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
Dessert

Take a poke at creating a whimsical cake this week

This poke cake is a super easy dessert to create, using all box mixes, but it’s also gorgeous, deliciously moist and can be customized for any occasion.
This poke cake is a super easy dessert to create, using all box mixes, but it’s also gorgeous, deliciously moist and can be customized for any occasion.

In the past seven years, I have written a number of columns that stemmed from my life goal of being the “cool aunt.”

This week’s is another in that installment, after I asked our family group chat if anyone had any dessert requests for Easter, and my sister responded with one from my niece for an “Easter-themed cake with pink frosting and with bunny and egg sprinkles.”

Actually, that was an easy one, but I also wanted to make sure that I wasn’t going to completely overload the rest of the family on a sugar rush to end all sugar rushes, so I was super happy when I found this week’s recipe, which looks like it’s overly sweet but is actually a fabulous cake that is moist and full of flavor. Plus, if you don’t consider yourself much of a baker, you’re in luck: this is just elevated box mixes.

This comes from Morgan Reed on the website “Cooktop Cove.” You can find the original post at https://cooktopcove.com/2024/03/18/hands-doesn-this-is-the-only-cake-my-hubby-will-eat-for-easter/. I didn’t change anything in the ingredients for this one. It was just too simple.

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Colorful Poke Cake

This poke cake is a super easy dessert to create, using all box mixes, but it’s also gorgeous, deliciously moist and can be customized for any occasion.
Course Dessert
Keyword cake mix, cake mix recipe, Cool Whip, Easter, food coloring, holiday cake, holiday dessert, instant pudding, vanilla pudding, whipped topping, white cake mix

Ingredients

  • 1 box white cake mix plus the ingredients on the box
  • a variety of colors of food coloring
  • 2 3.4- ounce boxes vanilla instant pudding
  • 4 cups milk
  • 8 ounces whipped topping thawed
  • sprinkles for decorating

Instructions

  • Prepare a nine-by-13-inch baking pan by spraying it with cooking spray, and set it aside. Preheat the oven to the temperature instructed on the cake mix.
  • Start by mixing up the cake mix, according to the instructions on the box.
  • Decide how many colors you want to have in your cake, and pour even amounts of the cake batter into that many bowls.
  • Using the food coloring, dye each bowl to your desired shade.
  • Plop the colored batters into the prepared baking pan by the spoonful, distributing them randomly to cover the bottom of the pan.
  • Once all the batter is in the pan, gently swirl the batter with a knife to integrate the colors a bit more. (Be careful not to do it so much that they mix into a solid, yucky shade.)
  • Bake the cake for the amount of time specified on the box, and remove it from the oven when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes, and then, using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes all over the top of the cake, placing them about one inch apart.
  • In a bowl, whisk the pudding mix and milk together, and continue whisking until it just starts to thicken.
  • Pour the pudding on top of the cake, spreading it out evenly and letting it run down into the holes you created. (Some of it will stay on top, and that’s OK.)
  • Put the cake in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
  • Before serving, spread the entire container of whipped topping on top of the cake, and decorate with any sprinkles you would like to use. (I also colored my whipped topping with food coloring.)
  • Refrigerate any leftovers.

The cool thing about this recipe is you can make it for any holiday or occasion you want. I went with pastel colors for my version, but I could easily see using a few shades of green for St. Patrick’s Day or red, white and blue for July.

The pudding in this was such a great addition. It took the cake from being a normal box cake to something a bit more special, and I really liked the lightness of the whipped topping instead of thick buttercream.

And this ended up being both adult and 7-year-old approved after our Easter lunch, which cemented me as both the family dessert maker and the cool aunt, all in the same day.

One day, her imagination is going to completely outpace my abilities, but at this point, I’ll be happy to have my colorful cake and eat it, too.

This piece first appeared in print April 24, 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

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
Breakfast Dessert

Every night is date night with this great coffee cake

Walnut date coffee cake has a great combination of flavors, from the hints of stone fruit with the dates to the nuttiness of the walnuts and the sweet bitterness of the coffee.
Walnut date coffee cake has a great combination of flavors, from the hints of stone fruit with the dates to the nuttiness of the walnuts and the sweet bitterness of the coffee.

I’ve struggled over the years with the definition of coffeecake.

Generally speaking, it’s cake that is meant to be enjoyed with coffee and doesn’t actually contain any.

But then I run into a recipe like I made for this week, which is a coffee cake—a cake that includes coffee.

We hosted an event at the office, where I shared it, and I was constantly saying, “It’s a coffee cake. Like, I mean, it has coffee in it, not like a coffeecake.”

I am also often baffled by when something is a cake or a quick bread. The banana breads and pumpkin breads I grew up with are moist and cake-y. I always thought they were called a quick bread because you made them in a loaf pan.

But then here comes this week’s recipe again, where it’s in a loaf pan, but it’s still a cake.

Regardless of the semantics, this week’s recipe is a must-try and turned out to be a real crowd-pleaser at our get-together.

This comes from the blog “Creative Culinary.” You can find the original post at https://creative-culinary.com/date-coffee-cake-walnuts-espresso/. I added extra spices, vanilla and coffee powder in my version.

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Walnut and Date Coffee Cake

Walnut date coffee cake has a great combination of flavors, from the hints of stone fruit with the dates to the nuttiness of the walnuts and the sweet bitterness of the coffee.
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Keyword butter, cinnamon, coffee, dates, espresso, nutmeg, vanilla, walnuts

Ingredients

Cake Ingredients

  • 12 ounces dates pitted and diced
  • 1 1/2 cups strong hot coffee or espresso
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 3/4 cup flour
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup walnuts toasted and chopped

Glaze Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons hot water
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon instant espresso or coffee powder
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons butter melted
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/2 cup walnuts toasted and chopped

Instructions

Cake Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Prepare a nine-by-five inch loaf pan by greasing it and lining it on the bottom and sides with parchment paper. Set it aside.
  • In a bowl, combine the chopped dates, hot coffee and baking soda, and stir to combine. Set it aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugars for a couple minutes until they are smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
  • Strain the dates, reserving them and the liquid, too.
  • Alternate between beating in part of the liquid and the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt until everything is smooth and combined.
  • Fold in the dates and walnuts.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and spread evenly.
  • Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Let the cake cool in the pan until it is comfortable to handle, remove it from the pan, and let it cool completely before adding the glaze.

Glaze Directions

  • In a small bowl, combine the hot water and espresso powder, stirring until the powder is dissolved.
  • Add the powdered sugar, melted butter and vanilla, and whisk to get a glaze consistency you’re happy with. If it’s too thick, add just a touch more water until it’s to your liking. If it’s too loose, add just a touch more powdered sugar.
  • Drizzle the glaze evenly over the top of the cake (it will run down the sides, too). Sprinkle the walnuts evenly on top, and let the glaze set up before cutting the cake into slices.
  • Store in an airtight container.

This had great depth of flavor, and if you like coffee, you’ll definitely like this cake. I served mine in slices, but you could also cube it to serve like more traditional cake. And if you’d rather cut down on the sugar, this would be delicious without the glaze, too.

Just be ready to try to explain to anyone enjoying it with you that it’s a coffee cake, not a coffeecake.

That should be easy enough.

This piece first appeared in print April 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 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.

Categories
Main Dish

Put some pep(per) in your step with a tasty, cheesy casserole

Stuffed pepper casserole is an easy crowd-pleaser with bell peppers and Italian herbs that also makes for great leftovers.
Stuffed pepper casserole is an easy crowd-pleaser with bell peppers and Italian herbs that also makes for great leftovers.

Throughout the winter months, Joey and I make a lot of soups, chowders and chilis, which I still firmly believe are perfectly great recipes to pull out of the box any time of the year.

But sometimes I find myself in the mood for a casserole—something with a ton of flavorful ingredients, all nestled beneath a layer of gooey, melty cheese.

According to an article from “Medium,” the term “casserole” was first used in 1708 and is believed to have its origins in either the French or Greek language. It basically just refers to a communal pot of food.

It was in the 1950s that Americans really got excited about casseroles, according to the article, thanks in part to Campbell’s condensed soups and Pyrex becoming a household name.

No matter where it started, I’m just happy for these comfort meals in nine-by-13-inch pans, and this week’s recipe fit that bill for me.

This comes from the blog “GrandmaRecipesFlash.” You can find the original post at https://grandmarecipesflash.com/easy-stuffed-pepper-casserole/. I added a lot more seasoning in my version.

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Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Stuffed pepper casserole is an easy crowd-pleaser with bell peppers and Italian herbs that also makes for great leftovers.
Course Main Course
Keyword basil, beef broth, bell pepper, brown rice, casserole, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, easy dinner, freezer meal, fresh garlic, ground beef, ground turkey, kid-friendly, onion, oregano, paprika, parsley, shredded cheese, tomato sauce, white rice, yellow onion

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked white or brown rice
  • 1 pound ground beef or turkey
  • 1 medium onion diced (I used yellow)
  • 3 large bell peppers diced (any color)
  • 4 to 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes
  • 15 ounces tomato sauce
  • 1 cup beef or chicken broth
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 cups shredded cheese I used Mexican blend

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a nine-by-13-inch baking dish, and set it aside.
  • Be sure to start your rice, cooking it according to package instructions. You’ll want to end up with two cups of cooked rice.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, peppers and ground meat to the pan. Brown the meat, breaking it apart as you go. When the meat is done and the vegetables are cooked through, drain off any accumulated fat, and add the garlic to the pan.
  • Saute until the garlic is fragrant, about two minutes, and then dump in the diced tomatoes (don’t drain them), tomato sauce, broth, oregano, basil, parsley, paprika, salt and pepper and your prepared rice. Stir to combine.
  • Once everything is mixed together well, pour all of it into your prepared baking dish. Cover the pan with foil and bake it for 25 minutes.
  • Remove the foil, sprinkle the top with cheese and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and is just starting to brown.
  • Let the casserole cool for 10 or 15 minutes before serving.

This was tasty and would be super kid friendly. If you wanted to kick it up a notch with some spice, adding some cayenne or red pepper flakes would be a good touch, too.

The flavor profile was decidedly Italian, with all of the herbs, and it made for a good, hearty meal. The leftovers reheated really well, too, which is always a good bonus.

And whether I have the French, the Greeks or a ’50s home cook to thank, I’m happy there are so many casserole recipes out there to try and plenty of canned goods and glass dishes to make them happen.

This piece first appeared in print March 13, 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

Mac and cheese a ‘grate’ way to eat your veggies

Brussels sprouts go from being a health food to a roasty compliment to melty rich cheeses in this decadent mac and cheese recipe.
Brussels sprouts go from being a health food to a roasty compliment to melty rich cheeses in this decadent mac and cheese recipe.

I’ve been going through a strange Brussels sprouts obsession lately.

I’m sure there’s something in my Pinterest algorithm that is driving that obsession, but honestly, I’m not mad at it.

Unfortunately, while it might be adding a few extra vitamins to my system, the overall effect of the recipe I chose to try this week is decidedly not health food—unless you count it as being good for the soul.

This comes from Grace Elkus on the food blog “The Kitchn.” You can find the original post at https://www.thekitchn.com/sheet-pan-mac-cheese-brussels-sprouts-23215360. I added spices and pasta in my version.

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Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese

Brussels sprouts go from being a health food to a roasty compliment to melty rich cheeses in this decadent mac and cheese recipe.
Course Main Course
Keyword Brussels sprouts, cayenne, fresh garlic, garlic powder, gruyere, mac and cheese, mustard powder, panko, parmesan cheese, sharp white cheddar, sheet pan meal

Ingredients

  • about 1 pound Brussels sprouts halved
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 16 ounces cavatappi pasta
  • 4 ounces Gruyere cheese shredded by hand
  • 4 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese shredded by hand
  • 1 ounce parmesan cheese shredded by hand
  • 6 tablespoons butter divided
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 rounded teaspoon ground mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 3 cups milk I used 1 percent
  • 1/2 cup panko

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  • Prepare a large, rimmed baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil. Spread the Brussels sprouts onto the sheet, and drizzle them with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix them with a spoon or your hands to coat them, and then, being sure to spread them out as much as possible, place the sheet in the oven and let the sprouts roast for about 15 minutes, stirring halfway through, until they are fork tender. When they are done, remove them from the oven, and set them aside.
  • While the sprouts roast, prepare the cavatappi in a large pot or Dutch oven, according to package instructions, and shred the cheeses. (You can combine the Gruyere and white cheddar while you do this, but keep the parmesan separate.)
  • When the pasta is done, drain it and set it aside.
  • Return the empty pot to the stove over medium heat and add five tablespoons of the butter. Once it is melted, whisk in the flour, garlic powder, ground mustard and cayenne. Continue to whisk it constantly until the mixture starts to foam a bit. As you whisk, slowly pour in the milk and continue whisking until everything is dissolved into the liquid.
  • Turn the heat up just a smidgeon and continue whisking regularly so the milk doesn’t scald, and let the mixture come up to a simmer (that moment just before it’s going to start boiling). Reduce the heat back down to low, still whisking regularly, and let the mixture reduce just a bit. It’s ready when it coats the back of a spoon. (This took me somewhere around 7 or 8 minutes.)
  • Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the Gruyere and white cheddar, mixing until it is completely melted. Add some salt and pepper, to taste. Once the sauce is flavored to your liking, stir in the pasta and sprouts, coating everything.
  • Dump everything onto the baking sheet you used for the sprouts, and spread it out evenly.
  • Turn the broiler in your oven to high.
  • Add the last tablespoon of butter to a microwave-safe bowl. Melt the butter in the microwave, and then stir in the parmesan and panko until everything is well combined. Sprinkle the panko mixture evenly over the top of the mac and cheese, and place the pan in the oven for a couple minutes, keeping a close eye on it, until the panko is lightly browned.
  • Serve immediately.

This was decadent and delicious. Having the roasted sprouts mixed in with the rich cheeses elevated this far above normal mac and cheese, and I thought it looked really pretty, too.

It made a lot of food, and it did reheat well for leftovers later, too, which I was excited about.

I don’t think this quite cured my Brussels sprouts obsession. In fact, I may have started a new mac and cheese obsession instead.

I guess you can’t win them all.

This piece first appeared in print March 6, 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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