Tag: basil

Categories
Main Dish

‘Tuscan’ play at this shrimp pasta game

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Creamy Tuscan Shrimp

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

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

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

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

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

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

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

Categories
Main Dish

Everyone will polish off their plates with this sheet pan meal

A Polish sheet pan dinner is easy to make in short order, with fresh cabbage and onions, along with frozen pierogi and smoked sausage. It’s all topped off with a freshly made beer cheese sauce and some bacon to make a real crowd-pleaser for supper.
A Polish sheet pan dinner is easy to make in short order, with fresh cabbage and onions, along with frozen pierogi and smoked sausage. It’s all topped off with a freshly made beer cheese sauce and some bacon to make a real crowd-pleaser for supper.

While watching random cooking shows over the years, I picked up the advice from several chefs that if you’re cooking with wine, you should choose a bottle you would actually want to drink, or it isn’t worth using in your recipe.

I have never heard the same advice for beer.

I have used some of the lowest quality, icky beers I’ve ever tasted in baking and cooking over the years, and it’s never seemed to mess up the recipe. In the end, the breadiness of the beer remains, and whatever bitter nonsense that was there before seems to evaporate.

That was the case for this week’s recipe, as well, as I used a cheap domestic lager to create some darn good beer cheese sauce.

The recipe I tried comes from the Instagram account “foodcreationsforyou” by Ryan Pauly. You can look him up there; he has a ton of recipes. I added lots of extra seasonings and also an onion into my version below.

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Polish Sheet Pan Dinner

A Polish sheet pan dinner is easy to make in short order, with fresh cabbage and onions, along with frozen pierogi and smoked sausage. It’s all topped off with a freshly made beer cheese sauce and some bacon to make a real crowd-pleaser for supper.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Polish
Keyword 30-minute meal, bacon, basil, beer, beer cheese, cabbage, chicken broth, cream cheese, easy dinner, frozen pierogi, garlic powder, lager, onion, onion powder, oregano, parsley, pierogi, rope sausage, sharp cheddar cheese, smoked paprika, smoked sausage, yellow onion

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 1 small head cabbage chopped
  • 1 small yellow onion sliced
  • 14 ounces smoked sausage sliced into bite-sized pieces
  • 16- ounce package frozen pierogi
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Olive oil to coat ingredients

Beer Cheese Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup lager- or ale-style beer
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth
  • 4 ounces cream cheese cubed
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese freshly shredded
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 slices bacon cooked and chopped, divided

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and prepare a large, rimmed baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
  • Dump the cabbage, onion, sausage, pierogi and spices onto the sheet, and drizzle olive oil over everything. Mix with a spoon or with your hands until the oil and spices are well distributed over all the ingredients.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until everything is cooked through and the pierogi are lightly browned.
  • While the sausage mixture cooks, add all of the beer cheese ingredients, except for the bacon, into a small pot and heat over medium heat, stirring regularly until the cheese mixture is melted and well combined. If you want a looser sauce, add a bit more chicken stock to the mixture.
  • Add in two of the chopped slices of bacon and remove it from the heat or set it to low.
  • For serving, scoop the sausage mixture into a bowl and top it with the beer cheese and more bacon.

This was a great dinner for a cooler evening, and the leftovers reheated well, too. There was also a decent amount of the cheese left over that we used up with other meals. It would be amazing with a freshly baked soft pretzel.

The meal itself had a great combination of flavors, from the smoked sausage to the roasted cabbage and onions and the pierogi. The beer cheese and bacon on top were excellent, and I was glad to once again prove that you can buy some pretty cheap, awful beer and end up with an excellent, delicious meal.

This piece first appeared in print Nov. 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.

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
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

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

Cheese, spinach are the stuff dinner dreams are made of

Spinach stuffed chicken features tons of flavor from feta and cream cheese, along with garlic and loads of herbs and spices.
Spinach stuffed chicken features tons of flavor from feta and cream cheese, along with garlic and loads of herbs and spices.

On most days, Joey and I work in the same newspaper office or together from home. Every once in awhile, though, we go our separate ways.

Recently, when we had such a day, Joey shot me a text, “Hey, it’s been a really long day. Do you mind figuring out dinner for tonight?”

Challenge accepted.

We often cook together or take turns making meals, so I was happy to oblige. After a quick trip to the grocery store (and my Pinterest board), I landed on a recipe for spinach stuffed chicken breasts that I had my eye on for awhile.

This comes from the blog “Basil and Butter.” You can find the original post at https://basilandbubbly.com/spinach-stuffed-chicken-breasts/. I added extra garlic and extra seasonings to my version, along with adding filling ingredients.

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Spinach Stuffed Chicken

Spinach stuffed chicken features tons of flavor from feta and cream cheese, along with garlic and loads of herbs and spices.
Course Main Course
Keyword basil, chicken breasts, cream cheese, feta cheese, frozen spinach, minced garlic, onion powder, oregano, parsley, spinach, stuffed chicken

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken breasts
  • 12 ounces chopped frozen spinach
  • 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 6 to 8 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon parsley
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon basil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
  • Prepare the spinach according to the package directions and squeeze out as much moisture as you can from it.
  • Add it to a mixing bowl, along with the feta, cream cheese, garlic, onion powder, parsley, oregano, basil, salt and pepper, and mix well to combine. Set it aside.
  • Carefully cut a pocket into each chicken breast. To do so, place each breast flat side down on a cutting board, and press it down with a large spoon or spatula while you cut a slit lengthwise into the side, making sure not to cut all the way through to the other side. (Think pita pocket.)
  • Stuff each breast with as much of the filling as you can (if you have some left over, add it to a small, oven-safe bowl to make some fabulous cheese dip). Season each breast with salt and pepper.
  • In a large, oven-safe skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. Once it’s hot, add the stuffed chicken breasts and cook for five minutes on one side. Flip them over, and transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake for 10 to 20 minutes, checking the internal temperature of the breasts after the first 10 minutes. Once the chicken reaches 165 degrees, remove it from the oven and serve. (If you made a side of the extra filling, just bake it until it’s hot all the way through and slightly browned on top.)

This was decadent and delicious. I will suggest that if you have a smaller chicken breast in the pan that comes up to temp before the others that you remove it from the oven so it doesn’t overcook and get dry.

Also, honestly, if you want an appetizer or something vegetarian, skip the chicken altogether, throw the entirety of that filling into a glass dish to bake, and serve it with some chips or crusty bread. It was absolutely delicious, and it reheated well as leftovers, too.

I sometimes forget how lucky I am to have a partner who is an excellent cook and has no problem shouldering the kitchen load with me. Hopefully, some tasty meals like this one let him know just how thankful for him I am.

This piece first appeared in print on May 2, 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
Main Dish

This flavorful vegetable pasta doesn’t ‘shrimp’ on flavor

Tuscan shrimp linguine is fairly quick to make but packs a lot of flavor from fresh vegetables. It would be a great summer dish, when gardens are in full swing.
Tuscan shrimp linguine is fairly quick to make but packs a lot of flavor from fresh vegetables. It would be a great summer dish, when gardens are in full swing.

Some wonderful friends of ours hosted Joey and me this past weekend while we were on a trip to speak to some college students.

We were treated to a great time, fabulous food and amazing company, getting to break bread with a lot of their friends while we were there.

Of course, we had to return to reality, and once we were back home late on Monday, work loomed, and our fridge was empty. Not feeling particularly sure I wanted to indulge in a peanut butter and jelly sandwich after the culinary weekend we experienced, I went to my Pinterest board to see what I could make for a quick dinner with only a dash into the grocery store.

The recipe I decided on comes from the blog “Sweet C’s” by Courtney Odell. You can find the original post at https://sweetcsdesigns.com/tuscan-shrimp-linguine/. I added seasoning in my version and subbed in asparagus instead of broccolini.

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Tuscan Shrimp Linguine

Tuscan shrimp linguine is fairly quick to make but packs a lot of flavor from fresh vegetables. It would be a great summer dish, when gardens are in full swing.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian, Tuscan
Keyword 30-minute meal, asparagus, basil, broccolini, cherry tomatoes, fresh spinach, garlic, grape tomatoes, linguine, shrimp, spinach, vegetable stock, white wine, yellow onion

Ingredients

  • 1 pound linguine pasta
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter divided
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 1/2 pound fresh asparagus cut into half-inch pieces
  • 10 ounces grape or cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup vegetable stock or dry white wine
  • 8 cloves garlic diced
  • 1 pound uncooked shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 cups loosely packed fresh spinach cut into ribbons

Instructions

  • Start boiling your linguine according to package directions to cook it al dente.
  • While the pasta cooks, in a very large skillet, heat the olive oil and one tablespoon butter over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the onion and asparagus, and saute until they are both almost cooked through.
  • Add in the tomatoes, continuing to stir until their outsides start to wrinkle a bit, and they begin to burst (you can help them out at this point by gently squishing them with your spatula).
  • Add in the stock, garlic and the other tablespoon of butter, stirring to combine.
  • Once the butter is melted and the stock is at a low simmer, stir in the shrimp, basil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, continuing to stir regularly until the shrimp is cooked completely (it should be a light pink and starting to curl on itself a bit).
  • Stir in the cooked linguine, coating it with the sauce. Once everything is well-combined, stir in the fresh spinach, letting it wilt, and then serve immediately.

This was really tasty, and I couldn’t help but think it would be even better for those of you who will have gardens bursting with fresh veggies this summer. It was a simple, but filling, pasta that wasn’t overly seasoned, so the taste of the tomatoes and asparagus came through well.

If you’re not a shrimp person, you could easily use some pre-cooked chicken instead or just double the vegetables.

Even though I still need to do a proper grocery store trip, the bags are unpacked, the laundry is done, and the we’re back to another week of putting out the paper. But I do feel a bit lighter after this weekend.

There are few things as good for the soul as a great meal and even greater people to share it with.

This piece first appeared in print on March 7, 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
Main Dish Soup

Don’t have time to get ’round to dinner? Make meatball soup.

Italian meatball soup makes for a really quick and hearty dinner. It would be a great companion to a grilled cheese sandwich or a thick slice of garlic bread.
Italian meatball soup makes for a really quick and hearty dinner. It would be a great companion to a grilled cheese sandwich or a thick slice of garlic bread.

I was in such a hurry this week, trying to toss together a quick dinner for Joey and I before we headed back out the door for more commitments.

In the moments before I headed home, I popped into the grocery store, a new recipe on my phone, grabbing quick ingredients before trying to get food on the table.

But being me, I strayed a bit from the ingredient list, adding this and that to my basket and internally planning the spice mixture I would throw into the soup I was going to make.

Even for a quick dinner, I just couldn’t keep myself from playing with the recipe.

The one I tried comes from the blog “Girl Gone Gourmet” by April Anderson. You can find the original post at https://www.girlgonegourmet.com/italian-meatball-soup/. I changed it quite a bit from the original, adding quite a few ingredients to my version.

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Italian Meatball Soup

Italian meatball soup makes for a really quick and hearty dinner. It would be a great companion to a grilled cheese sandwich or a thick slice of garlic bread.
Course Main Course, Soup
Keyword basil, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, frozen meatballs, fusilli pasta, garlic powder, grated parmesan cheese, Italian meatballs, marinara sauce, onion powder, oregano, paprika, parsley, quick dinner, quick soup, red pepper flakes

Ingredients

  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 24 ounces marinara sauce I used a roasted garlic version
  • 26 ounces frozen Italian-style meatballs
  • 8 ounces fusilli pasta
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • grated parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

  • In a large pot with a lid, add the broth, diced tomatoes (don’t drain them) and marinara sauce, over high heat.
  • Stir to combine the ingredients, and when they come to a boil, stir in the meatballs. Once the mixture comes back to a boil, add the pasta, parsley, oregano, basil, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and stir well.
  • Turn the heat to medium and place the lid on the pot, letting it simmer for five minutes.
  • Remove the lid and stir, and continue to let the soup cook at a slow boil for six to seven minutes or until the noodles are cooked to your liking.
  • If the soup is too thick, add additional broth or water until the soup reaches your desired consistency. When the soup is heated back through, serve topped with parmesan.

This turned out really well. It was thick, hearty and full of great Italian flavor. It was perfect for dinner, but it would have been a great option for lunch with a small cup of soup alongside a grilled cheese sandwich or a big slice of garlic bread, too.

I ended up leaving my soup a bit on the thick side, and as it cooled, it turned into more of a pasta sauce than a soup, so my leftovers will be getting more liquid when I reheat them.

But the main thing is that I managed to quickly get a hot meal on the table that we both enjoyed, even while I kept tossing improvised ingredients into the pot. Sometimes being in a hurry means eating something terrible for dinner, but every once in awhile, it makes for a great meal.

This piece first appeared in print on Feb. 15, 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
Main Dish

Chop, chop! It’s time for a fabulous pork dinner

Pork chops in creamy wine sauce looks, tastes and sounds fancy, but it’s actually very simple to make and is a decently quick dinner, too. It’s really good along side mashed potatoes.
Pork chops in creamy wine sauce looks, tastes and sounds fancy, but it’s actually very simple to make and is a decently quick dinner, too. It’s really good along side mashed potatoes.

I was listening to a podcast this week about a scammer who managed to get millions of dollars out of his marks by pretending to be a Saudi Arabian prince.

In one case, he was found out because he ordered a dish with pancetta in it at a restaurant, and since his dining companion knew a devout Muslim would never eat pork, he started becoming suspicious.

I get it. There are certain dishes I think I would mindlessly order, too, even if I were trying to trick someone with a secret identity—especially if it had to do with chocolate. The temptation is real.

I was thinking about that story while I made this week’s recipe, and I can tell you this should be on your “must try” list, as long as you are able to eat pork products, because it was amazing and super easy to make.

This comes from the blog, “What’s In The Pan?” You can find the original post at https://whatsinthepan.com/pork-chops-in-creamy-white-wine-sauce/. I added a bunch of seasonings and extra garlic to my version.

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Pork Chops in Creamy Wine Sauce

Pork chops in creamy wine sauce looks, tastes and sounds fancy, but it’s actually very simple to make and is a decently quick dinner, too. It’s really good along side mashed potatoes.
Course Main Course
Keyword 30-minute meal, basil, boneless pork chops, chicken broth, chicken stock, garlic powder, heavy cream, lemon juice, minced garlic, onion powder, oregano, parsley, pork chops, thyme, white wine

Ingredients

Pork Chop Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon basil
  • 1 teaspoon parsley
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 boneless pork chops
  • 2 tablespoons butter

Sauce Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 6 to 8 cloves garlic minced
  • leftover flour mixture from pork chops
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine I used pinot grigio
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 to 1 cup chicken stock or broth
  • 1/2 heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon basil
  • 1 teaspoon parsley
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • On a plate or in a bowl large enough to fit a pork chop, combine the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil, parsley, salt and pepper.
  • Dredge each pork chop in the flour mixture, making sure to get a solid coating on both sides and the edges. (Don’t toss the flour. You’re going to use it for the sauce.)
  • Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add the pork chops. Cook them on each side for about three or four minutes until they’re nicely browned and the internal temperature reaches at least 145 degrees. Transfer the pork chops to a plate and cover them to keep them warm while you make the sauce.
  • For the sauce, melt butter over medium heat and add the garlic. Saute until it’s lightly browned and fragrant and stir in about one tablespoon of the flour mixture from the pork chops, or enough to soak up all the butter. Saute for one to two minutes to cook the flour, and then slowly whisk in the wine, 1/2 cup chicken stock and heavy cream, along with the lemon juice and seasonings. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens to your liking. If it gets too thick, loosen it up with a little more stock.
  • When the sauce is how you want it, reduce the heat to low and add the pork chops and any accumulated juices back to the pan, dousing them with the sauce. Once the pork chops are heated back through, serve immediately.

We enjoyed our pork chops along with mashed potatoes, and the wine sauce was amazing poured over the whole dish. I also added fresh basil to my sauce, because I happened to have some on hand, so if you want to kick yours up a notch, I highly recommend that, too.

The sauce was creamy and really flavorful, and I will absolutely make this again—hopefully soon. It’s one of those dinners that feels like it was a lot more effort than it really was. In all, I probably had dinner on the table in 30 to 40 minutes.

If you’re in the mood for something that looks fancy without being a pain to cook, make sure you keep this recipe on hand. Just remember not to make it in the case of certain scams you may be pulling; you don’t want to end up the subject of a podcast.

This piece first appeared in print on Feb. 8, 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
Main Dish

Italian comfort dish ‘gnocchi’ed dinner out of the park

Gnocchi alla sorrentina is an Italian comfort dish that features gnocchi, lots of fresh basil and fresh mozzarella in a yummy tomato sauce.
Gnocchi alla sorrentina is an Italian comfort dish that features gnocchi, lots of fresh basil and fresh mozzarella in a yummy tomato sauce.

Joey and I received an amazing opportunity last week to speak at the Kentucky Press Association’s winter conference.

We had a fabulous time with some really great people. My only complaint was the weather for our drive there and back heavily featured thick fog and switched between torrential downpours and drizzles.

By the time we came home over the weekend, I was thankful for some Kansas sunshine, but I also found myself really craving some comfort food to get the last bit of that dreary weather feeling out of my system.

I poked through some recipes for a bit and landed on a popular comfort meal from Italy, and even better, the version I decided to try comes together a lot quicker than more traditional versions of the recipe, which was a win-win after being away from home for several days.

This is from the blog “Girl Gone Gourmet.” You can find the original post at https://www.girlgonegourmet.com/gnocchi-alla-sorrentina/#tasty-recipes-13873. I added onion, red pepper flakes and extra basil, mozzarella and garlic in my version.

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Gnocchi Alla Sorrentina

Gnocchi alla sorrentina is an Italian comfort dish that features gnocchi, lots of fresh basil and fresh mozzarella in a yummy tomato sauce.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Keyword basil, easy dinner, extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil, fresh garlic, fresh mozzarella, garlic, gnocchi, mozzarella, olive oil, parsley, potato gnocchi, red pepper flakes, tomato puree, vegetarian, yellow onion

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil I used extra virgin
  • 1/2 small yellow onion diced
  • 6 to 8 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 1/2 cups tomato puree I ended up using twice that, since I let my sauce reduce
  • 1/2 cup basil leaves loosely packed and torn into pieces
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 16- ounce packages gnocchi
  • 8 ounces fresh mozzarella sliced
  • parsley flakes for plating

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium heat.
  • Add the onion and saute until it is cooked through.
  • Add in the garlic and saute for just a couple minutes until it is lightly browned.
  • Stir in the tomato puree, basil leaves, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. Turn the skillet to medium-low and let the sauce simmer, stirring regularly.
  • Bring a stockpot of water to a boil. Cook the gnocchi until it rises to the top of the water.
  • Using a slotted spoon, transfer the gnocchi to the skillet, and stir to incorporate all the ingredients.
  • Lay the sliced mozzarella spaced evenly on the top of the gnocchi.
  • Turn the broiler in the oven on high and place the skillet in the oven, leaving it for a few minutes until the cheese is melty and the sauce is bubbling.
  • Let the gnocchi cool slightly, and serve, topped with parsley flakes, along with a thick slice of crusty bread.

I loved this one. It’s a vegetarian dish, but it doesn’t feel like it. The gnocchi and all the melty mozzarella kind of make you forget that there isn’t any meat on your plate, and the addition of fresh basil really kicks this up a notch to taste homemade, despite the main part of the sauce coming from a can.

Paired with a big slice of garlic bread, this was exactly what I needed to clear the rainy day doldrums out of my mind.

I hope we get a chance to go back to Kentucky again soon. It’s a beautiful state with lots of neat people. I’ll just keep my fingers crossed for a little better weather the next time around.

This piece first appeared in print on Feb. 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.

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