy. Makes 10 servings.

We really, really liked this. Beating the sweet potato mixture made it nice and light, which was a great contrast to the caramelized, crunchy topping. This one will have to go into my recipe box for future gatherings.

And, after trying out this recipe, I’m not only disappointed I didn’t get to sit in on any of Mindy’s classes, but now I’m pretty sure I need to try to observe her in the kitchen, too. Maybe one day.

This piece first appeared in print on Dec. 19, 2024.

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

Categories
Bread Breakfast Dessert Main Dish Side Dish

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Crepes

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

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

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

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

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

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

Categories
Appetizer Side Dish Snack

Bruschetta a nice slice of delicious summer living

Bruschetta is a great summer appetizer, featuring tons of fresh flavors, from ripe tomatoes to bright basil and bursts of garlic.
Bruschetta is a great summer appetizer, featuring tons of fresh flavors, from ripe tomatoes to bright basil and bursts of garlic.

While planning a snack menu for a recent get-together at our office, I decided the summer heat dictated some nice, cool appetizers.

After settling on some dips to go with crackers, I decided I wanted something summery and full of fresh garden vegetable flavors, so I began researching bruschetta. According to “The International Kitchen” website, the dish, featuring toasted rounds of bread, was introduced in ancient Rome, where laborers were fed day-old bread.

Also, for the record, the dish I made technically isn’t bruschetta, since I opted not to toast my bread (it was just so hot that day), but I’m going to say it was a win anyway, especially because it featured lots of beautiful tomatoes, fresh basil and tons of garlic.

The recipe I used is from the website “Delish” from a post by Makinze Gore. You can find the original post at https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a27409128/best-bruschetta-tomato-recipe/. I added extra garlic and pepper in my version.

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Bruschetta

Bruschetta is a great summer appetizer, featuring tons of fresh flavors, from ripe tomatoes to bright basil and bursts of garlic.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Italian
Keyword baguette, balsamic vinegar, easy snack, fresh basil, fresh garlic, red pepper flakes, snack table, summer, tomatoes

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 6 to 8 cloves garlic minced or thinly sliced
  • 4 large tomatoes diced
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped thinly
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • a healthy pinch of red pepper flakes
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 large baguette cut in one-quarter-inch slices

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and saute, stirring regularly, for two or three minutes until the garlic is lightly browned and fragrant. Remove the skillet from the heat, and set it aside to cool.
  • Place a colander over a bowl to catch liquid, and add the diced tomatoes to the colander. Add about one-half teaspoon of salt to the tomatoes and stir to combine.
  • Let the tomatoes sit for at least five minutes so that they release some of their juices.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil, balsamic vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and stir gently. Stir in the garlic and oil, and then cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap.
  • Let the mixture marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
  • Serve the mixture with the sliced baguette. You can lightly oil or butter the slices and set them under the broiler in your oven for a few moments to lightly toast them, or just serve them as is.

This was fresh and delicious. Don’t let the red pepper flakes scare you (although you could leave them out). They really just enhance the flavors and don’t make the dish spicy. Also, the balsamic vinegar was completely on point. Don’t skip it.

It was nice to have a cold, tasty appetizer to share with guests at our get-together. As a bonus, the leftovers lasted well in the fridge for a few days, giving us time to enjoy it even more.

Plus, it’s always nice this time of year to enjoy a delicious appetizer that doesn’t require too much added heat to create.

This piece first appeared in print on Aug. 1, 2024.

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

Categories
Salad Side Dish

There’s a kernel of summer flavor in this pasta salad

Mexican street corn pasta salad uses lots of fresh vegetables to create a flavor profile reminiscent of elote. It’s an excellent side dish for a summer meal.
Mexican street corn pasta salad uses lots of fresh vegetables to create a flavor profile reminiscent of elote. It’s an excellent side dish for a summer meal.

When the Mexican American Fastpitch Softball Tournament rolls into Newton every summer, Joey and I try to make it out to watch a few hours of the action.

The games are definitely entertaining, but if I’m being honest, I’m mostly there for the food. Trying to pick what to eat from the various vendors is sometimes tough to do. Everything looks and smells amazing.

A couple summers ago, I decided to get elote, which is a roasted ear of corn, slathered in seasoning and mayonnaise and crumbly cheese. Trust me. It’s delicious.

I was thinking about that elote when I ran across this week’s recipe for a Mexican street corn pasta salad. It features a lot of the same flavor profiles, but it’s a bit easier to eat without making a huge mess.

The recipe I tried comes from the blog “Female Foodie” by Tyler Anastasio. You can find the original post at https://www.femalefoodie.com/recipes/mexican-street-corn-pasta-salad/#recipe. I added extra jalapeno, cheese and garlic in my version and changed up the instructions just a bit.

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Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

Mexican street corn pasta salad uses lots of fresh vegetables to create a flavor profile reminiscent of elote. It’s an excellent side dish for a summer meal.
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword adobo peppers, chipotle peppers, cilantro, cojita, ditalini pasta, fresh cilantro, fresh corn, fresh garlic, frozen corn, green onions, jalapeno, lime juice, lime zest, mayonnaise, Miracle Whip, queso fresco, sour cream

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces ditalini pasta or another small pasta
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
  • 3 cups fresh or frozen corn
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 jalapeno seeds and ribs removed, diced
  • 1 bunch green onion sliced thinly
  • 1 bunch cilantro roughly chopped
  • 10 ounces queso fresco or cotija cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste

Dressing Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup sour cream I used fat free
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
  • 2 to 3 whole chipotle peppers packed in adobo
  • 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
  • zest from one lime
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain it and rinse it with cold water, and set aside.
  • Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Once it’s hot, add the corn to the skillet and stir regularly, getting a light char on the kernels. Add the garlic into the pan and saute for just about a minute, and then remove the skillet from the heat. Set it aside to cool.
  • Prepare the jalapeno, green onion and cilantro and add it to a large serving bowl. Crumble in almost all of the cheese, keeping back a handful to top the salad when you’re done.
  • Combine all of the dressing ingredients into a blender or food processor and process until it is smooth.
  • Add the pasta, cooled corn and dressing to the serving bowl, and stir it well. Stir in any additional salt and pepper, if desired. Refrigerate the pasta salad until it’s completely chilled. Just before serving, top with the reserved cheese.

I really liked this, and even Joey, who is a notorious mayonnaise hater, liked the dressing, so you know it had to be pretty good. This will be an especially good pasta salad to put together once everyone’s gardens begin producing this summer.

And if you’re afraid of the jalapeno, you can easily leave it out. It does add a very nice crunch, though.

I’m also not going to pretend that this pasta salad is a perfect recreation of elote, but it does scratch the itch. You can bet, though, once July rolls around, I’ll be on the lookout for the real thing once again.

This piece first appeared in print on May 23, 2024.

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

Categories
Air Fryer Main Dish Side Dish

It’s time to sprout a new opinion of the old Brussels

Parmesan Brussels sprouts are a great side dish or vegetarian main dish, with a great combination of herbs and spices and a lightly salty cheese.
Parmesan Brussels sprouts are a great side dish or vegetarian main dish, with a great combination of herbs and spices and a lightly salty cheese.

As a child, I remember Brussels sprouts as being held up as the epitome of gross vegetables on every kids’ show I watched. The mere mention of the little green vegetable made actors and cartoon characters wrinkle their noses in disgust.

As an adult, I love Brussels sprouts. I figured it was just due to kids not liking vegetables and me having a better palate now that I’m grown up, but then I came across a 2019 report from National Public Radio that explains that Brussels sprouts actually are tastier than they were when I was in grade school.

According to the story, a seed producer in the Netherlands set out to breed a much less bitter version of the plant in the 1990s, and once they perfected the new sprouts, consumers couldn’t get enough. Demand for Brussels sprouts have reached an all-time high.

So, if you’re wrinkling your nose at this week’s recipe, thanks to bad childhood memories, don’t. It’s time to give Brussels sprouts a try once again.

The recipe I tried this week comes from the blog “TropRockin.com” by Tammy Camp. You can find the original post at https://www.troprockin.com/air-fryer-brussels-sprouts/. I tripled the spices and doubled the cheese in my version. I also added oven directions in addition to the author’s air fryer directions.

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Parmesan Brussels Sprouts

Parmesan Brussels sprouts are a great side dish or vegetarian main dish, with a great combination of herbs and spices and a lightly salty cheese.
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Keyword air fryer, Brussels sprouts, garlic powder, paprika, parmesan cheese, thyme

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Brussels sprouts halved
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated

Instructions

  • Clean and trim your Brussels sprouts, and then dry them as much as you can with a paper towel.
  • In a bowl, stir the oil, paprika, garlic powder, thyme, salt and pepper until everything is well combined. Add your halved Brussels sprouts to the bowl and stir until they are evenly coated in the seasonings.
  • If you want to make these in an air fryer, preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees. Place your sprouts in a single layer and cook for eight to 10 minutes, stirring halfway through, until they reach your desired tenderness. Drop the temperature to 320 degrees, sprinkle the parmesan cheese on the sprouts, and cook for another two minutes to melt the cheese.
  • If you’re making these in the oven, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and place your sprouts in a single layer on the sheet. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until they reach your desired tenderness. Sprinkle the parmesan over the top of the sprouts, and cook for another couple of minutes until the cheese is melted.
  • Serve immediately.

These were delicious. I like to roast my Brussels sprouts until they’re starting to get a little crispy around the edges and are fork tender.

And, after this great meal, I’d like to personally thank the Dutch horticulturist who saved Brussels sprouts’ reputation and put them back on menus all over the world. Generations of children (and adults) are in your debt.

This piece first appeared in print on Dec. 21, 2023.

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 Soup

Winter can’t squash my love of fall vegetables

Roasted butternut squash soup is a fabulous combination of warm, late season flavors that create a delicious side dish for any fall or winter meal.
Roasted butternut squash soup is a fabulous combination of warm, late season flavors that create a delicious side dish for any fall or winter meal.

I know now that we’re in post-Thanksgiving life, I’m supposed to transition to only Christmas-y flavors and foods with tons of sugar and peppermint and red and green food dye, but I have to be honest, I’m still not ready to be finished with fall vegetables.

Luckily, our local grocery store isn’t, either, because I was able to get a huge, beautiful butternut squash this week that I immediately knew needed to become some kind of soup.

I did a search and found a recipe from the blog “Little Spoon Farm” by Amy Duska that was just what I was looking for. You can find the original post at https://littlespoonfarm.com/roasted-butternut-squash-soup-recipe/. I added extra garlic and seasonings in my version.

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Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Roasted butternut squash soup is a fabulous combination of warm, late season flavors that create a delicious side dish for any fall or winter meal.
Course Main Course, Side Dish, Soup
Keyword butternut squash, fresh garlic, garlic, pureed soup, roasted vegetables, sage, thyme, vegan, vegetarian, yellow onion

Ingredients

  • 1 butternut squash 3 to 4 pounds
  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 2 heads fresh garlic
  • 2-4 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 2 teaspoons dried sage
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream or coconut milk

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Cut the butternut squash in half, lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds, but don’t throw them away.
  • Cut the onion into quarters, and cut just the tops off the heads of garlic.
  • Put the squash, cut side up, and the onions on the baking sheet. Pour just a touch of olive oil over the top of each head of garlic, sprinkle them a little sage, thyme, salt and pepper, and wrap them loosely in foil. Place them on the baking sheet, too.
  • Rub a coat of olive oil over the squash and onions, and then sprinkle them with sage, thyme, salt and pepper, too.
  • Roast the vegetables in the oven for 45 minutes or until the squash is fork tender.
  • Remove the baking sheet from the oven and set aside so the vegetables can cool enough for you to handle them.
  • In the meantime, rinse the seeds you removed from the squash to get rid of all the goopy strings. Dry them with a paper towel, and then put them in a small bowl, along with one tablespoon of olive oil and salt, to taste. Stir well to coat the seeds in oil and salt.
  • Heat a small skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the seeds and let them brown, stirring regularly (be aware that they might try to jump out of the pan as they roast). Once they are lightly browned, remove the seeds from the heat, and set them aside.
  • If you have an immersion blender, heat a stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat at this point. If not, you’ll want to have the pot ready but first add the ingredients to a blender and then transfer them to your pot after you puree them. (Remember to add a little stock to the blender with each batch so there’s liquid to help the blending process.)
  • Add the vegetable stock to the pot. Scoop out all the squash, discarding the skin, and put it into the pot, along with the roasted onions. Carefully squeeze as much of the roasted garlic out of each bulb as you can into the pot. Using your immersion blender, blend the soup until everything is smooth, and continue stirring regularly until the soup is hot. Stir in the cream, add any more seasonings, and serve with the roasted seeds sprinkled on top.

This was absolutely delicious. It would make for a perfect meal with a sandwich, but we opted to put ours alongside some steaks. It was one of those soups that warmed you all the way through with all the flavor of roasted vegetables and herbs, and it reheated well as leftovers, too.

Also, this recipe taught me that you can roast squash seeds. I have done pumpkin seeds many times, but I never thought about doing the same thing with the other members of the gourd family. They were a great add, creating just a little crunch and nuttiness in the bowl.

I’m so happy there is still squash on the produce shelves. I’m crossing my fingers they’ll be there through the rest of winter, too, because I definitely want to make this soup again. There are some parts of fall that even Christmas can’t beat.

This piece first appeared in print on Nov. 30, 2023.

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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