Tag: ginger

Categories
Dessert

Can’t tell the varieties apart? You just have to ‘apple’y yourself.

Apple strudels are easy to make with a sheet of puff pastry, some honeycrisp apples and warm spices and brown sugar to go with them. They pair nicely with a cup of tea or coffee.
Apple strudels are easy to make with a sheet of puff pastry, some honeycrisp apples and warm spices and brown sugar to go with them. They pair nicely with a cup of tea or coffee.

“Those apples were kind of pricey, weren’t they?” Joey asked me as we exited the grocery store recently.

“They’re honeycrisps,” I told him.

“So, they’re high-end apples?”

“I mean, kind of.”

It’s amazing that after 15 years of marriage, I can still discover new things about my husband. Case in point: he has no knowledge of apple varieties. At all.

I’m not saying I’m an expert, but I don’t think he could tell a Granny Smith from a red delicious.

OK, so it’s probably not that bad, but you get my point.

Regardless of his lack of apple knowledge, after I had my honeycrisps sliced up and baked with plenty of warm spices, Joey agreed that they were absolutely delicious, despite being a more expensive variety.

The recipe I tried comes from the Instagram account @tisrarewegetout. I switched up the seasoning a bit for my version.

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Apple Strudels

Apple strudels are easy to make with a sheet of puff pastry, some honeycrisp apples and warm spices and brown sugar to go with them. They pair nicely with a cup of tea or coffee.
Course Dessert
Keyword apple, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, easy dessert, fall dessert, ginger, honeycrisp apples, nutmeg, puff pastry, tea time

Ingredients

  • 13.2 ounce sheet puff pastry thawed
  • 2 large honeycrisp apples
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon cloves
  • 1 egg

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Prepare a baking sheet (or two) with parchment paper.
  • Roll out the puff pastry and cut it into about four-inch squares. Place the squares about one inch apart on the prepared sheet(s).
  • Slice the apples into about 1/4-inch slices, and cut a hole out of the middle to remove the core. (There’s no need to peel them.)
  • Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves, and dip the apples in the mixture, coating them on all sides.
  • Place one coated apple slice in the middle of each puff pastry square, and fold the corners of the pastry up to the middle of the apple slice (you can cut some slits in the pastry to make it fancier, if you so desire).
  • Beat the egg in a small bowl, and brush each pastry with a liberal coating of egg. If you still have any liquid in the bowl from the sugar mixture, pour it evenly over the top of the prepared pastries.
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the apples are softened.
  • Serve warm with some ice cream or a good cup of tea or coffee.

These were amazing right out of the oven. They were still awesome a day later, but the puff pastry wasn’t nearly as crisp after it sat in a container over night.

The warmth of the spices with the sweetness of the apples and crunch of the pastry was a fabulous combination.

This was easy to make, too, and would be nice for a breakfast or brunch or if you’re hosting an afternoon tea or coffee.

And I would argue this was worth the “high-end” apples—even if Joey is still not sure I actually know the difference.

This piece first appeared in print Aug. 28, 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

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

Bored with dinner? End your ‘saffron’ with something totally different

Moroccan lamb meatballs are made with an earthy, spicy mix of herbs and spices and served doused in a delicious tomato sauce that pairs perfectly with couscous and some plain Greek yogurt on the side.
Moroccan lamb meatballs are made with an earthy, spicy mix of herbs and spices and served doused in a delicious tomato sauce that pairs perfectly with couscous and some plain Greek yogurt on the side.

For a couple months now, every time I open the pantry, I glance at this tiny canister of saffron I managed to buy on an extreme clearance.

The Britannica Encyclopedia explains that saffron is the most expensive herb because it has to be hand harvested from the tiny stigmas in the center of a particular crocus flower. It goes on to say that if you wanted to have a whole pound of saffron, you’d end up harvesting from about 75,000 flowers.

So I’ve also been slightly terrified of trying any of my small bunch of saffron in a recipe that doesn’t hold up.

I finally took the plunge, though, thanks to finding another generally expensive ingredient on sale: ground lamb. And boy, oh, boy, was it good.

Now, let me preface this recipe by saying that you don’t have to include saffron in it. It’s just a little flavor enhancer, but it’s not critical. I would be sure to use the lamb, though. It paired so beautifully with the spices and sauce, I just couldn’t imagine doing it any other way.

The recipe I tried comes from the blog “Moorlands Eater.” You can find the original post at https://moorlandseater.com/moroccan-lamb-meatballs-in-spicy-tomato-sauce/. I added extra garlic, lamb and a few other ingredients in my version.

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Moroccan Lamb Meatballs

Moroccan lamb meatballs are made with an earthy, spicy mix of herbs and spices and served doused in a delicious tomato sauce that pairs perfectly with couscous and some plain Greek yogurt on the side.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Moroccan
Keyword allspice, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, diced tomatoes, fresh garlic, ginger, ground lamb, honey, minced garlic, minced lamb, onion, paprika, red pepper flakes, saffron, spicy, tomato puree, tomatoes, turmeric

Ingredients

Spice Mix Ingredients

  • 3 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ginger
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Meatball Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground/minced lamb
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Tomato Sauce Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion diced (I used yellow)
  • 8 to 10 cloves garlic minced
  • 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
  • a small pinch of saffron strands soaked in 1 tablespoon warm water
  • 1 tablespoon tomato puree
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Combine all the ingredients for the spice mix in a bowl, stir it well, and set it aside.
  • For the meatballs, add the lamb to a mixing bowl along with about one-third of the spice mixture, salt and pepper. Mix well with a spoon or your hands until everything is well incorporated.
  • Roll the lamb into about one-inch balls.
  • In a large skillet with a lid, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the meatballs, in batches, and brown on all sides (don’t worry if they’re cooked through yet). Once they’re browned, remove them from the pan and place them to the side on a plate.
  • Start building the sauce by adding the onions to the skillet, sauteing until they are cooked through. Add in the garlic. Let it saute for one to two minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant.
  • Add the rest of the spice mixture, and saute for a couple minutes, letting it soak up any remaining oil or juices in the pan.
  • Add the diced tomatoes. Pour three-fourths cup of water into the empty can, and swirl it around to catch any remaining juices, and then pour that into the skillet, too. Also add in the saffron/water mixture, tomato puree, honey, coriander, salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
  • Raise the heat a bit to bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer the sauce without a lid on the pan for 10 minutes.
  • Put the meatballs into the pan, stirring them to make sure they’re coated in the sauce. Add the lid and simmer for another 10 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through. (Lamb should be cooked to 160 degrees. Be careful not to go far past that. It can dry out very quickly.)
  • Remove the skillet from the heat and serve immediately. We had ours with couscous with peas and a big dollop of plain Greek yogurt.

These were absolutely delicious, and it reheated well as leftovers, too. This is definitely a spicy dish, but it’s not overly scary, and if you serve it with some yogurt, not only do the flavors meld really well, but it also helps cool your tongue a bit.

This was earthy and full of great spices, many of which I don’t get to use off my spice rack very often.

Plus, the added bonus was I finally got to use my saffron, which made me feel quite fancy, to say the least. Now I just have to figure out how I will use the rest of it.

This piece first appeared in print Sept. 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
Bread Breakfast Dessert

Do what feels ‘ripe’ with those brown bananas

This is just a very simple recipe for banana bread, but it’s fabulous in its traditional flavors, including the warmth of ginger, cinnamon and cloves.
This is just a very simple recipe for banana bread, but it’s fabulous in its traditional flavors, including the warmth of ginger, cinnamon and cloves.

Once, back in my college days, when I was living away from home, I was visiting over a weekend. I grabbed a banana off the counter, and about that time, my sister came around the corner.

She gave me a horrified look.

“What are you doing?” she demanded.

“Eating a banana?” I told her, confused.

“Dad and I were leaving those so Mom would make banana bread,” she said.

I’d ruined the plan.

I don’t think they’ve fully forgiven me yet, even though Mom has blessed us with plenty of loaves in the many years since then.

I was thinking about that story recently when I whipped up a couple loaves for an event we were having at the office. I had a couple brown bananas in my freezer that I didn’t have time to bake with when they turned, and I figured it was a good time to put them to good use.

My recipe for banana bread comes from my mom. I’m sure there’s an origin story for it, but my only copy is a well-worn, handwritten version from her.

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Banana Bread

This is just a very simple recipe for banana bread, but it’s fabulous in its traditional flavors, including the warmth of ginger, cinnamon and cloves.
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Keyword banana, brown bananas, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, overripe bananas, sweet bread

Ingredients

  • 3 eggs
  • 3 3/4 cup flour
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup shortening
  • 2/3 cup cold water
  • 4 mashed overripe bananas
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ginger
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cloves

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two loaf pans, and set them aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, start by beating the eggs, and then beat in the rest of the ingredients until the batter is smooth.
  • Distribute the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans, and bake for 50 minutes to an hour.
  • Once a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, remove the pans from the oven, and let them cool to a temperature where you can handle them comfortably. Carefully invert the pans to remove the loaves, and let them cool the rest of the way before slicing them. Store the slices in an airtight container.

You can absolutely add some chopped walnuts to this bread, too, if you like them. I actually love banana nut bread, but since that’s not how we normally ate it when I was growing up, my nostalgia leads me to continue to leave them out.

I love this recipe because it has more spices in it than a lot of traditional banana bread recipes do. There is nothing better than plenty of warm spices along with the flavor of overripe bananas.

And to add insult to injury, both of these loaves were eaten by all of us at the office, and my sister was left out once again. I mean, she’s an adult now, so I’m sure it’s my niece and brother-in-law conspiring to let bananas brown on her counter these days.

I know one thing: if I go for a visit, I’ll leave any fruit in her kitchen alone.

This piece first appeared in print on June 13, 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

Try a great mini sweet that’s perfect to have ’round

Mini pumpkin spice donuts are completely addictive, with tons of delicious spices and a fabulous cinnamon-sugar coating.
Mini pumpkin spice donuts are completely addictive, with tons of delicious spices and a fabulous cinnamon-sugar coating.

When I was a kid, our Sunday morning breakfasts before church would often be something special from the day-old bakery we had in town.

One of my personal favorites was when we’d get mini donuts. I would dip them in milk, trading off between chocolate-covered and cinnamon sugar flavors.

I have been thinking about those donuts ever since I found a mini donut pan at our local thrift shop, and I finally took the plunge on baking some of my own.

Around Thanksgiving this year, I accidentally bought pumpkin pie filling instead of regular canned pumpkin, and it has been sitting in my pantry ever since, so I decided it was high time to both use up that can and break in my new pan.

The recipe I made is from the blog “Lovely Indeed.” You can find the original post at https://lovelyindeed.com/mini-donut-recipe-baked-pumpkin-spice-mini-donuts/. I added extra spices in my version.

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Mini Pumpkin Spice Donuts

Mini pumpkin spice donuts are completely addictive, with tons of delicious spices and a fabulous cinnamon-sugar coating.
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Keyword baked donuts, canned cinnamon rolls, cinnamon-sugar, cloves, donuts, ginger, mini donuts, pumpkin

Ingredients

Donut Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ginger
  • 1 teaspoon cloves
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

Coating Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup butter melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Spray the wells of a mini donut pan with cooking spray and set it aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, beat the oil, eggs, sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt and baking powder until the mixture is smooth. Beat in the flour just until it’s all incorporated.
  • Transfer the batter to a piping bag or a large zip-top plastic bag with the tip snipped off.
  • Fill each well on the pan about three-fourths full, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
  • Remove the donuts from the pan and let them cool.
  • In another zip-top bag, combine the sugar and cinnamon.
  • Lightly brush each donut with melted butter, and then drop them (a few at a time) into the bag, and gently shake to coat them in cinnamon-sugar. Serve immediately, and store any leftovers in an airtight container.

This took some time to make, as my donut pan only has nine wells, and this recipe easily made several dozen donuts, but it also gave me plenty of time to wash up my dishes and listen to a podcast.

And these were worth it. We shared them with our guests for a mingle at our office, and then we shamelessly snacked on the leftovers for a few days afterwards. They were moist, full of flavor and very addictive. I had a few with a cup of coffee, and it was the perfect pairing.

I didn’t get a chance to dip any of these in milk like when I was younger, but it was still nice to remember those Sunday breakfasts with my family. And the best part? I didn’t even have to share these with my sister.

This piece first appeared in print on Feb. 29, 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

Don’t tarry(yaki), and make this chicken dish today

Chicken teriyaki has a rich sauce that is easy to make and is perfect to eat over fried or white rice.
Chicken teriyaki has a rich sauce that is easy to make and is perfect to eat over fried or white rice.

On evenings where there isn’t much on television and we can’t decide on something to stream from the myriad of services we subscribe to, Joey and I will often find ourselves scrolling through our respective social media feeds, sending each other funny or interesting videos from our spots across the couch from one another.

Quite a few of them tend to feature new recipes. I send him videos of delicious food to make on a smoker or grill, and he sends me a variety of dishes he thinks I ought to try.

Such was the origin of this week’s recipe. After watching the video for this dish probably 20 times, I finally had the ingredients and the procedure figured out, so the good news for you is that it’s all here now, in writing.

This came from an online video by Gideon General. You can find him on Instagram @gidsgids. I added extra garlic to my version.

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Chicken Teriyaki

Chicken teriyaki has a rich sauce that is easy to make and is perfect to eat over fried or white rice.
Course Main Course
Keyword chicken, chicken thighs, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, rice wine, rice wine vinegar, sake, sesame seeds, soy sauce, teriyaki

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons oil divided
  • 2-4 boneless chicken thighs
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger minced
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup rice vinegar
  • 1/2 cup sake rice wine
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Instructions

  • Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs and season them with salt and pepper.
  • In a skillet with a lid, heat one tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the chicken thighs and cook for five to 10 minutes or until the chicken is nicely browned on one side. Flip the thighs over and saute for another five to 10 minutes, with the lid on, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
  • While the chicken cooks, add the other tablespoon of oil to a saucepan over medium heat.
  • Add the ginger and saute for three to five minutes. Toss in the minced garlic and saute for a few more minutes until it is very lightly browned.
  • Add the rice vinegar, sake, soy sauce, half-cup water and sugar to the saucepan. Stir to combine, and raise the temperature to medium-high to bring the mixture to a boil.
  • In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch with three tablespoons water.
  • Once the mixture in the saucepan is boiling, stir in the cornstarch. When it is again boiling, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sesame seeds.
  • Pour the sauce in the skillet with the chicken (lid off), and let it cook down a bit to thicken the sauce, making sure to baste the chicken in the sauce as it cooks. After a few minutes, serve the chicken, along with extra sauce. We had ours over fried rice.

The leftovers we had from this were also out of this world. Those we ate over white rice, and it was a great combination, too. We also sauteed some bell peppers and mushrooms to go into the sauce with our leftovers, and it was an excellent addition, so I highly recommend doing that if you want to stretch your meal a little further.

And I finally got something good out of social media for a change, which I appreciated. The only drawback to trying to glean a recipe from a video, though, is after watching beautiful, perfectly cooked chicken over and over and over again, you get pretty hungry.

This piece first appeared in print on June 1, 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
Drinks

‘Chai’ can’t believe I managed to make these lattes at home

Homemade chai lattes take a bit of effort, but the warm fall spices, along with the feeling of accomplishment from creating it yourself pays off in the end.
Homemade chai lattes take a bit of effort, but the warm fall spices, along with the feeling of accomplishment from creating it yourself pays off in the end.

Before I married into the Young family, I was pretty coffee agnostic. I would basically drink whatever was in front of me and be happy with it.

The Youngs, though, are coffee people, by which I mean they know how to make a fantastic cup of the stuff. If you want proof, just pop by my father-in-law’s coffeeshop, Scuttlebutts, if you’re ever in Hutchinson. You’ll see what I mean.

One of the glorious coffee drinks I have discovered now that I know what good coffee is all about is actually made with tea: the dirty chai. It sounds awkward to order, but it’s just a chai latte with a shot of espresso.

If you’re not familiar, chai is a highly spiced tea with a lot of delicious, autumnal spices—cinnamon, ginger, cloves, etc.—all the good stuff from a proper loaf of pumpkin bread.

And I discovered this week that it’s way easier to buy a chai latte than make it from scratch, but it does make you feel very accomplished once you have a steaming cup of your own, homemade tea.

So if you want to give chai a shot in your own home, the recipe I tried this week comes from the blog “The Fresh Cooky” by Kathleen Pope. You can find the original post at https://www.thefreshcooky.com/homemade-chai-tea-latte/#recipe. I added extra spices in my version.

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Homemade Chai Latte

Homemade chai lattes take a bit of effort, but the warm fall spices, along with the feeling of accomplishment from creating it yourself pays off in the end.
Course Drinks
Keyword cardamom, chai, chai tea, cinnamon, cloves, Darjeeling, ginger, honey, latte, nutmeg, vanilla

Ingredients

  • 2 cups water
  • 3 Darjeeling blend tea bags
  • 4 one-inch slices fresh ginger peeled
  • 1 two-inch cinnamon stick
  • 8 whole cloves
  • 2 teaspoons cardamom
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 heaping tablespoon sugar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • dash of nutmeg
  • 2 cups milk

Instructions

  • Pour the water in a medium-sized saucepan, and bring it to a rapid boil over high heat.
  • Add in the tea bags, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, vanilla, sugar, honey and nutmeg and stir to combine.
  • Reduce the heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer for five to six minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the milk and return the mixture boiling, stirring often to keep the milk from scalding on the bottom of the pot.
  • Once the mixture boils, remove it from heat and use a slotted spoon to remove the tea bags (carefully squeeze them out into the pot), ginger, cinnamon stick and cloves. If you want absolutely no remnants of the other spices in your cups, carefully run the mixture through a sieve lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter. (I didn’t bother with this step.)
  • Serve the chai lattes hot or let it cool and refrigerate it to serve it over ice.
  • Keep any leftovers in the refrigerator. (This made about four eight-ounce servings.)

This was a good, solid chai latte. Honestly, I like mine way spicier and probably would have doubled the spices that I used yet again, but this one had just the right amount of fall flavor to help me feel better about the colder weather. I sprinkled just a little cinnamon on the top of each cup for effect, too.

It did receive a thumbs up from Joey, so while I didn’t have the true coffee guru of the Young family try it, I figure his son is the next best thing.

At the end of the day, considering the effort of making my own chai latte at home, though, I think I might stick to our local coffee shops most of the time. I’ll save this recipe for any future days of being snowed in.

This piece first appeared in print on Nov. 17, 2022.

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

Meat is ‘naan’ essential for this potato and chickpea curry

Potato and chickpea curry is spicy and full of lots of flavors from a variety of spices. It is also vegan, giving those avoiding animal products a great, quick meal to enjoy.
Potato and chickpea curry is spicy and full of lots of flavors from a variety of spices. It is also vegan, giving those avoiding animal products a great, quick meal to enjoy.

Quite a number of years ago, when we put our house on the market, our realtor gave us some tips for keeping our home ready for showings.

In addition to keeping things clean and organized, he encouraged us to pin back the curtains for plenty of natural light and begged us to take a break from cooking anything that would have strong, lingering smells. Specifically, he said we should stay away from curry.

I thought about that this week when I decided to try a vegan curry recipe I found online. Personally, I think the smell of spicy curry would be a selling point for a house, but I’m sure it’s not for everyone.

This recipe was fantastic, and if you’re trying to cut some meat out of your diet, I highly recommend it. It was filling, extremely flavorful and very pretty, to boot. It was also on the spicy side, so if that’s not your favorite, I’d skip this one. I think it would be a bit difficult to make this one completely mild.

The recipe I tried comes from the blog “Well Plated” by Erin Clarke. I added extra garlic in my version.

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Potato and Chickpea Curry

Potato and chickpea curry is spicy and full of lots of flavors from a variety of spices. It is also vegan, giving those avoiding animal products a great, quick meal to enjoy.
Course Main Course
Keyword cayenne, chickpeas, coconut milk, cumin, curry, diced tomatoes, garam masala, garlic, ginger, peas, potatoes, rice, turmeric, vegan, vegetarian, yellow onion

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger or ginger paste minced
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • salt to taste
  • 2 pounds potatoes diced (I used Russets)
  • 14 ounces canned chickpeas rinsed and drained
  • 14 ounces diced tomatoes in juice
  • 14 ounce can light coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • Prepared white rice for serving
  • Naan bread for serving

Instructions

  • In a Dutch oven or stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
  • Add the onion to the hot oil and saute until the onions are soft. Add the garlic and ginger, and saute for about 30 seconds. Add in the curry powder, garam masala, cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper and salt, and continue to stir for about a minute.
  • Once the mixture smells really nice, stir in the potatoes and chickpeas to coat them with the spices.
  • Add in the diced tomatoes and coconut milk, and stir well to combine.
  • Bring the mixture to a very low boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer, stirring regularly to keep the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pot, for about 15 minutes.
  • Once the potatoes are fork tender, stir in the sugar, lemon juice and peas. Let the mixture heat over low until the peas are hot.
  • Serve the curry over top of white rice and with a side of naan bread.

I absolutely loved this one. Joey was out of town for the evening, so he had to settle for leftovers later in the week, but he also gave it a thumbs up.

It does make quite a bit of food, and it stretches even further with rice, so if you want to feed a crowd on the cheap, save this one for the future.

Plus, our whole house smelled like warm, delicious spices for a couple days, so I suppose it’s a good thing we aren’t trying to sell it right now.

Of course, with the way the housing market is moving right now, I doubt it would even matter.

This piece first appeared in print on May 19, 2022.

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

Sprinkle in something new with peppered beef

Peppered beef is lightly spiced with black pepper and complemented with Asian seasonings and fresh vegetables.
Peppered beef is lightly spiced with black pepper and complemented with Asian seasonings and fresh vegetables.

When my sister and I were growing up, my mom always joked she was going to open a restaurant called “I don’t care,” thanks to the number of times we uttered the phrase when the family was choosing where to eat.

On the occasions when we did care, there were certain places that turned into a bit of a debate for us in the back seat.

I, for one, loved going to a good Chinese buffet. My sister, not so much.

On the rare occasions I would convince her that, yes, she would find plenty to eat that suited her tastes, one of my favorite food items to grab was some peppered beef. The combination of steak with sauteed peppers and onions was (and still is) one of my favorites.

I was reminded of those trips this week when I decided to try making some peppered beef in my own kitchen, and I have to say that it turned out great.

This comes from the blog “Kitchen Sanctuary” by Nicky Corbishley. You can find the original post at https://www.kitchensanctuary.com/black-pepper-beef/. I added extra garlic to my version.

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Peppered Beef

Peppered beef is lightly spiced with black pepper and complemented with Asian seasonings and fresh vegetables.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Keyword bell pepper, black pepper, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, oyster sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, steak, yellow onion

Ingredients

  • 1 pound steak sliced thinly (I used charcoal steak)
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper or more, to taste
  • salt to taste
  • 4 tablespoons oil I used canola
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 large onion cut into quarter-inch strips
  • 2 large bell peppers cut into quarter-inch strips (any color)
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce or oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup beef stock or broth
  • 4 to 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
  • rice for serving

Instructions

  • Season the sliced steak with the black pepper and salt.
  • In a wok or deep frying pan, heat the canola and sesame oils over high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the steak and fry for a couple minutes, until it is browned, stirring constantly.
  • Remove the steak from the pan and turn the heat to medium. If there isn’t much oil left in the pan, add another tablespoon of canola oil and toss in the onions and peppers.
  • Saute for several minutes until they reach your desired level of tenderness.
  • While the vegetables cook, combine the cornstarch, soy sauce, fish/oyster sauce, rice wine vinegar, beef stock and more black pepper (to taste) in a small bowl. Stir to combine.
  • Once your vegetables are cooked through, add the garlic and ginger to the pan and saute for about two minutes.
  • Add the sauce from the bowl, along with the steak (and any accumulated juices) to the pan, and stir to coat the vegetables and meat with the sauce. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook for another couple of minutes until the sauce thickens and everything is heated through.
  • Serve over rice.

Joey raved about how good this meal was all during dinner. It was peppery without being overly spicy, and the sauce was fantastic. I ended up doubling the recipe for plenty of leftovers later in the week, which was a great move. Who doesn’t like leftover Chinese food?

Actually, I can tell you one person who isn’t a fan of Chinese food—fresh or left over. Or at least that was true. After we were both adults, my sister and I were spending an afternoon together, and when it came time for us to decide what to grab for lunch, she suggested a nearby Chinese restaurant.

“I thought you hated Chinese food?!” I told her, remembering all of our backseat battles.

She just shrugged.

“I guess I got over it,” she said.

Sisters…am I right?

This piece first appeared in print on Jan. 20, 2022.

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

‘Choc’ this recipe up to a new pan purchase

A bittersweet chocolate pumpkin tart is a great holiday recipe, along with having deep, rich flavor that makes small pieces the default serving size.
A bittersweet chocolate pumpkin tart is a great holiday recipe, along with having deep, rich flavor that makes small pieces the default serving size.

After years of saying I was going to do it, I finally took the plunge last week: I bought a tart pan.

If you remember, I made miniature tarts earlier this year, aided by a cookie cutter and a cupcake tin, and that really pushed me towards making my ultimate purchase.

I’ve been staring at the tart pans in our local kitchen store for months, trying to decide if I really needed one as much as I thought I did.

In the end, I bought two different sizes. Go big or go home, I guess.

So, with my new purchase, it will be no surprise that I made a tart for this week, and not only was it the perfect flavor combination for Thanksgiving, but it was delicious, too.

The recipe I tried comes from the blog “Love & Olive Oil” by Lindsay Landis. You can find the original post at https://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2015/11/bittersweet-chocolate-pumpkin-tart.html. I just changed the spices a little bit for my version.

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Bittersweet Chocolate Pumpkin Tart

A bittersweet chocolate pumpkin tart is a great holiday recipe, along with having deep, rich flavor that makes small pieces the default serving size.
Course Dessert
Keyword bittersweet chocolate, cinnamon, cloves, fall, ginger, nutmeg, pecans, pumpkin, tart, Thanksgiving, vanilla wafers

Ingredients

Crust Ingredients

  • 8 ounces vanilla wafer cookies
  • 1/2 cup pecans
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup butter melted

Filling Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup milk I used skim
  • 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped
  • 2 eggs
  • 2/3 cup pureed pumpkin
  • 1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 heaping teaspoon ginger
  • 1/4 heaping teaspoon cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon bourbon or vanilla

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
  • For the crust, add the cookies and pecans into a food processor and process until the mixture is in small crumbs. Add the sugar, cinnamon, salt and butter, and pulse until the butter is evenly distributed.
  • Pour the crust mixture into a nine-inch tart pan and press with the bottom of a glass or measuring cup to evenly coat the bottom and up the sides. Make sure the crust mixture is firmly pressed together.
  • Put the pan onto a baking sheet and bake the crust for about 10 minutes or until it’s set. Remove the pan the oven and set it aside to cool.
  • Turn the oven down to 250 degrees.
  • Heat a saucepan over low heat, and add the milk and cream. Stir regularly to keep it from scorching on the bottom, and once the milk just starts to bubble a little around the edges of the pan, remove it from the heat and stir in the chocolate, continuing to stir until the chocolate is completely melted.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg, and stir until it’s well combined.
  • Add about one-fourth cup of the chocolate mixture into the pumpkin mixture to temper the eggs. Add the rest of the chocolate mixture, stirring well. Finish it out by adding the bourbon or vanilla extract and stirring again.
  • Pour the mixture into the prepared crust and bake on the baking sheet for 30 to 35 minutes or until the tart is just barely jiggly in the middle. Remove the tart from the oven and let it cool completely before serving.
  • Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

This was intensely rich and not overly sweet. I used a 62 percent cacao chocolate for my version, and I really liked the darker chocolate flavor. The pumpkin is definitely there but not the dominant flavor. I would recommend cutting this in smaller slices. You don’t need a lot of it to feel satisfied.

If you don’t have a tart pan, you could easily substitute in a springform pan or just use a pie pan, too.

I must say, though, I really liked my pretty scalloped edges on my tart. It made me feel like a real baker, despite this being a fairly easy recipe overall.

I’m not sure what kitchen store product will be the next I’ll be pining after, but for now, my friends, family and coworkers better be excited for some new tart experiments.

This piece first appeared in print on Nov. 11, 2021.

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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