Tag: yellow onion

Get ready to ‘chowder’ down on some hearty soup this week

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date February 2, 2023

Chicken potato chowder is hearty and delicious. It’s great for feeding a crowd, for leftovers or for storing in the freezer for a busy night when there’s no time to cook.

We always host friends at our house for the NFL playoff games—especially if the Chiefs are still in the race—and the recent AFC Championship game was no exception.

Along with having folks over to yell at the TV with us, we try to put out a good spread of food for everyone to enjoy. While we were shopping for the party, Joey announced that he was going to get a big pack of bone-in chicken thighs to cook on the smoker and that I might want to think about a soup to make with the end result.

Challenge accepted.

I landed on a chicken potato chowder recipe that turned out to be absolutely fabulous—especially because Joey not only deboned the chicken thighs for my soup, he also boiled the bones to make a great stock for the recipe, too.

So, if you or someone else in your household are good at smoking meats, I highly recommend trying that process for the chicken for this recipe.

But even if that’s not in your wheelhouse, cook up some chicken on the stove or grab a pre-cooked rotisserie and still give this a try. You won’t be disappointed.

This recipe comes from the blog “Fearless Dining” by Sandi Gaertner. You can find the original post at https://www.fearlessdining.com/chicken-potato-soup-recipe/. I added extra seasonings in my version.

Chicken Potato Chowder

Chicken potato chowder is hearty and delicious. It’s great for feeding a crowd, for leftovers or for storing in the freezer for a busy night when there’s no time to cook.

Course Main Course

Keyword bacon, celery salt, chicken, chicken broth, chicken stock, chowder, cold weather meal, garlic powder, immersion blender, potatoes, shredded cheese, soup, winter soup, yellow onion

Ingredients

2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1 medium-sized yellow onion diced
6 slices bacon cut into half-inch pieces
5 cups potatoes cut into one-inch pieces
1/4 cup flour
4 cups chicken broth or stock
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
black pepper to taste
2 to 3 cups cooked chicken cut into one-inch pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup cheese I used Monterrey jack and colby

Instructions

In a large pot or Dutch oven with a lid, heat the oil over medium heat. Add in the onion and bacon and saute until the bacon is cooked through and the onions are soft.
Add the potatoes to the pot, along with the flour. Mix to evenly coat everything with the flour.
Add the chicken broth, salt, celery salt, garlic powder and black pepper, and stir to combine.
Stir in the cooked chicken and place the lid on the pot. Let it come to a slow boil and leave it for about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let it cook for another 10 minutes (with the lid still on).
Stir in the heavy cream and simmer for five more minutes with the lid off.
Remove the pot from the heat and blend about one to two cups of the soup with either an immersion blender or by pouring that portion into a traditional blender. (The goal is to get more of a chowder consistency at this point while still having nice big chunks of potato and chicken.)
Stir in the shredded cheese until it is melted, and serve immediately.

We made this the day before our get together and then reheated it in the crockpot for the game, and let me tell you: it was delicious. We had a big loaf of Italian bread to go with the chowder, and it was hearty and such a great belly-warmer for a cold day. Also, it reheated really, really well again for more leftovers.

And, on top of the great food, we watched the Chiefs advance to the Super Bowl. If you make this soup for your own sports get-together, I can’t guarantee it will result in a win for your team, but either way, your stomach will be happy.

This piece first appeared in print on Feb. 2, 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.

Tags bacon, celery salt, chicken, chicken broth, chicken stock, chowder, cold weather meal, garlic powder, immersion blender, potatoes, shredded cheese, soup, winter soup, yellow onion

Breakfast Crockpot

You’ll be ‘bacon’ plenty of friends with this hearty breakfast

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date January 12, 2023

Making breakfast for a crowd is easy with this crockpot breakfast casserole. It’s a great way to start the day.

With the Chiefs heading into the playoffs, Joey and I have been planning for our annual get together with our fantasy football league to watch their first game.

In discussing menus for that game, it reminded me that I haven’t shared a fantastic recipe I tried earlier this football season with all of you.

We invited several friends over for a “breakfast for lunch” football day, and in addition to some baked goods, I decided to try what ended up being an easy and fantastic breakfast casserole.

This comes from the blog “40 Aprons” by Cheryl Malik. You can find the original post at https://40aprons.com/crockpot-breakfast-casserole/. I added garlic, green chiles and extra seasoning in my version.

Crockpot Breakfast Casserole

Making breakfast for a crowd is easy with this crockpot breakfast casserole. It’s a great way to start the day.

Course Breakfast

Keyword breakfast for a crowd, crockpot, diced green chiles, eggs, frozen hashbrowns, garlic, garlic powder, half and half, sharp cheddar cheese, yellow onion

Ingredients

1 pound bacon diced (or sub in ground sausage)
1 small yellow onion diced
4 to 6 cloves garlic minced
8 ounces canned diced green chiles drained
26 ounces frozen hashbrowns
4 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
12 eggs
1 cup half and half
2 teaspoons garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and saute the diced bacon until it’s crispy. Line a plate with paper towels and place the cooked bacon on it.
Remove all but about one tablespoon of the bacon fat from the pan and add the diced onion. Saute until it’s cooked through, and then add the garlic. Saute for a couple more minutes and then remove the pan from the heat.
Coat the inside of your crockpot with cooking spray and layer in half of the hashbrowns. Add half of the shredded cheese, half of the onions, half the chiles and half the bacon. Repeat. (I saved a bit of the cheese and did a final layer on the top of mine.)
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, half and half, garlic powder, salt and pepper until it is well combined.
Pour the mixture evenly into the crockpot.
Cook the casserole on low for eight hours or high for four hours. When the eggs are cooked through, serve immediately or turn the crockpot to warm until you’re ready to eat.
(Side note: If you don’t have time for the crockpot, follow the same steps with a deep nine-by-13-inch casserole dish. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about one hour or until it’s cooked through.)

This was fabulous, and it reheated great, too. It was a hit with our football friends, and it was a great addition to the spread of breakfast items we had available. We ate too much, hollered at the TV together and had a great time.

I still don’t know what our playoffs lunch spread will look like, but no matter what, I’m so excited to see our friends again, hang out in the basement and cheer on the Chiefs.

This piece first appeared in print on Jan. 12, 2023.

Tags breakfast casserole, breakfast for a crowd, crockpot, diced green chiles, easy breakfast, eggs, frozen hashbrowns, garlic, garlic powder, half and half, sharp cheddar cheese, yellow onion

Main Dish Side Dish

Onion soup-inspired baked potatoes will have you crying with joy

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date January 5, 2023

French onion baked potatoes combines the rich flavors of French onion soup with the heartiness of a twice-baked potato to create a magnificent meal or side.

There’s that famous quote from Ecclesiastes that “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”

That phrase is especially applicable when it comes to recipes, it seems. Any time I wonder if anyone has actually accomplished some weird idea, a simple Google search tends to find me a recipe to try.

With that said, I’m still regularly surprised with the recipes I find and the ideas people have when it comes to combining ingredients.

The recipe I found this week for French-onion-soup-inspired baked potatoes was one of those. They sounded delicious, and I knew I just had to try it.

This recipe actually ended up being an amalgamation of three different ones as I searched for the flavor profile I was after. First from the blog “12 Tomatoes” by Kristy Norrell at https://12tomatoes.com/french-onion-stuffed-potatoes. Second, from the blog “Simply Recipes” by Elise Bauer at https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/french_onion_soup/. And finally, from the blog “The Cookie Rookie” by Becky Hardin at https://www.thecookierookie.com/cook-perfect-baked-potatoes/.

French Onion Baked Potatoes

French onion baked potatoes combines the rich flavors of French onion soup with the heartiness of a twice-baked potato to create a magnificent meal or side.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Keyword baked potatoes, bay leaves, beef stock, French onion soup, garlic, gruyere, pinot grigio, Russet potato, thyme, white wine, yellow onion

Ingredients

4 large Russet potatoes
Olive oil to coat potatoes
4 tablespoons butter
4 medium yellow onions thinly sliced
8 cloves garlic minced
pinch of sugar
1/2 cup dry white wine I used pinot grigio
1 cup beef stock
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon thyme
10 to 12 ounces gruyere shredded
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
While it preheats, wash your potatoes and prick them all over with a fork. Fill a large bowl with warm water and dump in a healthy amount of salt. Place your potatoes in the bowl to soak.
Prepare a rimmed baking sheet by lining it with foil and placing a baking rack on top.
Once the oven is preheated, remove the potatoes from the water and place them with space between them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes.
Remove the sheet from the oven and carefully brush the potatoes with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place them back in the oven for another 10 minutes.
When your potatoes are about 20 minutes from being done, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and let them saute, stirring regularly, until they are a deep, golden brown. (This will likely take at least 20 minutes. Be patient.) When the onions are nearly done, add in the garlic, sprinkle in the pinch of sugar and add salt and pepper to taste. Saute for a couple more minutes and then add in the white wine, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to get up any stuck-on bits.
Add in the beef stock, bay leaves and thyme, and let the mixture come to a very low boil, stirring regularly.
Once the liquid is completely reduced, remove the skillet from the heat and discard the bay leaves.
Cut about one-half inch off the tops of your baked potatoes and scoop out the insides into a mixing bowl, being careful to leave just a bit of the potato attached to the skin so it will hold up to being stuffed.
Smash the potato you scooped into the bowl a bit and then add in a handful of the shredded cheese and all but about 1/2 cup of the onion mixture. Stir it well.
Scoop the mixture back into the potato shells, and place the filled potatoes on the prepared baking rack from before. Evenly distribute the rest of the onions on the top of the filled potatoes and top with as much cheese as you can balance on top of that. (I highly recommend putting some cheese on the potato tops you cut off earlier and putting those on the sheet, too.)
Turn the broiler on low and place the potatoes back in the oven, keeping an eye on them. When the cheese is melted, turn the broiler up to high, and once the cheese is browned to your liking, remove the potatoes from the oven and serve.

These were fabulous and filling. You could eat these as a side dish, but I found large enough potatoes that we made a meal out of them. The caramelized onion flavor along with the cheese and potato was a fantastic combination. And even though these take a bit of a time commitment to create, I would say it’s worth it.

I have to admit that combining French onion soup with a twice-baked potato is a new one for me, so maybe there are a few exceptions to that phrase from Ecclesiastes. Of course, I doubt that the biblical author was considering spuds when creating that line.

This piece first appeared in print on Jan. 5, 2023.

Tags baked potatoes, bay leaves, beef stock, caramelized onion, French onion soup, garlic, gruyere, pino grigio, Russet potato, thyme, twice-baked potato, white wine, yellow onion

Side Dish

I ‘corn’not believe how delicious this savory pudding is

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date December 29, 2022

Corn pudding uses lots of herbs, along with corn and yellow onion to create the perfect mashup of sweet and savory in a delicious side dish.

We have a serious love of cornbread at our house.

When we discovered the goodness that is cornbread dressing to go with our holiday turkeys, we were understandably excited.

But, being more of a traditional mindset, the rest of the extended family missed the conventional holiday stuffing at our big meals, so I went back to it this year.

Not being completely dissuaded, though, I started looking for other cornbread-like dishes we could try and stumbled on a recipe for corn pudding.

Before you recoil at the pudding idea, trust me. It’s delicious. It’s a fabulous, non-jiggly texture, and it’s savory and belly warming. It is definitely worth a try—especially if you love cornbread like I do. And it’s also worth a try if you normally find cornbread a bit on the dry side, because this is moist and delicious.

This comes from the “Southern Living” magazine. It’s by Karen Schroeder-Rankin. You can find the original recipe at https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/savory-corn-pudding-recipe. I added lots of extra seasonings in my version.

Corn Pudding

Corn pudding uses lots of herbs, along with corn and yellow onion to create the perfect mashup of sweet and savory in a delicious side dish.

Course Side Dish

Keyword Christmas side, corn, cornbread, fresh thyme, frozen corn, garlic, sage, Thanksgiving side, yellow onion

Ingredients

2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
6 cups frozen corn thawed
1 medium-sized yellow onion diced
4-6 cloves garlic minced
6 eggs
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup butter melted
3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons thyme
2 teaspoons sage
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
black pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a nine-by-13-inch baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray and set it aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the onion to the skillet. Saute until it is soft.
Add in the corn, and continue to saute until it is just a bit browned.
Toss in the garlic and saute for another minute or so, or until it becomes fragrant. Remove the skillet from the heat.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cream and butter until it is well combined. Add in the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, thyme, sage, onion powder, garlic powder and black pepper. Stir to combine.
Stir in the corn mixture and then pour everything into the baking dish, smoothing it out evenly.
Bake for about 40 minutes or until the pudding is set and the top is golden brown.
Let it stand for five to 10 minutes before serving. Top with a little more thyme, if desired.

The flavors in this paired amazingly well with our turkey. The herbs along with the slight sweetness of the corn and onions just put it over the top.

It also reheated really well as leftovers, which was good, because this made a ton of food.

I’m hoping that I’ll be able to bring the rest of the family over to my side on the subject of cornbread dressing at some point. They didn’t seem to complain about this recipe, so I think they’re well on their way.

Sometimes you just have to start your own traditions.

This piece first appeared in print on Dec. 29, 2022.

Tags Christmas side, corn, cornbread, fresh thyme, frozen corn, garlic, sage, Thanksgiving side, yellow onion

Crockpot Main Dish

These tacos must ‘birria’ your next new dinner recipe

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date December 8, 2022

The process of making birria tacos is simplified a bit with the use of a crockpot for this recipe, but all the rich flavors are still there to enjoy.

A few months ago, I was introduced to the deliciousness that is birria.

Birria, according to the “My Latin Table” website, is a Mexican dish that traditionally uses lamb but is often made with beef, too. The article goes on to note that it can be eaten as a soup or made into tacos.

The reason birria is so delicious is that, as the meat cooks, it creates a delicious stock that is served as either base of the soup or as a side for dipping the tacos. Between the spices, reconstituted dried chile peppers and beef, you almost want to pour yourself a glass and drink it. (But I didn’t do that. Because that’s weird.)

After trying birria at an amazing Mexican restaurant, I decided I wanted to give the recipe a try myself. Being short on time, though, I opted for a slightly less-than-authentic version that relies on a crockpot. Either way, this turned out absolutely amazing. I was so sad when the final container of leftovers exited our refrigerator.

This recipe comes from Nicki Mejia. You can find her on Instagram under “tastewithnicki.” I added extra seasonings and changed the directions slightly in my version.

Birria Tacos

The process of making birria tacos is simplified a bit with the use of a crockpot for this recipe, but all the rich flavors are still there to enjoy.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword adobo, all spice, allspice, bay leaves, beef, beef roast, chiles de arbol, chili powder, consomme, corn tortillas, crockpot, cumin, garlic, garlic powder, guajillo peppers, Monterrey jack cheese, oregano, slow cooker, tacos, thyme, tomatoes, yellow onion

Ingredients

2 pounds beef roast
1 small yellow onion diced
8 cloves garlic minced
3 bay leaves
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon pepper
4 teaspoons chili powder
4 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons adobo
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon all spice
1 tablespoon garlic powder
16 ounces beef broth or stock
6 dried guajillo chiles
3 dried chiles de arbol
1 half large tomato
Monterrey jack cheese shredded (for serving)
Corn tortillas for serving

Instructions

Combine the roast, onion, garlic, bay leaves, salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, adobo, oregano, thyme, all spice and garlic powder in your crockpot. Pour the beef broth over top of everything in the pot.
To prepare the chiles, pull the stem off of each one and shake out as many seeds as you can.
Add the chiles to a medium-sized pot and cover them with water. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for about five minutes or until the chiles are soft. (Do not get rid of the water you boiled the chiles in!)
Add the softened chiles, tomato and about one cup of the boiling liquid to a blender or food processor and blend until the mixture is smooth.
Pour the chiles mixture into your crockpot. If the liquid isn’t covering the ingredients in the crockpot, add more of the boiling liquid until it is.
Cook for eight hours on low or four hours on high.
When the roast is done, shred it with a couple forks.
To make the tacos, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray it lightly with cooking oil. Dip a corn tortilla in the stock. Place it in the hot skillet and sprinkle on one to two tablespoons cheese. Put a large spoonful of the meat mixture onto half of the tortilla and carefully fold it over. When the tortilla is browned to your liking, gently flip the taco over to brown the other side. When it is done, transfer the taco to a warm plate.
Continue until you have as many tacos as you want to serve for your meal. Serve the tacos sprinkled with a little extra cheese and alongside a small bowl of the stock for dipping.
Refrigerate any leftovers.

Like I said, the flavor of these tacos is absolutely phenomenal. They weren’t at all spicy, but you could easily kick them up a notch with some salsa. Birria is also traditionally served with fresh diced onions and cilantro, if you want to add some color.

The trick for the leftovers is to wait to put the actual tacos together until you’re ready to eat them rather than assembling 100 percent of them right away and storing them in the fridge. They assemble just as easily as leftovers as they do the first time.

And if you are having any trouble finding the dried chiles mentioned in the recipe, try looking in the Hispanic foods section of your local grocery store. They’re normally sold in big plastic bags in that area.

Despite looking complicated, birria tacos were actually very simple to make, and they bring a little bit of a wow factor to the dinner table. Put this one on your list for your next taco night this winter.

This piece first appeared in print on Dec. 8, 2022.

Main Dish

Cap off this week with a yummy spinach mushroom lasagna

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date November 10, 2022

Spinach mushroom lasagna is a filling, flavorful dinner while being completely vegetarian. Paired with a thick slice of bread, this dinner is a crowd pleaser.

I bought so many mushrooms this week.

And when I tell you that even the cashier at our local grocery store asked me what was up with the mushrooms, you know I definitely bought more than a normal person does.

What can I say? I love a good sale. And this sale included big, beautiful portabella mushroom caps. Who can resist?

I felt like the find was serendipity, considering I just purchased a clearance container of ricotta cheese earlier in the week. The universe was telling me to make lasagna, and who am I to deny divine providence when it comes to my dinner menu?

So the recipe I tried comes from one of my absolute favorite food blogs, “Damn Delicious.” It’s written by Chungah Rhee, and I have seriously never tried one of her recipes that failed. She makes really, really good food. You can find the original post for this recipe at https://damndelicious.net/2015/03/07/creamy-spinach-and-mushroom-lasagna/. I added more garlic and doubled the seasonings in my version.

Spinach Mushroom Lasagna

Spinach mushroom lasagna is a filling, flavorful dinner while being completely vegetarian. Paired with a thick slice of bread, this dinner is a crowd pleaser.

Course Main Course

Keyword baby bellas, basil, cremini mushroom, garlic, lasagna, mozzarella, mushrooms, oregano, parmesan cheese, parsley, portabella, portabello, ricotta cheese, spinach, vegetarian, yellow onion

Ingredients

Sauce Ingredients

1/4 cup butter
1 small yellow onion diced
6 to 8 cloves garlic minced
1 pound mushrooms thinly sliced (I used portabellas)
1/4 cup flour might need more
3 cups milk I used skim
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried parsley
pinch nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Other Ingredients

9 lasagna noodles
15 ounces ricotta
1 tablespoon dried parsley
20 ounces frozen chopped spinach thawed and drained
3 cups shredded mozzarella divided
3/4 cup grated parmesan divided (use fresh or the bottled stuff)
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Start with the sauce. In a Dutch oven or stock pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until it is getting soft. Add in the garlic and mushrooms, and continue sauteing for a few minutes until the mushrooms reduce down and soften a bit.
Stir in the flour, making sure to soak up any butter or juices from the vegetables. (If there is still liquid in the pot, add more flour, a little at a time, until it’s all soaked up.) Continue stirring to cook the flour taste out of the mixture for about two minutes.
Gradually add in the milk while stirring. Continue stirring constantly, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot, until the sauce thickens slightly. That should take around five minutes or so.
Stir in the basil, oregano, parsley and nutmeg, along with salt and pepper. Remove the sauce from the heat.
In another large pot, boil the lasagna noodles according to package directions.
While the noodles cook, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Stir the dried parsley, along with some salt and pepper into the ricotta. Also add salt and pepper, to taste, to the chopped spinach.
When the noodles are done, spread about one cup of the sauce in the bottom of a deep nine-by-13-inch baking dish.
Lay three lasagna noodles over the sauce. Top that with half of the ricotta cheese, then half of the spinach, then one cup mozzarella and one-quarter cup parmesan.
Repeat those layers.
Finish the lasagna off with a layer of noodles, the rest of the sauce and the rest of the cheese.
Bake, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes or until the lasagna is bubbling. Turn the broiler on high for about two minutes to brown the top.
Let the lasagna sit 10 to 15 minutes before serving, and refrigerate any leftovers.

This was very, very good, and it was filling, too. I paired it with a loaf of Italian bread, and there was no way we were even considering dessert after dinner. The mushrooms make this meatless meal feel substantial, and using the portabellas (you could also use creminis or baby bellas or another meatier mushroom) gave a depth of flavor to this that didn’t make you even think about the lack of animal protein.

Plus, it ended up making a ton of leftovers that Joey and I have been enjoying throughout the week, and it reheats really well. And the good news is I still have a few more big mushroom caps to use this week. Shopping the grocery sales is often an adventure and rarely a disappointment.

This piece first appeared in print on Nov. 10, 2022.

Tags baby bellas, basil, cremini mushroom, garlic, lasagna, mozzarella, mushrooms, oregano, parmesan cheese, parsley, portabella, portabello, ricotta, spinach, vegetarian, yellow onion

Main Dish

Etouffee is easy to make and ‘shrimp’ly delicious

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date August 25, 2022

Shrimp etouffee is made with an easy, homemade stock and lots of fresh vegetables to create a spicy, filling meal.

I’m of the opinion that any dish named using its French term immediately sounds 1,000 times fancier.

Souffles (puffed up egg dishes) and fondue sovoyarde (cheese dip) and crème brulee (custard topped with burnt sugar) all sound infinitely luxurious. Even foie gras (duck liver pate) almost sounds appetizing.

Shrimp etouffee is another of those dishes. “Etouffee” just means “smothered” in French, but having never tried it, I was sure it was way too complicated to create in my own kitchen.

It turns out I was very wrong about that, and not only is shrimp etouffee relatively simple to create, it’s delicious, too.

The recipe I used comes from the blog “Chili Pepper Madness” by Mike Hultquist. You can find the original post at https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/shrimp-etouffee/. I added extra veggies, garlic and seasoning in my version.

Shrimp Etouffee

Shrimp etouffee is made with an easy, homemade stock and lots of fresh vegetables to create a spicy, filling meal.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Cajun, Creole

Keyword cajun seasoning, celery, Creole seasoning, crushed tomatoes, fresh thyme, green bell pepper, hot sauce, shrimp, spicy, white rice, Worcestershire, yellow onion

Ingredients

1 pound shrimp shelled (keep shells for stock)
5 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil divided
3 tablespoons flour
2 green bell peppers diced (keep scraps for stock)
1 medium-sized yellow onion diced (keep scraps for stock)
4 stalks celery diced (keep scraps for stock)
4 to 6 cloves garlic minced
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
15 ounces diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Creole or Cajun seasoning, divided
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
1 tablespoon of your favorite hot sauce I used Chipotle Tabasco
1 teaspoon thyme
salt and pepper to taste
Cooked white rice for serving

Instructions

Heat one tablespoon of oil in a pot over medium heat. Start by prepping your shrimp and vegetables. Toss all vegetable scraps, along with the shrimp shells into the oil. Cook the shells and scraps for about five minutes, stirring regularly, until the vegetable scraps are softened. Add the chicken stock to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the solids out of the stock and set the stock aside while you make the sauce.
In a stock pot or Dutch oven, heat three tablespoons oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the flour and stir to create a paste. Continue stirring constantly for about 10 minutes or until the roux reaches a light brown color. (Don’t let the roux burn. If it does, discard it and start over.)
Add the diced peppers, onion and celery. Cook for about five minutes or until the vegetables are starting to soften.
Add the tomatoes, along with their juices, and the garlic and saute for another minute.
Stir in the stock you made earlier, making sure to break up any clumps of flour. Once everything is mixed well, stir in two tablespoons Creole seasoning, Worcestershire, hot sauce, thyme and salt and pepper.
Let the mixture simmer for at least 20 minutes before serving, regularly stirring to keep anything from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
While the sauce simmers, heat one tablespoon of oil in a skillet. Season the shrimp with one teaspoon of the Creole seasoning, and saute them in the hot oil, one or two minutes per side, until they are cooked through.
Serve the sauce over the rice and top with shrimp.

We absolutely loved this. I was a little nervous about making shrimp stock, but it was super easy, and it added a ton of flavor to the overall dish. It was also good and spicy. If you’re not much of a spice fan, you might decrease the Creole seasoning when you make it, but we thought it had exactly the right amount of heat. I also used chicken stock to make the rice to go with this, and I think that added even more depth of flavor.

And in addition to making something delicious, I have enjoyed mentioning to people that I made such a fancy-sounding meal. I might have to give some more French dishes a try…minus the duck livers.

This piece first appeared in print on Aug. 25, 2022.

Tags Cajun, celery, chicken broth, Creole, diced tomatoes, French dish, garlic, green bell peppers, hot sauce, shrimp, spicy, thyme, white rice, Worcestershire, yellow onion

Appetizer Side Dish

You won’t want to hush about this week’s southern dish

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date August 18, 2022

Homemade hushpuppies are a pretty easy side dish to create.

This summer, we have had the privilege of welcoming an intern from the University of Kansas into our newsroom.

It’s amazing how quickly someone can go from being a stranger to being part of the family, and that’s definitely been the case with Will. So, with his final day looming this week, Joey and I decided to have him over for dinner to treat him to a home-cooked meal and thank him for all of his work this summer.

I sent him a text message before setting the menu, double checking that he didn’t have any allergies or major dislikes before I started planning, and he gave me a carte blanche to do whatever I liked.

As anyone who knows me is aware, that can be a bit dangerous, but after some pondering and discussion, Joey and I decided it was going to be Cajun night at the Youngs, mostly because Joey has been craving some hushpuppies lately.

I’ll share the other recipes from the weekend with you in future columns, but I wanted to start with those hushpuppies, because they were absolutely delicious and actually way easier to make than I ever would have thought.

The recipe I used comes from the blog “Melissa’s Southern Style Kitchen.” You can find her original post at https://www.melissassouthernstylekitchen.com/hushpuppies/. I added extra seasonings in my version.

Hushpuppies

Homemade hushpuppies are a pretty easy side dish to create.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Keyword cornmeal, fried, garlic powder, hushpuppies, Old Bay, onion powder, seafood seasoning, yellow onion

Ingredients

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons seafood seasoning I used Old Bay
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 large egg
1 cup buttermilk or regular milk with a splash of vinegar
1 yellow onion minced
4 to 6 cups canola or vegetable oil

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, seafood seasoning, salt, garlic powder and onion powder and stir until everything is well combined.
In a small bowl, beat the egg with the buttermilk, and then add the mixture to the larger bowl, mixing until all of the dry ingredients are evenly moistened.
Fold in the minced onion, and then set the mixture aside.
In a stock pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. (You’ll want to put enough oil in the pot to make it a couple inches deep.) Using a two-inch ice cream scoop or a large spoon, carefully drop the batter into the hot oil. (I was able to do about five hushpuppies at a time in my pot.) As the hushpuppies cook, slide a slotted spoon underneath them to make sure they’re not sticking to the bottom.
Let them fry, turning them to let them evenly brown, for about four minutes or until your hushpuppies have reached your desired color.
Carefully remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper-towel-lined plate. Sprinkle them with a little more seafood seasoning, if desired.
Wait until the oil is back to 350 degrees, and repeat until you have used all of the batter.
Serve hot.

These were everything Joey had been dreaming of, and he was super excited with how they turned out. I was, too. They were a little sweet but also had fabulous onion flavor without it being overwhelming, and they were a great side dish.

Truth be told, I could probably just eat a plate of them for dinner by themselves, too.

We ended up having a wonderful dinner together with Will, and we’ll be sorry to see him go back home this week. He’s been a great addition to our crew. Maybe someday we’ll be able to entice him into coming back and working with us again. I mean, at least he knows he’ll eat well.

This piece first appeared in print on Aug. 18, 2022.

Tags Cajun, cornmeal, fried, garlic powder, hushpuppies, Old Bay, onion powder, seafood seasoning, yellow onion

Side Dish

Everyone will want to ‘congri’gate around your table for this dish

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date August 11, 2022

Congri is a beans and rice dish from Cuba. Some argue that traditional congri can't be made with black beans, but this mixture was good enough that you probably won't care.

An article by Eliana Rivero goes into great detail about some of the cultural dishes of Cuba, including a dish I decided to try for this week’s column, congri.

According to Rivero, “The name comes from the Creole French words congo and ris (beans and rice) to produce what today is widely consumed by Cubans in the diaspora (and in their Louisiana variation, Cajun red beans and rice).”

Except, after reading Rivero’s article, I discovered that there’s a lot of back and forth amongst Cubans about what actually constitutes congri. Some people, like her, claim it must be made with red beans, and others claim it can be made with black.

So, I’m putting it out there now that while what I made—a delicious black beans and rice dish—may not be considered congri by all Cubans, what I can promise is that it’s absolutely worth a try.

This comes from the website “Food52.” You can find the original post and a great personal story about the dish by Taryn Pire at https://food52.com/recipes/83081-congri-cuban-black-beans-and-rice. I doubled the seasonings in my version.

Congri

Congri is a beans and rice dish from Cuba. Some argue that traditional congri can't be made with black beans, but this mixture was good enough that you probably won't care.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Cuban

Keyword adobo, bay leaves, black beans, chorizo, congri, cumin, garlic, green bell pepper, white rice, yellow onion

Ingredients

1 pound dried black beans
2 bay leaves
2 large green bell peppers diced
1 medium yellow union diced
8 to 10 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
9 to 12 ounces chorizo
4 cups white rice
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons adobo seasoning
salt to taste

Instructions

The day before you cook your beans, rinse them well. Add them to a stock pot and add water until there’s about one inch covering them. Bring the pot to a boil, then remove them from heat, place a lid on the pot, and let them sit undisturbed until the next day.
When you’re ready to cook the beans, add more water to the pot—again, to about one inch covering them. Add the bay leaves and bring the pot to a boil. Turn the heat to a simmer and place the lid on the pot. (They’ll need to cook for 45 to 70 minutes.) Check the beans every 15 minutes or so to make sure there is still plenty of water in the pot. Add more, if necessary.
While the beans cook, heat the olive oil in another large stock pot over medium heat. Saute the peppers and onions until they are cooked through. Add the chorizo, chopping it up as it cooks. When the chorizo is nearly cooked through, add the garlic and uncooked rice. Stir well.
Add in the cumin and adobo, stir well, and then remove the mixture from the heat until the beans are cooked through. (To test the beans, fish one out, let it cool, and try it. You want it to be easy to bite without being complete mush.)
When the beans are done, remove them from the heat. Drain the beans, but reserve six cups of the bean broth (if there isn’t enough, add water until you get six cups). Discard the bay leaves. Add the bean broth and beans to the pot with the rice.
Bring the pot to a boil, put the burner on low, and place a lid on the pot. Let the mixture simmer for 20 minutes.
Stir the mixture well. If the mixture is soupy, let it cook a bit longer, with the lid off, to evaporate the liquid to your desired level. Generally, congri is a drier dish, with little to no liquid. Add salt to taste and serve.

This was flavorful and super delicious. It makes a ton, too. I made a batch and a half and couldn’t even fit all of it into my large crockpot for a group meal we had.

It’s perfect as a side dish, especially with something that has some sauce with it—like enchiladas or chili con carne. You can also eat it alone, although I’d think it would be best with a little salsa added to the mix.

I may not have actually accomplished historically accurate congri, but I did manage to create a delicious dish with plenty of leftovers for us to enjoy for the rest of the week, so I’m not going to worry too much about labels.

This piece first appeared in print on Aug. 11, 2022.

Tags adobo, bay leaves, black beans, chorizo, congri, Cuban, cumin, garlic, green bell pepper, rice, traditional, white rice, yellow onion

Main Dish

Seize the ‘carne’ with a summer-friendly chili recipe

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date June 23, 2022

Chili con carne is an easy recipe that just simmers on your stove until you're ready for dinner. With tons of spices and several types of peppers, it's a great meal for a crowd or one that provides plenty of leftovers.

There is an in-depth article that appeared back in 2017 in Texas Monthly by John Nova Lomax about the origins of chili con carne in the United States.

It’s a great read, if you get the chance, and apparently there’s a lot of controversy about the recipe’s origins from historians, but I did love a quoted section from a Kansas newspaper reporter who visited Texas in the late 1800s.

“Speaking of hot things, at San Antonio they have a dish called chili con carne,” he wrote. “[…] It is awful seductive looking […] They always have enough to go around, for no stranger, no matter how terrific a durned fool he is, ever calls for a second dish. He almost always calls for a big cistern full of water, and you can’t put the water in him fast enough with a steam engine hose.”

Let me assure you that although I did decide to try this Texas staple this week, it is not spicy enough to call for cisterns of water. Instead, the recipe I tried has great depth of flavor and is easy to adapt, based on your own favorite spices.

This comes from the blog “Chili Pepper Madness” by Mike Hultquist. You can find the original post at https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/chili-con-carne/. I added lots of extra spices in my version. And, yes, despite the strong opinion of many Texans, I added beans, too.

Chili con Carne

Chili con carne is an easy recipe that just simmers on your stove until you're ready for dinner. With tons of spices and several types of peppers, it's a great meal for a crowd or one that provides plenty of leftovers.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword ancho peppers, beef, chili con carne, chuck roast, coriander, cumin, garlic, guajillo peppers, jalapeno peppers, kidney beans, oregano, paprika, Tex-Mex, yellow onion

Ingredients

2 ounces dried guajillo peppers
2 ounces dried ancho pasilla peppers
4 to 6 pounds chuck roast cut into one-inch pieces
4 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons oregano
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar
4 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons coriander
salt to taste
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
1 large yellow onion diced
2 jalapeno peppers diced
20 cloves garlic minced
2 to 4 cups beef stock optional
2 15.5- ounce cans light red kidney beans rinsed and drained

Instructions

Start by heating a large pot with a lid over medium heat. Drop in the dried peppers, turning them every so often, until they are warmed through.
Remove from the pot and remove the stems and seeds from the dried peppers and submerge them in very hot water (at least three cups) in a container with a lid. Let them sit for 20 minutes. When the peppers are done, combine them with three cups of the soaking liquid in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.
While the peppers soak, place the cubed roast in a large bowl along with the paprika, smoked paprika, oregano, black pepper, brown sugar, cumin, coriander and salt. Mix well to coat the meat evenly.
Heat the oil in your large pot over medium heat and add the meat, onions and jalapenos. Saute for around six minutes or until the meat is nicely browned and the vegetables are softened.
Add in the garlic and pepper sauce. If you already have a decent amount of liquid in the pot from the meat and vegetables, bring the mixture to a boil. If there isn’t much liquid or not enough to your liking, add beef stock to the pot and then bring it to a boil.
Reduce the heat to a low simmer and place the lid on the pot. Let it cook for at least two hours or until the beef is tender.
If desired, shred the beef at this point. Add in the beans, and add more beef stock, if desired.
Serve in a bowl with rice, wrapped in tortillas, with chips or however you like it.

This was extremely delicious. We ate our chili con carne with some Mexican rice along with some corn chips on the side. When we ate the leftovers, we rolled it up in tortillas and ate it like burritos.

If you like peppers, you’ll love the flavors in this chili. It was fairly mild (I did deseed my jalapenos), if you’re not into something overly spicy.

And unlike the long-ago reporter from Kansas, we did go back for second helpings when we were finished. I guess that cements us as durned fools in our house.

This piece first appeared in print on June 23, 2022.

Tags ancho peppers, beef, chili con carne, chuck roast, coriander, cumin, garlic, guajillo peppers, jalapeno peppers, kidney beans, oregano, paprika, Tex-Mex, yellow onion