Tag: heavy cream

Categories
Main Dish

‘Tuscan’ play at this shrimp pasta game

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Creamy Tuscan Shrimp

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

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

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

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

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

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

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

Categories
Side Dish

I’m trying to get you on my side with this combo of classics

This green bean casserole macaroni and cheese is dense and decadent and definitely not healthy, but it would be a great addition to a holiday meal or potluck.
This green bean casserole macaroni and cheese is dense and decadent and definitely not healthy, but it would be a great addition to a holiday meal or potluck.

One of the iconic quotes in the movie “Jurassic Park” comes from Jeff Goldblum’s character, Dr. Ian Malcolm.

“Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether they could,” he says, “they didn’t stop to think if they should.”

That seemed to be the collective sentiment from family and friends this week when I told them what I was going to do with a bunch of leftover green beans I had in the fridge. Namely, I was going to make a hybrid green bean casserole/macaroni and cheese.

Well, the joke’s on them, because this was actually really good, and it was a fabulous way to use up my leftovers.

This recipe comes from the aptly named blog “This is not diet food.” You can find the original post at https://www.thisisnotdietfood.com/mac-and-cheese-green-bean-casserole/. I added a whole lot of extra ingredients and spices into my version below.

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Green Bean Casserole Macaroni and Cheese

This green bean casserole macaroni and cheese is dense and decadent and definitely not healthy, but it would be a great addition to a holiday meal or potluck.
Course Side Dish
Keyword cheese soup, crispy fried onions, fresh garlic, garlic powder, green beans, heavy cream, holiday side, mac and cheese, macaroni, minced garlic, mozzarella, mustard powder, onion powder, potluck dish, sharp cheddar cheese

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces macaroni noodles
  • 10.5 ounce can condensed cheese soup
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons mustard powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 14.5- ounce cans green beans drained
  • 8 ounces mozzarella freshly shredded
  • 8 ounces sharp cheddar freshly shredded
  • 6 ounces crispy fried onions

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a nine-by-13-inch baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray, and set it aside.
  • Cook the macaroni according to the package directions, and drain it.
  • While the pasta cooks, add the cheese soup and heavy cream into a large mixing bowl, and whisk to combine. Whisk in the garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, salt and pepper and minced garlic, as well.
  • Next stir in the cooked pasta and green beans to coat everything in the sauce. Finally, stir in about 3/4 cup of each kind of cheese, and pour all of the mixture into your prepared pan, spreading it out.
  • Sprinkle the rest of the cheese evenly over the top, and finish off with the crispy onions.
  • Cover the pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another five to 10 minutes or until the onions are browned and the cheese is melted to your liking.
  • Let the casserole rest on the counter for about five minutes before serving.

If you wanted to make this ahead of time to pop in the oven later, I’d recommend keeping the crispy onions off until you’re ready to actually heat it. I ended up freezing half of my casserole, so I’ll be interested to see how it does when I reheat it.

This is a decadent, heavy dish. It’s perfect for a holiday get together, a potluck or any meal where you’re not going to be stuck with all the leftovers, because it is definitely not good for you, even though the flavor profile is nostalgic and a true comfort food.

So, at the end of the day, should you make a combination of two of the heaviest side dishes on the planet? Probably not. But you certainly can, it’s delicious and it won’t lead to rampaging dinosaurs, so why not?

This piece first appeared in print Nov. 27, 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

Make a pie that feels like it’s payday every day

Featuring salty peanuts, along with a peanut butter and marshmallow base and homemade caramel on top, this pie, inspired by Payday candy bars, is a must for any peanut lover.
Featuring salty peanuts, along with a peanut butter and marshmallow base and homemade caramel on top, this pie, inspired by Payday candy bars, is a must for any peanut lover.

One of my duties as a speech and debate coach over the years was hosting weekend tournaments.

And part of that duty was organizing a concession stand to feed all of the students who came.

That meant buying what felt like a heinous amount of hot dogs, chips and candy, along with tons of pop and bottled water. Since I only played host once in the fall and once in the spring, I tried to balance buying enough to keep everyone satisfied with not buying so much that I had tons of leftovers to contend with.

One leftover that always baffled me, though, was in the candy bar category. Kids would snap up the Snickers and Reese’s, and even the plain Hershey’s bars, but if there were Baby Ruths or Paydays in there, they were inevitably still left over at the end of the day.

And while it’s OK that all those kids were horribly wrong, it doesn’t mean that you and I need to be, which is why, this week, I’m presenting one of the most sinful desserts I’ve made of late: a Payday-inspired pie.

This comes from the blog “House of Nash Eats” by Amy Nash. You can find her original post at https://houseofnasheats.com/payday-pie/. The only thing I added was some extra salt and some extra peanuts in my version.

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Payday Pie

Featuring salty peanuts, along with a peanut butter and marshmallow base and homemade caramel on top, this pie, inspired by Payday candy bars, is a must for any peanut lover.
Course Dessert
Keyword butter, caramel, heavy cream, mini marshmallows, Payday, peanut butter chips, peanuts, sweet and salty, sweetened condensed milk, Thanksgiving pie, vanilla

Ingredients

Bottom Layer Ingredients

  • 1 unbaked pie crust for a nine-inch pan
  • 10 ounces peanut butter baking chips
  • 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 large pinch of salt
  • 2 cups miniature marshmallows

Top Layer Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups dry-roasted peanuts
  • coarse or flaked sea salt to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Place your unbaked pie crust into a nine-inch pie tin, crimp the edges and then prick the bottom all over with a fork.
  • Place a sheet of parchment paper into the crust to line it and fill it with pie weights or dry beans.
  • Bake for 15 minutes, and then carefully remove the parchment paper and weights, and bake for another 15 minutes or until the crust is golden.
  • Set it aside to cool.
  • In a saucepan, add the peanut butter chips, sweetened condensed milk, butter and salt and heat over medium heat. Stir regularly until everything is melted together.
  • Add in the marshmallows, and continue stirring until they melt into the mixture.
  • Pour the mixture into the prepared crust.
  • Evenly sprinkle all of the peanuts on top of the filling, and set the pie aside.
  • For the final layer, add just the sugar to a small pot and heat it over medium, stirring constantly. The sugar will melt and turn amber. At that point, add the butter, and stir until it is melted.
  • Carefully pour in the heavy cream, and let the mixture cook, still stirring constantly, for another minute on the heat.
  • Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let the mixture cool for at least five minutes before pouring evenly over top of the peanuts.
  • Refrigerate for about four hours or until the pie is cooled through. Before serving, sprinkle the top with coarse or flaked salt, to taste.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container.

This was so dense that it was actually a little tough to slice, but I take that as a sign of greatness. The pie was peanut-buttery and sweet, with plenty of salt to balance it all out. It really was much like eating a candy bar.

And if my small amount of market research is any indicator, you might not have to share this dessert with any teenagers in your life.

No promises, though, and I’d recommend having a secret stash of Snickers bars to distract them, just in case.

This piece first appeared in print Oct. 23, 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

Make your own coffee ice cream from the ground(s) up

Dalgona coffee ice cream is based on the South Korean whipped coffee drink. It’s no churn, which makes it easy for anyone to make and enjoy.
Dalgona coffee ice cream is based on the South Korean whipped coffee drink. It’s no churn, which makes it easy for anyone to make and enjoy.

Back in college, when I decided I was going to change my major and get my teaching degree, one of my first undertakings was to learn what I deemed to be a very important teacher skill: how to drink coffee.

Growing up, the coffee maker only came out at our house if we were having company—neither of my parents really like it—so the smell of freshly brewed coffee was not part of my morning routine.

I started out with flavored coffees and lots of creamer. I would also make hot chocolate by substituting the water for hot coffee (this is delicious, if you’ve never done it).

Eventually, I tapered those additions off, and now, I enjoy black coffee all the time. It didn’t hurt that I also married into a family of coffee aficionados.

It hit me this week, though, that I missed what could have been the easiest way for me to love coffee right away: trying it in ice cream form.

This week’s recipe is a no-churn ice cream that is based on a whipped coffee that started as a street food in Busan, South Korea, called dalgona.

This comes from the blog “My Diaspora Kitchen” by Chichi Uguru. You can find the original recipe at https://www.mydiasporakitchen.com/coffee-ice-cream-dalgona-coffee-ice-cream/. My only alterations were to specify espresso powder and to use hot water to froth the coffee (you can use cold, but mine took quite awhile).

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Dalgona Coffee Ice Cream

Dalgona coffee ice cream is based on the South Korean whipped coffee drink. It’s no churn, which makes it easy for anyone to make and enjoy.
Course Dessert
Keyword coffee, dalgona, easy dessert, espresso, espresso powder, heavy cream, homemade ice cream, ice cream, instant coffee, no-churn ice cream, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon instant coffee I used espresso
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon hot water
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups heavy cream

Instructions

  • Combine the instant coffee, sugar and hot water in a mug, and using an electric beater or milk frother, beat until stiff peaks form in the coffee mixture.
  • In another bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and salt, and stir until everything is mixed well. Fold in the coffee mixture.
  • In a freezer-safe mixing bowl, beat the cream until stiff peaks form, and fold in the coffee mixture.
  • Cover the mixture with plastic wrap, and freeze until the ice cream is solid.
  • Serve with your favorite toppings. (I used chocolate-covered espresso beans and a light sprinkling of the instant espresso powder.)

Despite dalgona coffee becoming an online trend that lots of people tried during the boredom of the COVID-19 lockdown, I never made it before. I need to make a cup on its own to try it, but I can tell you that the ice cream was absolutely heavenly.

It would be perfect with some chocolate sauce or some hazelnuts on top, too. It was creamy and tasted like a great iced coffee.

If you’re not much of a coffee person, I can’t promise that this ice cream will change your mind, but if you’re one of the many teachers in the community gearing up for back-to-school season, it might not hurt to have an emergency batch in the freezer, just in case.

This piece first appeared in print Aug. 14, 2025.

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

Categories
Dessert Uncategorized

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

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

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

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

But then I decided to quadruple the recipe.

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

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

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German Chocolate Cupcakes

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

Ingredients

Cupcake Ingredients

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

Coconut Layer Ingredients

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

Frosting Layer Ingredients

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

Ganache Layer Ingredients

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

Instructions

Cupcake Directions

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

Coconut Layer Directions

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

Frosting Directions

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

Ganache Directions

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

Assembly Directions

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

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

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

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

This piece first appeared in print May 29, 2025.

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

Categories
Main Dish

A fresh veggie-based pasta sauce will keep them ‘aspara’guessing

It sounds weird at first, but making a pasta sauce from asparagus is not only easy, it’s a delicious way to enjoy the fresh greens.
It sounds weird at first, but making a pasta sauce from asparagus is not only easy, it’s a delicious way to enjoy the fresh greens.

According to the website “The Kitchen Project,” asparagus is a very old vegetable.

Historical records show it was grown in ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt.

It takes a few years to get a plant going, but once you have an asparagus plant established, the growing season will last about three months, and a healthy plant can grow six inches every day.

With my gardening skills, I don’t think I could get a plant to live long enough to get to that point, but I’m always willing to enjoy the fruits of others’ labor when it comes to fresh vegetables.

With asparagus harvesting season just around the corner, I wanted to share a unique way to use the veggie for those who start getting tired of just roasting stalks.

This comes from “Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street.” You can find the original recipe on their YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/pLjflANPvNk?si=tSQSwkFV5PW35UTV. I replaced the shallots with onions, increased the garlic and figured out the amounts for several of the ingredients in my version below.

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Asparagus Pasta Sauce

It sounds weird at first, but making a pasta sauce from asparagus is not only easy, it’s a delicious way to enjoy the fresh greens.
Course Main Course
Keyword asparagus, fresh garlic, garden fresh, grated parmesan cheese, heavy cream, lemon juice, linguine, onion, parmesan, pasta sauce, vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds fresh asparagus
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt plus more, to taste
  • 6 to 8 cloves garlic minced
  • pepper to taste
  • 16 ounces fettuccine pasta
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions

  • Trim ends off asparagus and then cut the stalks into one-inch pieces.
  • Put the pieces into a food processor, and process until it is finely chopped.
  • Save out about one cup of the asparagus mixture and set it aside.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and melt the butter in it.
  • When the butter is melted, add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and saute until the onion is soft.
  • Add in the garlic and saute for about one minute. Add in the remaining asparagus from the food processor and stir to combine the ingredients. Let it saute for four to five minutes, stirring regularly.
  • While the asparagus sautes, begin cooking your pasta, according to the package instructions. When it’s done, be sure to reserve at least one cup of the pasta water when you drain it.
  • Once the asparagus is just starting to brown a bit, add in the heavy cream. Once it comes to a low simmer, add in the reserved asparagus, and stir.
  • Continue stirring regularly, letting the cream reduce a bit until dragging a spatula across the bottom of the pan leaves an empty trail for a few seconds before the sauce runs back into it.
  • Turn the heat to low and stir in the parmesan.
  • Add your drained pasta to the skillet. Add a touch of the pasta water, and toss the pasta with the sauce. If you want the sauce a little looser, add more pasta water until it’s at a consistency you like. Stir in the lemon juice and more salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with a little more fresh parmesan on top.

We ate our pasta with some meatballs, but it would also pair really well with chicken.

It was fresh and pretty, and it tasted like, well, asparagus, but with the addition of the parmesan, it had almost Alfredo qualities, and it was just a really nice sauce for dinner.

I’m looking forward to some locally grown asparagus popping up around the area so that I can make this again, and now that I know the ancient Italians were also eating asparagus, I guess the pasta combination just makes sense. Buon appetito!

This piece first appeared in print May 1, 2025.

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

Categories
Main Dish Soup

There’s ‘snow’ excuse for waiting to try this great soup

Creamy parmesan sausage ditalini soup is hearty and full of flavors that stick to your bones. From the sausage to the parmesan, this soup is sure to warm you up on a cold day.
Creamy parmesan sausage ditalini soup is hearty and full of flavors that stick to your bones. From the sausage to the parmesan, this soup is sure to warm you up on a cold day.

As soon as the weather forecast called for snow this past week, I immediately began reviewing soup recipes I saved over the past year.

It was time.

Joey and I prepared our “get ready to be snowed in” list for the grocery store, and I was thoroughly ready to make some awesome, hearty meals while we were stuck inside.

The soup I’m sharing with you this week absolutely fit the bill for a cold day.

This recipe comes from the website “Belaya.” You can find the original post at https://belaya.info/creamy-parmesan-italian-sausage-ditalini-soup.html. I added extra garlic and pasta in my version below. It ended up creating a much thicker heartier soup/pasta dish, so if you like your soups a little looser, I’d recommend halving the amount of pasta or doubling the liquid listed below.

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Creamy Parmesan Sausage Ditalini Soup

Creamy parmesan sausage ditalini soup is hearty and full of flavors that stick to your bones. From the sausage to the parmesan, this soup is sure to warm you up on a cold day.
Course Main Course, Soup
Keyword 30-minute meal, chicken broth, chicken stock, diced tomatoes, ditalini pasta, fresh garlic, fresh spinach, grated parmesan cheese, hearty soup, heavy cream, hot Italian sausage, Italian sausage, minced garlic, onion, parmesan, red chili flakes, yellow onion

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound Italian sausage I used hot Italian
  • 1 small onion diced (I used yellow)
  • 6 to 8 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes drained
  • 16 ounces ditalini or other small pasta
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese plus more for serving
  • 2 cups fresh spinach roughly chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes optional
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot or Dutch oven. When it’s hot, add the sausage and onions, breaking the sausage apart as it sautes.
  • When the sausage is cooked through and the onions are soft, add the garlic, sauteing for another couple of minutes or until it is lightly browned and fragrant.
  • Pour in the chicken broth and drained tomatoes, and stir to combine. Raise the heat to bring the mixture to a low boil, and add the pasta, stirring regularly to keep it from sticking to the bottom. Boil the pasta for the amount of time recommended on the box or until it’s cooked to your liking.
  • Turn the heat down to medium-low, and stir in the cream. Then stir in the parmesan. Once the soup thickens and returns to a simmer, stir in the spinach, letting it cook for a couple minutes until it’s wilted. Finally, add red chili flakes (if desired) and salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Serve the soup with more parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.
  • For the leftovers, you may need to add more broth (or a little water) to get it back to the same consistency. It will likely thicken more in the refrigerator.

Ours was definitely thicker than the original recipe intended, but I just couldn’t see having half a box of pasta sitting in my pantry for who knows how long, so I figured there was no reason to skimp on the carbs.

This was warm, creamy and tasty. I really liked the bit of heat from the hot Italian sausage and chili flakes, too, but I also love that you can leave all that spiciness out and still have an amazing meal.

And it gave us another meal of tasty leftovers for later in the week, once the daily grind resumed. Work day or not, soup days and snow days are best combined.

This piece first appeared in print Jan. 9, 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Pork Chops in Creamy Wine Sauce

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

Ingredients

Pork Chop Ingredients

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

Sauce Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

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

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

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

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

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

Categories
Main Dish Soup

Take a ‘leek’ at the recipe for some savory potato soup

Leek and potato soup has a velvety mouthfeel from potatoes and heavy cream, along with a deep, delicious onion flavor from freshly sauteed leeks.
Leek and potato soup has a velvety mouthfeel from potatoes and heavy cream, along with a deep, delicious onion flavor from freshly sauteed leeks.

Back when I started this column 10 years ago, I thought people would be coming out of the woodwork to offer up recipes for me to try. I signed off each week with a request for submissions.

In that first year, I think I received about five or six.

I learned quickly that people don’t like to share their favorite recipes—at least not with the general, newspaper-reading public.

I get it. Recipes can certainly be something sacred for a lot of us. They’re often more than food—they’re memories. I try to remember that when someone sends me a family favorite, something that they regularly make in their own kitchen. That person isn’t just sending me a list of ingredients and instructions; they’re sharing a piece of themselves, and that’s something special.

If you haven’t guessed, I don’t have a link from a blog to tell you where to find the original of the recipe I tried this week. Instead, this recipe was shared with me by our dear family friend, Jim Kanady. I added garlic to my version, and I used my blender a bit, too.

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Potato Leek Soup

Leek and potato soup has a velvety mouthfeel from potatoes and heavy cream, along with a deep, delicious onion flavor from freshly sautéed leeks.
Course Main Course, Soup
Keyword butter, cayenne, fresh garlic, garlic, heavy cream, leek, potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks butter
  • 2 leeks sliced
  • salt pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste
  • 4 to 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 quart chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 4 cups Yukon gold potatoes diced
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • oyster crackers for serving

Instructions

  • Heat a Dutch oven or stockpot with a lid over medium heat and add the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the leeks, salt, pepper and cayenne, and saute until the leeks are soft (10 to 15 minutes). Add the garlic and saute for about two minutes until it is lightly browned and fragrant.
  • Stir in the cornstarch until it is completely soaked up in the butter, and then pour in the chicken broth, stirring well.
  • Add the potatoes and turn the burner to high. Once the soup is boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in the cream. Place the lid on the pot and let the soup simmer for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Stir it occasionally while it simmers.
  • Taste the soup to see if it is seasoned to your liking. If you want it a bit thicker, use an immersion blender or regular blender to partially blend the soup, making sure to leave some potato chunks.
  • Serve with oyster crackers and some crusty bread on the side.

This was absolutely delicious. It’s a simple recipe, but the leeks give it a deep, onion-y flavor that isn’t harsh at all, and the addition of the potatoes and cream make it thick and hearty.

It heated up really well as leftovers, too, and when we didn’t quite have enough for another two servings after a couple meals of enjoying it, we ate the last bit alongside grilled cheese sandwiches, which was also a winning combination.

And every time I grabbed a delicious bowl, I thought of Jim and his friendship with our family. The only thing that could have been better would have been eating the meal together.

This piece first appeared in print on Jan. 25, 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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