Categories
Appetizer Snack

The devil’s in the details for this addictive snack mix

Devil’s Chex is an addictive, tasty snack that comes together quickly and easily and is the perfect addition to the snack table for a get together or a movie night on the couch.

There is a museum in Key West, Florida, that claims to house a haunted doll named Robert.

According to the museum’s website, thousands of people take the trip to see this supposedly haunted toy every year. Part of the local legend is that being disrespectful to the doll can lead to bad luck, which is why the museum also features tons of apology letters from people who are sure they have been cursed.

As a general rule, I view legends like haunted dolls as silly stories, meant to make kids nervous while sharing them at slumber parties. I will say that I have been known to knock on wood or make a wish while blowing out candles, though. (You can never be too careful.)

I approached the warning accompanying a recipe from Joseph Schmitz of Prairie Village for “Devil’s Chex” with the same skepticism.

“Regardless, it’s the Devil’s Chex because you can’t stop eating it no matter how much your mind says, ‘No. Stop, please,’” he wrote. “The Chex does not care. It owns you now.”

That description got me. I just had to see what the Schmitz Family recipe was all about, warning or not.

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Devil’s Chex

Devil’s Chex is an addictive, tasty snack that comes together quickly and easily and is the perfect addition to the snack table for a get together or a movie night on the couch.
Course Appetizer, Snack
Keyword butter, Cheez-It, Chex mix, corn Chex, easy snack, football snack, garlic powder, holiday snack, onion powder, peanuts, rice Chex, seasoned salt, seasoning salt, snack table, wheat Chex, Worcestershire

Ingredients

  • 2 cups corn Chex
  • 2 cups rice Chex
  • 2 cups wheat Chex
  • 1 cup Cheez-its optional
  • 1 cup peanuts optional
  • 6 tablespoons butter melted
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.
  • In a large bowl, add the cereal, crackers and peanuts, and stir to combine.
  • In a small bowl, combine the butter, onion powder, garlic powder, seasoned salt and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine, and then mix it well with the cereal. Spread the coated cereal mixture into a large roasting pan or onto a couple rimmed baking sheets.
  • Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Joseph said he thought it might just be the same recipe as the one on the Chex box, but after a little Googling, I found that the Schmitzes have adjusted their recipe a bit from the original over the years.

I decided to make a half batch of the recipe, and it does brown up just a bit quicker than the full one, so be sure to keep an eye on it if you do the same.

This was very tasty, and I never should have doubted Joseph’s warnings—it got me. Despite setting the bowl out of my own reach several times, I found myself with multiple handfuls throughout the evening. It would be a fabulous companion to a board or card game night.

So, I guess I believe in one superstition after all. The good news is that this one isn’t too scary. It turns out that Devil’s Chex turned out to be downright heavenly.

This piece first appeared in print Dec. 5, 2024.

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

Categories
Air Fryer Appetizer Snack

Get your snack game in full bloom this week

Mini blooming onions are pearl onions that are battered and fried to create the same great flavor as the classic carnival dish without all the effort and mess.

We were enjoying some time with friends at the Kansas State Fair one year, when I told Joey I was in the mood for a blooming onion and was going to go around the corner to buy one.

I asked if he wanted his own, and he looked at me like I had two heads.

“No. I’m good to share. That’s a lot of fried onion,” he told me.

Fair enough.

While I was waiting for my onion, two ladies in front of me received theirs. They immediately turned around and said, “Hey, while we were waiting, we decided we don’t want this. Do you want it?”

I figured, “Why not?”

When I showed up back to our friends with two blooming onions in tow, I felt like the universe had spoken, but I’m pretty sure Joey thought I made up the whole story just so I wouldn’t have to share with him.

That’s why this week’s recipe really appealed to me. It was a good way to get the flavors of a blooming onion in a small, easy-to-make version.

This recipe, from Trisha Haas, comes from the blog “Salty Side Dish.” You can find the original post at https://www.saltysidedish.com/fried-pearl-onions/. I doubled the seasonings in my version (except the salt). Also, if you want to use an air fryer for this, see her recipe for the directions.

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Mini Blooming Onions

Mini blooming onions are pearl onions that are battered and fried to create the same great flavor as the classic carnival dish without all the effort and mess.
Course Appetizer, Snack
Keyword bloomin’ onion, blooming onion, carnival food, cayenne, fair food, fried food, garlic powder, onion, onion powder, paprika, pearl onions

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces frozen pearl onions thawed and drained well
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Vegetable or canola oil for frying I used about 1 cup

Instructions

  • Drain the thawed pearl onions well, and lay them on some paper towels to help dry them as much as possible.
  • In a bowl, beat the eggs, and set it aside.
  • In another bowl, stir the flour and seasonings together and set it aside.
  • Add oil to a skillet (I used a six-inch pan and fried in batches) to about one inch in depth. Heat it over medium-low heat until the oil registers 370 to 400 degrees on a candy thermometer.
  • Prepare a plate by lining it with paper towels, and set it aside.
  • Coat the onions in the beaten eggs, and then transfer them to the bowl with the flour, tossing to coat them completely.
  • Tap off any extra flour and carefully drop the coated onions into the hot oil. Let them fry for five to eight minutes or until the onions reach a deep brown color to your liking.
  • Remove the fried onions from the oil with a slotted spoon and place them on the lined plate to drain.
  • Serve the onions while hot, along with your favorite dipping sauce.

These were really tasty. I will say that the cayenne pepper made them have just a slight, lingering spiciness, so if that’s really not your cup of tea, I would leave that out of the mix.

The unfortunate side effect is that our house smelled like the midway at the fair for a bit, though, so be warned. You won’t be able to sneakily give this recipe a try. Everyone will know you made it.

But if you like a blooming onion like I do, this was so much easier to make, and it was less work and mess than even onion rings, which I also appreciated.

Joey shared this plate with me as a nice side to a meal, and I opted not to remind him of the free blooming onion story. I’m still not totally sure he believes my version of the tale. Regardless, I would also like to state for the record that he didn’t end up complaining about getting to indulge in some fried, onion-y goodness, either.

This piece first appeared in print Nov. 7, 2024.

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

Categories
Air Fryer Appetizer Snack

Have a ball in the kitchen with a new potato dish

Garlic potato balls are made in the air fryer and are a wonderful texture, with a crispy outside and a mashed-potato-like inside.

I love watching cooking shows when I have a free moment.

One of my favorite TV chefs is Lidia Bastianich. She specializes in all kinds of Italian dishes that look positively amazing. Going to her restaurant in Kansas City someday is definitely on my bucket list.

I have only tried making a couple of her recipes over the years. Honestly, I’m a little intimidated by her ability to make even complicated food look effortless.

That being said, I rarely have the same hangups when I watch videos on social media from amateur cooks. I figure if they can do it, I can do it.

Well, I was humbled a bit with this week’s recipe, because although I made something delicious, it wasn’t nearly as pretty as the product the influencer managed to create.

This came from a TikTok user, “PlanetFood.” I added extra seasoning in my version and eliminated a garlic butter sauce, just to try to cut down on the mass of calories in this dish.

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Garlic Potato Balls

Garlic potato balls are made in the air fryer and are a wonderful texture, with a crispy outside and a mashed-potato-like inside.
Course Appetizer, Snack
Keyword air fryer, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, potatoes, Russet potato

Ingredients

  • 2 large Russet potatoes peeled and cubed
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions

  • In a large pot, boil the cubed potato they are fork tender.
  • When the potatoes are done, drain them well and add them to a large bowl. Add the garlic powder, onion powder and paprika.
  • Mash the potatoes with a masher or fork until the mixture is smooth.
  • Incorporate the cornstarch until it forms a thick mixture that you can easily shape with your hands. If it’s still too sticky or wet, add more cornstarch, a little at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.
  • Roll the mixture into packed, one-inch balls.
  • Add the balls to the basket of an air fryer (you could also fry these the old-fashioned way in oil), and spray them lightly with cooking spray. Try to space them apart. You might have to fry them in batches.
  • Air fry the potato balls at 200 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until they are golden brown.
  • Serve immediately.

These were tasty. They are crispy on the outside and like mashed potatoes on the inside. That also means you should be careful about how quickly you pop them into your mouth. They get pretty hot on the inside.

Mine kind of deflated a bit, and they stuck together more than I expected. I should have given them a better spray of cooking oil and maybe made sure the mixture was packed a little tighter.

Regardless, I really liked these, and I think I might have to give them another try sometime to share on a snack table during a football game.

And I learned my lesson about not being too egotistical about which recipes seem “easy” out there online. I need to keep reminding myself that I’m no Lidia, even if sometimes I play her in the newspaper.

This piece first appeared in print Sept. 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
Main Dish

With tamale casserole, mi ‘masa’ es su ‘masa’

Chicken tamale casserole gives you all the traditional flavors and textures of tamales without all the time and effort in the kitchen.

One of our friends likes to say that he won’t order foods from a restaurant that are easy to make at home. Instead, he tries to order dishes that he would never make for himself.

The list includes plenty of time-consuming, delicious meals.

For me, one of those items is tamales.

I did make tamales once. They were awesome. But it was also when we were stuck at home for the pandemic, and time was a little easier to find. Someday, I’ll do it again.

In the meantime, though, I have been satisfying those cravings by ordering tamales from our great local Mexican spots. Except now I have a way to get the same flavor profile with none of the intense work, thanks to a tamale-themed casserole.

This comes from the blog “Life Made Simple.” You can find the original post at https://lifemadesimplebakes.com/chile-verde-chicken-tamale-casserole-9/. I added extra sauce, extra cheese and extra garlic powder in mine.

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Chicken Tamale Casserole

Chicken tamale casserole gives you all the traditional flavors and textures of tamales without all the time and effort in the kitchen.
Course Main Course
Keyword chicken, chile verde, cilantro, corn, enchilada sauce, fresh cilantro, frozen corn, garlic powder, masa harina, Monterrey jack cheese, poblano peppers, rotisserie chicken, tamales

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 1 rotisserie chicken deboned and shredded
  • 1 cup chicken broth or stock
  • 19 ounce can chile verde enchilada sauce divided
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped (plus more for serving)
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 4 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese divided

Tamale Dough Ingredients

  • 3 cups masa harina
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 12 tablespoons cold butter cubed
  • 3 cups frozen corn thawed, divided
  • 1 roasted poblano pepper deseeded and diced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 1/4 cup chicken broth or stock

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a nine-by-13-inch deep baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray, and set it aside.
  • Add the chicken, broth, half of the sauce, cilantro and garlic powder to a large skillet. Heat it over medium-low, stirring occasionally, while you prepare the tamale layers.
  • Add the masa, sugar, baking powder, butter, two cups of corn, the poblano, salt and pepper to a food processor or blender. Process until everything is in coarse crumbs. Add the broth and process until the mixture is smooth and thick. Fold in the remaining corn.
  • Spread half of the tamale mixture evenly across the bottom of your baking dish. Sprinkle about one and one-fourth cup of cheese over that. Add in all of the chicken mixture, spreading it out over the cheese layer. Add another one and one-fourth cup of cheese. Spread the rest of the tamale mixture on the top.
  • Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce on the top, and then finish with the rest of the cheese.
  • Cover the dish with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes.
  • Serve topped with more chopped cilantro. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

This was absolutely delicious, and it reheated phenomenally. (Thank goodness, because it makes a ton of food.) All of the flavors of a good, chicken tamale were there, and we will definitely be making this again—much sooner than I’ll probably be making traditional tamales.

As a side note, I roasted my poblano by placing it under the broiler until it was charred on all sides and then placing it in a glass bowl with plastic wrap on top to steam for about 10 minutes. Then, I could scrape off the skin, scoop out the seeds and dice it up. Easy peasy. If you’re nervous about a poblano being too spicy, try an Anaheim pepper instead.

Now that I have a good copycat for tamales, I’ll have to explore some other tough dishes at our local restaurants. I’m looking at you, mole.

This piece first appeared in print Sept. 12, 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.

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
Main Dish Soup

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Italian Meatball Soup

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

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

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

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

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

This piece first appeared in print on Feb. 15, 2024.

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

Categories
Main Dish

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Pork Chops in Creamy Wine Sauce

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

Ingredients

Pork Chop Ingredients

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

Sauce Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

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

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

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

This piece first appeared in print on Feb. 8, 2024.

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

Categories
Air Fryer Main Dish Side Dish

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Parmesan Brussels Sprouts

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

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

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

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

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

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

Categories
Main Dish Pressure Cooker

You can cook a whole chicken—even under pressure

A whole chicken can be cooked quickly, along with sliced onions and bell peppers, to create a delicious, slightly spicy bird, perfect over rice, mashed potatoes or served inside a tortilla.

Last weekend, Joey attended a day-long bowling tournament.

The day before he left, he lamented that he didn’t think he would have time to throw a whole chicken we bought on the smoker and may have to toss it back in the freezer.

Instead, I offered to put it in the oven on my day alone and have it ready for dinner when he came home.

When he stepped in the door at the end of the day, I was happily putting fresh bedsheets on our mattress, feeling accomplished with my day of laundry.

“Did you decide not to do that chicken,” Joey asked, after we talked about his tournament.

Oops. I totally forgot about the chicken!

Joey waved off my mistake, but I immediately started searching online. I still had an hour or so before dinner time, and I knew just the appliance that could save me: my pressure cooker.

So, this week’s recipe isn’t about a deliciously slow-roasted chicken, basting in its own juices in my oven. Instead, it’s a quick, delicious and slightly spicy bird that managed to save dinner and give us plenty of leftovers for the week.

The recipe I used came from the blog “Chew Out Loud” by Amy Dong. You can find the original post at https://www.chewoutloud.com/instant-pot-whole-chicken/. I doubled every spice in my version and added bell peppers.

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Spicy Pressure Cooker Chicken

A whole chicken can be cooked quickly, along with sliced onions and bell peppers, to create a delicious, slightly spicy bird, perfect over rice, mashed potatoes or served inside a tortilla.
Course Main Course
Keyword bell pepper, black pepper, cayenne, chicken broth, chicken stock, garlic powder, Instantpot, paprika, pressure cooker, thyme, whole chicken, yellow onion

Ingredients

  • 5 to 6 pound whole chicken
  • 3 teaspoons salt
  • 4 teaspoons paprika
  • 3 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
  • 2 teaspoons thyme
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 medium yellow onion sliced
  • 2 bell peppers any color, sliced
  • 1 cup chicken broth I subbed in a bouillon dissolved in water

Instructions

  • Prepare your whole chicken by removing the giblets, and patting it dry—inside and out—with paper towels.
  • In a small bowl, combine the salt, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, thyme and black pepper, and stir to mix them together.
  • Using a knife, loosen the skin around the breast, back, legs and thighs of the chicken so you can slide a spoon or your hands inside, and evenly distribute about two-thirds of your spice mixture under the skin all over the bird. Press the rest onto the top of the skin and inside the bird, coating it as evenly as you can. Set the bird aside.
  • In your pressure cooker, line the bottom with the sliced onions and peppers and pour in the chicken broth. Place the prepared bird on top of the vegetables (it doesn’t matter which direction is up or down). Secure the lid and cook the bird on high pressure for 25 minutes, letting the steam naturally release for at least 15 minutes afterwards.
  • Temp the chicken. It should read at least 165 degrees in its thickest spots. If not, do another 15 to 20 minutes of high pressure cooking until it does.
  • Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before slicing or shredding it. Serve it with the vegetables over rice, mashed potatoes or in tortillas.

This was moist and tender, and we ended up making burritos, along with some Mexican rice. The chicken had just a bit of a kick to it, but it wasn’t so spicy that it knocked our socks off. If the heat scares you a little or you don’t think your tablemates are up to it, just decrease or eliminate the cayenne pepper.

Thanks to my pressure cooker this weekend, dinner was saved in the Young household. Now if I could just find the laundry equivalent to quick cooking, my future weekends might really be set.

This piece initially appeared in print on Nov. 16, 2023.

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

Categories
Side Dish

You have my ‘parmesan’ to treat yourself to potatoes this weekend

Crispy Mexican potatoes feature lots of traditional Mexican flavors, making them just a little spicy with a crispy, cheesy bottom and a creamy interior. They are a great side dish for a variety of meals.

“What makes them Mexican potatoes?” a friend asked as he scooped my latest food experiment onto his paper plate in our backyard.

“I think it’s just the spices that put it in that category,” I told him.

He looked at me quizzically and only grabbed a few.

But after finishing off that first spoonful and going in for a second, I think it was safe to say he didn’t really care if there was a national origin to this side dish or not—they were a hit.

It was a couple weekends ago that Joey fired up his smoker and we invited some people over to eat with us and enjoy the truckload of food we prepared. It’s always more fun to enjoy meals like that with friends, and this one was no exception.

And this potato side dish was a great addition to the meal.

The recipe I tried comes from the blog, “Bites with Bri” by Brianna May. You can find the original post at https://biteswithbri.com/mexican-potato-recipe/. I added extra spices in my version below.

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Crispy Mexican Potatoes

Crispy Mexican potatoes feature lots of traditional Mexican flavors, making them just a little spicy with a crispy, cheesy bottom and a creamy interior. They are a great side dish for a variety of meals.
Course Side Dish
Keyword barbecue side dish, black pepper, chili powder, cumin, easy side dish, garlic powder, Mexican, onion powder, oregano, paprika, parmesan cheese, yellow potatoes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds small yellow potatoes halved
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 2 teaspoon cumin
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese use the real stuff, not the stuff in a can

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside (I tried using foil, and it was tough to remove the potatoes. I think parchment is a better way to go.)
  • Make sure the potato skins are dry after washing them before proceeding with coating them in seasonings. Just pat them with a paper towel.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the potatoes, oil and spices. Stir well to completely coat the potatoes.
  • Press the cut side of each potato into the shredded parmesan and place it, cut side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat, spacing the potatoes just slightly apart.
  • Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
  • Transfer hot potatoes to a serving dish and serve immediately.

I wish I could tell you how these reheated for leftovers, but we didn’t have any of those. These taters went quickly, and if I do this side for another barbecue where we’re expecting more people, I will definitely double the recipe.

These were just a little spicy. You can always decrease or cut out the chili powder if that’s not your thing, but we really enjoyed them. The crispy cheese, creamy potato and Mexican spices all go together perfectly and were perfect along with the smoked chicken Joey made as the main course.

I still can’t tell you if they really qualify as a “Mexican” dish, but I can tell you nobody will care much once their mouths are full.

This piece first appeared in print on July 20, 2023.

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

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