Tag: brown sugar

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.

Categories
Breakfast Dessert

I have a good ‘peeling’ you’ll love these apple bars

Granny Smith harvest bars combine the tartness of apples with the nuttiness of walnuts and the warmth of cinnamon and nutmeg to make the perfect dessert or breakfast bar.
Granny Smith harvest bars combine the tartness of apples with the nuttiness of walnuts and the warmth of cinnamon and nutmeg to make the perfect dessert or breakfast bar.

Even though it seems to be billed as a fall fruit, I love a good apple all year round.

In a lively discussion about favorite fruits this past week, I decided apples hold the number one spot for me right now, and if I’m eating one on its own, I like a sweet, red one.

Someone else in the conversation noted they liked to bite into a Granny Smith, and all I could do was shudder while thinking about how tart they are. Granny Smiths are only baking apples in my book, although I’m sure plenty of folks like to eat them raw, too.

But I do absolutely love Granny Smith apples in all kinds of desserts. They have this bright, tart flavor that is just perfect alongside sugar and spices.

They didn’t disappoint me in this week’s recipe for some amazing apple bars, too, and once the temperatures cool down a bit and you start to feel ready to heat up your oven, you should put this recipe on your short list to try.

This comes from the blog “Sweet Ordeal.” You can find the original post at https://sweetordeal.com/granny-smith-harvest-bars/. I doubled the vanilla and spices in my version below, and I swapped in walnuts instead of pecans.

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Granny Smith Harvest Bars

Course Breakfast, Dessert
Keyword brown sugar, cinnamon, Granny Smith apples, nutmeg, quick oats, vanilla, walnuts

Ingredients

Bar Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 4 cups Granny Smith apples peeled and diced
  • 1/2 cup walnuts chopped

Topping Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup walnuts chopped
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter melted
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons quick-cooking oats

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a nine-by-13-inch baking pan by spraying it with cooking spray. Set it aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until it is smooth. Beat in the sugar and continue mixing on high until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
  • Beat in the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg until everything is just combined.
  • Fold in the diced apples and walnuts by hand.
  • Spread the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • While the bars cook, prepare the topping.
  • Begin by lightly toasting the walnuts for several minutes in a dry skillet over medium heat. Just let them get slightly browned and warmed through to really release some of the yummy oil in the nuts.
  • Then combine all of the topping ingredients in a bowl, mixing well.
  • When the bars come out of the oven, spoon the topping mixture evenly over the top, and bake for another five minutes.
  • Let the bars cool completely before cutting and serving. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.

These were nutty and sweet and full of delicious spice flavor. I was a little nervous my bars were a bit overcooked when I first pulled them from the oven, but I trusted the process, and they were absolutely perfect.

I think over half of the pan was devoured at the office with only a few people present, so needless to say, they were a big hit.

Despite my recent fruit debate, I think I’m sticking with red apples for my favorite everyday snack for the time being. Granny Smiths will always have a place on my beloved list—just in a slightly different category.

This piece first appeared in print on June 27, 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

‘Lei’ the foundation for a delicious grilled chicken

Spatchcock Polynesian chicken can be made on the grill, in the smoker or in the oven and features a slightly sweet sauce that turns into a fabulous glaze.
Spatchcock Polynesian chicken can be made on the grill, in the smoker or in the oven and features a slightly sweet sauce that turns into a fabulous glaze.

As soon as the weather starts to warm up, it’s time for Joey and me to start going through all the grilling recipes he sent me over the winter.

The first one up is this week’s recipe, which features a Polynesian-inspired sauce over a spatchcock chicken.

If you’re not familiar with spatchcocking, it’s a technique for cooking whole chicken that lets you flatten the bird out, and it cooks more evenly and quicker. It feels a little weird to do the first time—like you’re performing some sort of surgery—but after you cook a chicken that way the first time, you’ll be sold.

The recipe we tried comes from the Sanderson Farms company page and was created as a collaboration with a couple influencers, “The Grill Dads.” You can find the original recipe and their video at https://sandersonfarms.com/recipes/spatchcock-polynesian-chicken/. I added extra garlic in my version.

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Spatchcock Polynesian Chicken

Spatchcock Polynesian chicken can be made on the grill, in the smoker or in the oven and features a slightly sweet sauce that turns into a fabulous glaze.
Course Main Course
Keyword barrel smoker, brown sugar, ceramic grill, chicken, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, garlic powder, grill, ground ginger, honey, lemon juice, lime juice, pellet smoker, Polynesian, smoked meat, smoker, soy sauce, spatchcock, whole chicken

Ingredients

Chicken Ingredients

  • 1 whole frying chicken
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Sauce Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated (or ginger paste)
  • 8 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 green onions thinly sliced
  • 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

Instructions

  • To prepare the chicken, pat it dry with paper towels and then flip it to breast side down on a large cutting board. Using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors, starting from the tail side of the chicken, carefully cut out the backbone by cutting closely on both sides of it. Set the backbone aside for another use or discard it.
  • Flip the chicken back over, and using the heels of your hands, press down in the middle of the chicken, right on the breast bone, to make it flatten out. (You should hear a little pop.)
  • Place the chicken onto a large, rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. In a small bowl, mix the salt, sugar, garlic powder and ground ginger.
  • Rub the spice mixture over the whole bird, making sure to get in crevices and even getting some under the skin, if you can. Place the chicken, uncovered, in the refrigerator over night or for at least eight hours. (We want the skin to dry out a bit so it will crisp up.)
  • The sauce can be made now or while you wait for the chicken to cook the next day.
  • Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, and bring the mixture to a low boil. Let it continue to boil for about 15 minutes, stirring regularly. Once the sauce is reduced, remove it from the heat and set it aside.
  • To cook the chicken, preheat your grill, smoker or oven to about 350 degrees. Rub the chicken all over with the olive oil, and then place it, breast side up, directly on the grate of your grill or smoker or on the rimmed baking sheet in the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 140 degrees.
  • Using a basting brush, coat the exterior of the chicken in the sauce, and continue to cook the chicken for about 15 more minutes, basting every 5 minutes, until the meat thermometer reaches 165 degrees.
  • Pull the chicken from the oven, and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing. If you have leftover sauce, use that for serving, and serve the chicken along with the sides of your choice.

This was slightly sweet and had a nice, crispy skin on it from our smoker. Joey and I agreed that it would have been delicious out of the oven, too, though, so if you’re not much for outdoor cooking, definitely try it inside.

We ate our chicken with some brown rice, and it was really good. We also had plenty of leftovers, which was nice.

And now that it’s officially grilling season, I’ll have to go digging back through my summer recipes to see what other experiments I can sweet talk Joey into.

This piece first appeared in print on April 18, 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
Breakfast Dessert

Roll through your cinnamon cravings with a simple cake

A cinnamon roll cake is an easy way to accomplish the great flavor of homemade cinnamon rolls without all the work.
A cinnamon roll cake is an easy way to accomplish the great flavor of homemade cinnamon rolls without all the work.

Do you have those friends in your life where you have to try several times to plan a get-together before you can actually find a date on the calendar that works?

This past weekend, the stars aligned for us to finally spend an evening with just such a pair. They were gracious enough to invite us to their home, where they had a delicious bowl of chili and fresh cornbread waiting for us.

Knowing that chili was on the menu, I started to wrack my brain earlier in the day about what kind of dessert goes with it, and my mind just kept going back to cinnamon rolls.

I mean, yeah, cinnamon rolls are a perfect compliment to a big bowl of chili, but they’re also generally pretty time consuming, and time was not on my side that afternoon.

Thank goodness I found a recipe for a cinnamon roll cake that came to my rescue instead, and I was pretty happy with how it turned out.

This comes from the blog “The Country Cook” by Brandie Skibinski. You can find the original post at https://www.thecountrycook.net/cinnamon-roll-cake/. I doubled the vanilla and quadrupled the cinnamon in my version.

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Cinnamon Roll Cake

A cinnamon roll cake is an easy way to accomplish the great flavor of homemade cinnamon rolls without all the work.
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Keyword brown sugar, cake, cinnamon, cinnamon roll, coffeecake, easy cinnamon roll, vanilla

Ingredients

Cake Ingredients

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups milk I used skim
  • 1/2 cup butter melted

Filling Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup butter softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 4 tablespoons cinnamon

Glaze Ingredients

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 5 tablespoons milk I used skim
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a nine-by-13-inch baking pan by spraying it with cooking spray. Set it aside.
  • For the cake, in a mixing bowl, beat the flour, sugar, baking powder, eggs, vanilla and milk until everything is smooth and well combined.
  • Hand stir in the butter, and then spread the batter evenly into your prepared pan.
  • For the filling, in another mixing bowl, beat together all of the filling ingredients until it forms a smooth paste.
  • Drop the cinnamon mixture by the tablespoonful onto the cake batter, and then swirl it into the batter using a knife.
  • Bake the cake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • When the cake comes out of the oven, whisk the glaze ingredients until it is smooth. If you want a thicker glaze, add a little more powdered sugar. If you want it thinner, add a little more milk.
  • Pour the glaze over the cake and serve warm. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.

This was very much like if a coffee cake married a cinnamon roll. The main difference is because you put the glaze on the cake while it’s still warm, it melts into the cake instead of staying visibly on top like a normal cinnamon roll. If you’d rather have that look and texture, I’d recommend letting the cake cool completely before glazing and making a bit of a thicker glaze.

I ended up making an eight-by-eight pan of this by halving the recipe. There was only going to be four of us, and I really didn’t need the leftovers in my kitchen all week, so that made it perfect.

Even better, we had an excellent meal with excellent people. Being able to spend time with friends, cinnamon rolls or not, is so, so sweet.

This piece first appeared in print on Jan. 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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