Tag: brown sugar

Categories
Cookies Dessert

Earn brownie points with your friends with these awesome cookies

Brownie cookies are soft and chocolaty with a little crunch from mini M&Ms. They’re a great cookie to share with friends.
Brownie cookies are soft and chocolaty with a little crunch from mini M&Ms. They’re a great cookie to share with friends.

Last weekend, our house was the scene of an end-of-season party for Joey’s bowling team.

I always love when that crew comes over. They are a super nice group, and it’s always fun to share a big meal and hear them tell stories and tease each other about their bowling gaffes.

It’s also a great excuse for me to try out a new recipe.

This year, I decided to make a cookie recipe I have had my eye on. The good news: they were awesome. The bad news: there wasn’t one cookie left over at the end of the night.

This recipe comes from the blog “Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt” by Miranda Couse. You can find the original post at https://www.cookiedoughandovenmitt.com/brownie-cookies/. I added extra vanilla in my version.

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Brownie Cookies

Brownie cookies are soft and chocolaty with a little crunch from mini M&Ms. They’re a great cookie to share with friends.
Course Dessert
Keyword brown sugar, chocolate, chocolate chips, cookie exchange, M&Ms, semisweet chocolate chips, soft cookies, vanilla

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 3/4 cups flour
  • 10 ounces mini M&Ms

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and set them aside.
  • Add the chocolate chips and butter to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between each heating, until everything is melted. Set it aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, beat the brown sugar, sugar, eggs and vanilla for a couple minutes until the mixture is light yellow and well combined.
  • Beat in the melted chocolate mixture, baking powder, salt and flour until the dough is smooth, and then fold in the M&Ms.
  • Using a cookie scoop (I used a two-inch scoop), place scoops of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, keeping them about two inches apart.
  • Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the tops and edges of the cookies are set. Let them cool, and then store the cookies in an airtight container.

These were just as advertised: a nice combination of brownie flavor in cookie form. If you wanted to double down on the chocolate flavors, you could easily sub in dark chocolate chips for the semi-sweet or even use mini chocolate chips instead of the M&Ms.

I wish I could tell you these cookies were the most popular thing on the table last weekend, but since Joey smoked a pork shoulder, I came in second. But who can be mad when you’re fighting those odds?

The only unfortunate thing is I guess I’ll have to make these cookies again if I want to eat another one. Such is the burden of greatness—and great friends.

This piece first appeared in print June 5, 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 Uncategorized

Cupcakes the best way to say ‘auf Wiedersehn’ to a good friend

These German chocolate cupcakes feature a from-scratch chocolate cake, topped with a coconut frosting, ganache and a buttercream chocolate frosting, too. They are decadent, delicious and absolutely beautiful.
These German chocolate cupcakes feature a from-scratch chocolate cake, topped with a coconut frosting, ganache and a buttercream chocolate frosting, too. They are decadent, delicious and absolutely beautiful.

Someone told me last week that I don’t really qualify as an amateur baker, since I’ve been writing this column way too long for that, but I still claim the title, especially after taking on a recent huge project.

A dear friend of the newspaper, Debbie Pierce, celebrated her retirement last week, and since we were combining her party with a Press Club event, I volunteered to bring dessert. Her favorite? German chocolate cake. And I found the most decadent German chocolate cupcake recipe I could, which was ambitious enough, since it was made up of four separate components.

But then I decided to quadruple the recipe.

My math skills and my ability to judge just how many ingredients would fit into the bowl of my stand mixer were definitely put to the test on this one, but goodness gracious was the end result worth it.

This comes from the blog “A Monkey on a Cupcake” (how great is that name?). You can find the original post at https://amonkeyonacupcake.com/german-chocolate-cupcakes/. I doubled the vanilla across the board in my version below, and I changed the bake temperature on the cupcakes to get a better rise.

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German Chocolate Cupcakes

These German chocolate cupcakes feature a from-scratch chocolate cake, topped with a coconut frosting, ganache and a buttercream chocolate frosting, too. They are decadent, delicious and absolutely beautiful.
Course Dessert
Keyword baker’s chocolate, buttercream, chocolate, chocolate ganache, cocoa powder, coconut, cupcakes, dark chocolate, decadent dessert, ganache, German chocolate, German frosting, heavy cream, pecans, sour cream, vanilla

Ingredients

Cupcake Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 ounces dark baker’s chocolate I used 55 percent cacao
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 4 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup water

Coconut Layer Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup evaporated milk
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • 3/4 cup pecan pieces cut small

Frosting Layer Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

Ganache Layer Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips I used semisweet
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions

Cupcake Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  • Prepare about one and one-half cupcake tins by lining them with cupcake liners (I got about 16 cupcakes out of a batch), and set them aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until it is well combined.
  • Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, heating 30 seconds at a time and stirring in between. Let it cool enough that you can touch it without burning your finger, and mix it into the butter mixture. Beat in the eggs and egg yolks, one at a time.
  • Beat in the oil, vanilla and sour cream until the mixture is smooth, and then add the flour, salt, baking powder and cocoa powder in batches, mixing in between each addition.
  • Finally, beat in the water until the mixture is smooth.
  • Fill the prepared liners about two-thirds full, and then bake for five minutes at 425. Without opening the oven, drop the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean.
  • Remove the cupcakes from the tin and let them come up to room temperature before assembling.

Coconut Layer Directions

  • Add the evaporated milk, egg yolks, brown sugar and butter to a saucepan, and heat it over medium heat. Stir constantly for about 15 minutes until the mixture thickens. It’ll be like a thick syrup consistency.
  • Remove the mixture from the heat and pour it through a mesh strainer into a bowl to remove any chunks of cooked egg.
  • Stir in the vanilla, coconut and pecans, and set it aside to cool.

Frosting Directions

  • Beat all the ingredients together until everything is well combined and light and fluffy. Transfer it into a piping bag with a wide tip (like a star), and set it aside.

Ganache Directions

  • Add the chocolate chips and whipping cream to a microwave-safe bowl and heat, 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Assembly Directions

  • Add about one to one and one-half tablespoons of the coconut layer to the top of each cupcake, spreading it into a flat, even, thick layer on each.
  • Using a frosting bag, a spoon or a fork, drizzle ganache across the top of each of the cupcakes (use as much as you want, but note that these are very rich, so proceed cautiously).
  • Finally, pipe a swirl of the chocolate frosting on top. If desired, add some more pecan pieces to the top of each cupcake.
  • Store in an airtight container. These can stay at room temperature, but if it’s especially warm, they may start to melt a bit, so you might want to store them in the refrigerator in that case.

These were insanely decadent, and the combination of textures and flavors just took these over the top. I didn’t have to worry about leftovers after the event, even though I made over 60 cupcakes. They all went home with someone.

And my kitchen is mostly recovered from the war zone I created from ingredients splashing everywhere on my countertops, which is a relief.

It cemented for me that I am nowhere near a professional baker, but I’d say this amateur attempt was a pretty darn good one.

This piece first appeared in print May 29, 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
Dessert

Be a chip off the old block and bake a family pie

Chocolate chip pie takes the flavors of a good chocolate chip cookie and puts it into pie form, featuring little pockets of chocolate throughout every bite and a nice, thick layer of whipped topping to cap it off.
Chocolate chip pie takes the flavors of a good chocolate chip cookie and puts it into pie form, featuring little pockets of chocolate throughout every bite and a nice, thick layer of whipped topping to cap it off.

One of my favorite parts of December this year has been the honor of being able to try out four different reader-submitted recipes—one for each week.

I have often said that I think sharing food—whether in physical or recipe form—is a kind of love we show to each other. I think that’s especially true of the foods we make year after year to share with family and friends.

I had to laugh at the note Deb Preheim of Hesston included with her chocolate chip pie recipe.

“My grandmother and mother were famous for this pie at holidays,” she said. “They always wanted to make different desserts, but our families insisted on chocolate chip pie.”

I’m feeling fairly certain every family has at least one of these recipes. For my mom, it was always deviled eggs, which, ironically, has become the most requested side dish for me at Young family gatherings, as well.

The tradition continues.

As for this chocolate chip pie, I can definitely see why it’s popular with Deb’s family. It’s really yummy, and despite the steps initially seeming just a little intimidating, I can confidently tell you that it’s actually pretty easy to do.

“I make this for my family, as well,” Deb wrote. “Maybe it will become a tradition for you, too!”

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Chocolate Chip Pie

Chocolate chip pie takes the flavors of a good chocolate chip cookie and puts it into pie form, featuring little pockets of chocolate throughout every bite and a nice, thick layer of whipped topping to cap it off.
Course Dessert
Keyword brown sugar, chocolate, chocolate chips, Cool Whip, vanilla, whipped topping

Ingredients

  • 2 cups scalded milk
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips I use milk chocolate
  • Extra chocolate chips for topping
  • Cool Whip
  • Baked pie shell

Instructions

  • Combine sugars, salt, flour and well-beaten eggs in a saucepan.
  • Add scalded milk slowly, stirring constantly. Add butter. Heat until thick and smooth, stirring constantly.
  • Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
  • Allow to cool until just warm. Add chocolate chips and stir. The chocolate chips should remain intact with just a hint of a swirl.
  • Pour into a baked pie shell and refrigerate until chilled. Top with Cool Whip and sprinkle more chocolate chips on top. You’ve created a masterpiece!

Not only was this a pretty pie, but I thought it had the perfect balance in its sweetness. I was worried it would be way too rich, but it was just a very pleasant, tasty dessert. It’s a good one to pair with a cup of coffee.

Thank you to all of you who shared recipes with me during the holidays this year and to those who sometimes surprise me with them throughout the year, too.

May your 2025 be a year full of love, laughter and of course, wonderful food.

This piece first appeared in print on Dec. 26, 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
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
Dessert

Oh, my ‘ganache.’ This pie is absolutely incredible!

For a decadent, delicious twist on the classic, this pumpkin caramel pie is a must-try. It takes a lot of extra time and steps, but the flavor combination is worth all the effort.
For a decadent, delicious twist on the classic, this pumpkin caramel pie is a must-try. It takes a lot of extra time and steps, but the flavor combination is worth all the effort.

It’s Friendsgiving season for Joey and me, so that means I’m playing around with some new pie recipes. Our poor friends never know what to expect when I show up, but being the troopers they are, I haven’t heard too many complaints, either.

This comes from the Milk Bar website. You can find the original at https://milkbarstore.com/blogs/recipes/hillys-pumpkin-caramel-pie. I added extra spices in my version below.

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Pumpkin Caramel Pie

For a decadent, delicious twist on the classic, this pumpkin caramel pie is a must-try. It takes a lot of extra time and steps, but the flavor combination is worth all the effort.
Course Dessert
Keyword allspice, brown sugar, caramel, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, decadent dessert, ginger, heavy cream, Milk Bar, pumpkin, quick oats, roasted pumpkin, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving dessert, vanilla, white chocolate, white chocolate chips

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 1 deep dish pie crust pre-baked and cooled completely
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Pumpkin Ganache Ingredients

  • 2 15- ounce cans pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup light corn syrup
  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 16 ounces white chocolate chips
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon clove
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Caramel Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

Streusel Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup rolled or quick oats
  • 6 tablespoons butter room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Overall Directions

  • There will be a lot of waiting between steps on this pie, but you can easily make all the components ahead of time and keep them in the refrigerator over the course of a couple days before assembling it at the end. You will want to use a deep pie dish for this recipe.

Pumpkin Ganache Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Spread all of the pumpkin out on the paper and roast for 20 to 30 minutes or until it is a deep orange color and is reduced down to about two cups.
  • Remove it from the oven and set it aside to cool.
  • Place the chocolate chips in a large, heat-safe bowl and set aside.
  • In a small pot, bring the cream, corn syrup and butter to a boil, stirring regularly.
  • As soon as it’s at a boil, remove it from the heat and pour the mixture evenly over the chocolate chips. You don’t need to stir. Just set it aside for one minute.
  • Add the pumpkin and seasonings, and stir. Using an immersion blender (or a normal one), blend until everything is completely smooth. Place the ganache in the refrigerator to completely cool.

Caramel Directions

  • Have the heavy cream, butter (cut into tablespoons), vanilla and salt measured out and ready. Set them aside.
  • In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the sugar, water and corn syrup. Heat it over medium heat, stirring to make sure the ingredients are totally incorporated. Keep stirring until the sugar dissolves. Once the mixture is clear and bubbling, do not stir any more. Just swirl the pot every few minutes, watching it closely. You’ll cook it until it reaches a golden brown color. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s a deep brown and there are just small bits of smoke coming up from the mixture. This could take as long as 10 minutes.
  • As soon as it’s to the point, remove it from the heat immediately and instantly toss in a tablespoon of butter, whisking vigorously. As soon as that pad is almost melted, follow suit with another, continuing until all of the butter is incorporated.
  • Now, drizzle in the cream, continuing to whisk.
  • Whisk in the vanilla and salt, and then pour the caramel into a heat-safe container. Let the caramel cool on the counter before placing the container in the refrigerator to cool completely.

Streusel Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a rimmed baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper, and set it aside.
  • Add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl and cut together with a fork or pastry cutter until everything is well incorporated and resembles large crumbs.
  • Dump the mixture into an even layer on the baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring every five, until the mixture is browned.
  • Remove from the oven, and let the mixture cool completely.

Assembly Directions

  • In a mixing bowl, beat the whipped cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. If the whipped cream isn’t sweet enough, add a bit more powdered sugar until it’s to your liking. Set it aside.
  • Spread the caramel evenly into the bottom of the pie crust.
  • Next, carefully spread the ganache over the caramel layer. Top that with the prepared whipped cream, and sprinkle the streusel on top just before serving. Store the finished pie or any leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

This was fabulous. It was an elevated version of the old classic—plenty of pumpkin-y goodness with lots of extra flavors and textures included.

It was also a big hit at Friendsgiving. Unfortunately, they’ll all have to make this themselves if they want it again, though. I’m afraid they’re stuck being guinea pigs for the foreseeable future.

This piece first appeared in print Nov. 28, 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

Baking potatoes, kielbasa on a sheet pan makes for less ‘hassel’

The combination of kielbasa sausage, onions and hasselback potatoes, along with some delicious sauce ingredients and a generous sprinkling of sauerkraut, makes for a hearty dish with a big punch of flavor.
The combination of kielbasa sausage, onions and hasselback potatoes, along with some delicious sauce ingredients and a generous sprinkling of sauerkraut, makes for a hearty dish with a big punch of flavor.

In a blog post she entitled, “What’s the Deal with Hasselback Potatoes,” Nutritionist Tina Marinaccio explains that the dish, which features potatoes cut crosswise in thin slices that don’t quite cut the potato all the way through, hails from Sweden.

It received its name, she says, from the tavern that created it: Hasselbacken.

Regardless of its origin, if you haven’t tried hasselback potatoes, I highly recommend them. It’s like the goodness of a baked potato, combined with thinly sliced crispy taters.

I hadn’t tried making them until this week, because I was a little nervous they were hard to create, but honestly, they were really easy, and in combination with the rest of the recipe I’m sharing with you, they were a huge home run.

The recipe I tried comes from the blog “Street Smart Nutrition” by Cara Harbstreet. You can find her original post at https://streetsmartnutrition.com/kielbasa-sheet-pan-dinner-with-cheesy-hasselback-potatoes. I added garlic to my version, and I swapped out the cheese to what I could find locally.

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Sheet Pan Kielbasa and Potatoes

The combination of kielbasa sausage, onions and hasselback potatoes, along with some delicious sauce ingredients and a generous sprinkling of sauerkraut, makes for a hearty dish with a big punch of flavor.
Course Main Course
Keyword apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, dijon mustard, fresh garlic, garlic, hasselback potatoes, kielbasa, minced garlic, mozzarella, Polish sausage, potatoes, sauerkraut, sausage, sheet pan meal, yellow onion, Yukon gold potatoes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds small Yukon gold potatoes
  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 1 pound Polish kielbasa
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup sauerkraut drained and squeezed out
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, and set it aside.
  • The potatoes will be hasselback style, which means you will create thin slices crosswise along the potato but not cut all the way through. Leave about one-quarter inch at the bottom so that your the potato remains intact.
  • Transfer the potatoes to the prepared baking sheet, and using one tablespoon of the olive oil, brush each one all over, especially letting it drip into the crevices you created on top. Then salt and pepper them, to taste.
  • Bake for 20 minutes.
  • While the potatoes bake, prepare the kielbasa and onion. Slice the sausage into one-quarter-inch coins and the onion into one-quarter-inch slices, and set them aside.
  • You can also prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, add the other tablespoon of olive oil, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar and brown sugar and stir until it’s well combined. Set that aside, too.
  • When your timer goes off, carefully remove the sheet pan from the oven, and add the sliced sausage and onions to the pan in as even of a layer as you can.
  • Bake for another 20 minutes.
  • While this part bakes, drain the sauerkraut really well, squeezing out the extra moisture as much as you can. (If it is cold out of the refrigerator, you might want to heat it up for a few seconds in the microwave so it’s at least a bit warm before adding it to the sheet pan at the end.)
  • Once that time has elapsed, carefully remove the pan from the oven again, and sprinkle about a tablespoon of cheese on the top of each potato. Also, brush the sausage and onions with all the glaze you made, and add the garlic. Then, use a spoon to stir the meat and veggies a bit to make sure everything has a bit of the glaze on it.
  • Bake for another five to 10 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown on top.
  • Remove the pan from the oven and stir the sauerkraut in with the sausage and veggies, letting it heat through on the pan.
  • Serve immediately with more cheese sprinkled on top.

This was really yummy. The sausage/onion/sauerkraut mixture was mustard-y and flavorful, and the potatoes were the perfect sidekick. They were a great combination of creamy and crisp, all in one dish. It was a nice meal for a cool evening.

And since I still have half a package of sauerkraut left, I may have to make this again, sooner rather than later, especially since I am no longer intimidated by hasselback potatoes.

I guess I can thank the Swedes for yet another great way to enjoy a tater.

This piece first appeared in print Nov. 14, 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
Dessert

‘Chews’ something sweet and nutty this week

These decadent bars feature tons of flavor from brown sugar, maraschino cherries, pecans and coconut, resulting in a fabulous addition to the dessert table.
These decadent bars feature tons of flavor from brown sugar, maraschino cherries, pecans and coconut, resulting in a fabulous addition to the dessert table.

One of the benefits of being married for as long as Joey and I have is that there are times when I can perfectly judge what his reaction to a recipe will be before I even make it.

When I spotted this week’s recipe—featuring cherries, coconut and pecans—online, I knew I had a hit on my hands, and I couldn’t wait to try it out.

But then, after the bars were cooled and I took my first bite, I realized I majorly underestimated this particular dessert.

It was better than I ever could have imagined, and Joey was going to love them. He was also going to lobby for me to get the entire pan out of our home as quickly as possible so he wouldn’t be tempted to finish them off.

I was correct on both counts.

So, the recipe you must try—especially if you like cherries, coconut and pecans—comes from the blog “Red Cottage Chronicles.” You can find the original at https://www.redcottagechronicles.com/baking/cherry-chews/. I replaced the almond extract with vanilla in my version, and I added toasted coconut.

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Cherry Chews

These decadent bars feature tons of flavor from brown sugar, maraschino cherries, pecans and coconut, resulting in a fabulous addition to the dessert table.
Course Dessert
Keyword bar cookies, brown sugar, coconut, cookie exchange, maraschino cherries, pecans, powdered sugar, quick oats, vanilla

Ingredients

Crust Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup oats I used quick oats
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup butter

Filling Ingredients

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • 1 cup drained maraschino cherries quartered (save the juice)
  • 1/2 cup pecans chopped

Topping Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons butter softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 4 to 5 tablespoons reserved cherry juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a nine-by-13-inch pan by spraying it with cooking spray.
  • In a mixing bowl, prepare the crust by combining the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt, stirring to combine. Cut in the butter with a fork or a pastry cutter until it is mixed well and the mixture is coarse crumbs.
  • Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan, and bake for 10 minutes.
  • For the filling, beat the eggs in a mixing bowl. Beat in the brown sugar and vanilla until it is smooth.
  • Beat in the flour, baking powder and salt. Fold in the coconut and cherries, and then spread the batter evenly over top of the crust. Sprinkle the pecans over the top of the batter, and then bake for 25 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.
  • Let the bars cool completely before adding the topping.
  • For the frosting layer, add the butter, powdered sugar, cherry juice and vanilla to a bowl and whisk thoroughly. You want the mixture to easily coat the back of a spoon, but create the texture you like best. If it’s too runny, add more powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add more cherry juice.
  • Spread the frosting over the top of the bars. (This will be a thin layer. If you want it thicker, double the ingredients.)
  • Finally, add the shredded coconut to a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Stir regularly until most of the coconut is lightly browned. Remove it from heat and sprinkle on top of the chews. Cut and serve, and store any leftovers in an airtight container.

Like I said, these were amazing. They’re definitely sweet, but since they feature the pecans and brown sugar, it’s not a sickeningly sweet dish. It’s actually decently balanced. I was also really glad I used vanilla instead of almond extract in these. I think the almond would have been good, but I also think it would have overshadowed some of the other flavors.

Also, I highly recommend the toasted coconut on top. That was fabulous.

And, as I predicted, these ended up on our office counter the day after I baked them, tempting our co-workers instead of just us, which is just as well.

I can deal with all of them grumping at me about their diets. I have to live with Joey.

This piece first appeared in print Oct. 31, 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
Dessert

Once you try it, you won’t ‘carrot’ all that this pie is a little weird

Honey carrot pie is a whole new flavor experience. It’s lightly sweet, and with very additions of honey and vanilla, it has a pleasant, fall-like flavor. It would pair nicely with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Honey carrot pie is a whole new flavor experience. It’s lightly sweet, and with very additions of honey and vanilla, it has a pleasant, fall-like flavor. It would pair nicely with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

I am not my dog’s favorite person at the moment.

K.C., despite being 15 years old, still has a great set of teeth, and her all-time favorite food to snack on is carrots.

I know, it’s a little strange. We joke that she would walk right past a steak if she eyed a plate of carrots. She’s always been that way.

So when I pulled a bag out of the fridge this week, she immediately became my best friend in the kitchen. Unfortunately for her, she only received one, little slice, as the rest needed to go into this week’s recipe.

Fittingly, the recipe is a little strange, too, because it’s a pie. With carrots. Who knew?

This recipe comes from the blog “Everyday Pie + Pastry” by Kelli Avila. You can find the original post at https://everydaypie.com/honey-carrot-pie/. I doubled the vanilla in my version.

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Honey Carrot Pie

Honey carrot pie is a whole new flavor experience. It’s lightly sweet, and with very additions of honey and vanilla, it has a pleasant, fall-like flavor. It would pair nicely with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Course Dessert
Keyword brown sugar, carrots, cookie crust, easy pie, fall dessert, honey, shortbread cookies, Thanksgiving dessert, Thanksgiving pie, vanilla

Ingredients

Crust Ingredients

  • 8 ounces shortbread cookies
  • 6 tablespoons butter melted
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Filling Ingredients

  • 16 ounces carrots peeled and sliced
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, with the rack in the middle.
  • For the crust, add the cookies to a food processor or blender and process until they are fine crumbs. Add in the melted butter, brown sugar and salt, and pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand.
  • Put the crust mixture into a nine-inch pie plate, and press it evenly and firmly up the sides and along the bottom.
  • Set the pie plate aside.
  • For the filling, steam or boil the carrots until they are fork tender (you want these fully cooked through). Drain them well, and after cleaning out your food processor/blender cup, add them, along with the honey, sugar, water, vanilla and salt, and process until the mixture is totally smooth.
  • In a bowl, whisk the eggs and cream together, and then add that to the processor/blender, and process until everything is well combined.
  • Pour the carrot mixture into the crust, and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the filling is set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Let the pie cool completely, and then refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight before slicing and serving. Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container.

This was really good. I kept expecting it to taste like pumpkin pie, and truth be told, I almost put some cinnamon in the mix, but I decided to just let the flavors speak for themselves. I was glad I did. I think the pumpkin pie spices would have covered the light sweetness of the honey, paired with a very pleasant carrot-y flavor.

Combined with the shortbread cookies in the crust, it was just a really enjoyable slice of pie.

Joey and I both tried to figure out exactly how to describe the flavor profile, and we landed on it really just tasting like fall.

I haven’t decided yet if I will make this one again when Thanksgiving rolls around, just to give my family something interesting to try, but I have decided that the next time I make it, I’ll be sure to buy an extra bag of carrots.

I just can’t stand dealing with that judgmental, sad schnauzer face again.

This piece first appeared in print on Oct. 24, 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
Cookies Dessert

‘Guava’ your friends a tropical dessert to try

Guava bars combine the sweetness of guava with the nuttiness of oats and the buttery goodness of a shortbread crust to create a delicious combination of flavors for your dessert table.
Guava bars combine the sweetness of guava with the nuttiness of oats and the buttery goodness of a shortbread crust to create a delicious combination of flavors for your dessert table.

Several months ago, I decided, for some reason, I needed to get ahold of a can of guava paste to bake with.

I didn’t have a recipe picked out yet, but I’m sure I found some video about guava that convinced me I needed it in my life. I found a can while traveling and promptly stored it in my pantry, where I completely forgot about it.

That is until this past week, when I needed a new dessert to bring to a cookout.

I knew it needed to be something interesting—this particular crew appreciates creativity—but it also had to stand up to being out in the heat of July in Kansas for several hours. Enter the guava paste and a recipe for some bar cookies that looked too good to pass up.

The recipe I tried comes from the blog “Mission Food Adventure.” You can find the original post at https://mission-food.com/guava-bars/. I added extra guava paste in my version.

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Guava Bars

Guava bars combine the sweetness of guava with the nuttiness of oats and the buttery goodness of a shortbread crust to create a delicious combination of flavors for your dessert table.
Course Dessert
Keyword brown sugar, butter, cookie bars, cookie exchange, guava, guava paste, oatmeal, shortbread, tropical dessert

Ingredients

Crust Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups flour

Topping Ingredients

  • 21 ounces guava paste cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
  • 1 cup old-fashioned or quick oats
  • 1/2 cup butter cold and diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup flour

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Prepare a nine-by-13-inch baking pan by lining the bottom and up and over all four sides with parchment paper to help remove the bars after they’re done. Set it aside.
  • For the crust, beat the butter and sugar together for several minutes until it is light and fluffy. Beat in the salt and flour until the mixture is smooth, and then press it evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
  • Cover the entire surface of the crust layer with slices of guava paste. You can cut it into smaller pieces to fill gaps, too. (You may have just a bit left over for you to snack on.)
  • Add the oats, butter, salt, sugar and flour to a food processor and pulse until the mixture kind of looks like wet sand and everything is well combined.
  • Sprinkle the topping evenly over the guava and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.
  • Let the bars cool completely before using the parchment paper to remove them from the pan. Slice them and store in an airtight container.

I came home with one guava bar leftover from the cookout, so I guess you could say they were a success. They were absolutely delicious. If you’ve never worked with guava paste before, it’s jelly-like, but it’s also super sticky.

The flavor is fruity but not overly sweet, so it is an especially good filling for people who aren’t into sugary treats. That, combined with the buttery shortcake crust and the nuttiness of the oatmeal topping, makes for a great dessert.

It turns out I was right about my guava obsession. The next time I manage to spot a big tin of it at the grocery store, it will probably land in my pantry again. This time, though, it probably won’t last nearly as long.

This piece first appeared in print on July 11, 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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