Cooking - Lake Wales Daily News

Cooking on the Ridge: Slow Cooker Beef Curry

Allison — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 18:23:55 +0000

Cooking on the Ridge: Slow Cooker Beef Curry

by James Coulter

Brr! The temperatures have been dropping in Florida these past few weeks, haven’t they? Down to the 20s? And I thought it was cold up here in Virginia. When Florida starts shivering, you know winter means business.

Regardless, whenever the weather gets cold, I like to warm up with a nice hot meal prepared in the slow cooker. There’s something comforting about knowing dinner is quietly bubbling away while you go about your day. Some folks like to warm up with beef stew, and don’t get me wrong—there’s nothing wrong with a good stew. But I love something even better: beef curry.

This Japanese-style curry is easy to make, pairs well with cooked rice, and warms you up with both its heat and blend of spices. And if you’re someone like me who likes a little extra kick, a few splashes of your favorite hot sauce will certainly warm you up even more.

What I love most is how unfussy it is. A bit of chopping, a quick sauté, and then everything goes into the slow cooker to work its magic. By the time evening rolls around, you’ve got a rich, hearty curry that tastes like you spent hours hovering over the stove, even though you barely lifted a finger.

It’s the perfect antidote to chilly weather, busy days, or those evenings when you just want something cozy without the effort.

Slow Cooker Beef Curry

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground or stew beef

• 1 large onion, diced

• 3–4 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 cups carrots, sliced

• 1 cup peas (frozen or canned)

• 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced

• 1 can (14–15 oz.) crushed or diced tomatoes

• 2 cups beef broth

• 3–4 blocks Japanese curry roux (Golden Curry, Vermont Curry, or similar)

• 1 teaspoon grated ginger (optional but lovely)

• Cooked rice for serving

Directions

1. In a saucepan, sauté onions, garlic, and ginger until translucent and fragrant.

2. Add ground or brown beef and cook until brown.

3. Dump into slow cooker and add carrots, peas, potatoes, tomatoes, and beef broth.

4. Cook on low for eight hours or high for four hours.

5. During the last hour of cooking, add curry roux and stir until well blended. Let it cook for half an hour.

6. Serve over cooked rice.

The post Cooking on the Ridge: Slow Cooker Beef Curry first appeared on Lake Wales Daily News.

Cooking on the Ridge: Glazed Barbecue Chicken Thighs

Allison — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 13:03:31 +0000

Cooking on the Ridge: Glazed Barbecue Chicken Thighs

by James Coulter

Barbecue season is upon us in Polk County, a time when cities across the county fire up their grills and host their own barbecue competitions.

Lakeland will be hosting Pigfest on Jan. 23. Winter Haven will be hosting Smoke off the Water on Feb. 6 and 7. And Haines City will be hosting Ribs on the Ridge on Feb. 20 and 21.

Sadly, as I no longer reside in the county, I won’t be able to attend any of them. I miss being able to cover these events and sample some finger-licking barbecue in the process. I especially loved the barbecue nachos served at Pigfest.

So, I’ve been doing the next best thing and testing out my homemade barbecue and hot sauces with barbecue made at home on the grill. (Or rather, my relatives’ grill!)

Yes, I’ve been experimenting with making my own barbecue sauces and hot sauces. Will I ever share the recipes? Perhaps another time. For now, I’ll be sharing one of the recipes I tested my sauces on: glazed chicken thighs.

My relatives have been showing me how to man the grill, and I’ve managed to prepare some great dishes on it, including this one. My homemade sauce paired well with the chicken thighs cooked to juicy, mouth-watering perfection.

Originally, I planned to serve them with rice and peas. However, the lack of peas meant corn would be the next best thing. Either way, it was a good meal, and the mango salsa paired well with the tropical taste of my mango habanero sauce.

Whether you choose to prepare them on the grill or on the stove, these chicken thighs will prove finger-licking good when glazed with your favorite barbecue sauce, be it store-bought or homemade.

*****

Glazed Barbecue Chicken Thighs

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. chicken thighs

• ½ –¾ cup barbecue sauce

• 1 tbsp. neutral oil (only needed for stovetop)

Seasoning

• 2 tsp. smoked paprika

• 1½ tsp. garlic powder

• 1 tsp. onion powder

• 1½ tsp. kosher salt

• 1 tsp. black pepper

• Optional: ½ tsp cayenne (for extra heat)

Preparation

1. Pat the chicken dry.

2. Sprinkle the seasoning blend evenly over all sides.

3. Let it rest 30 minutes. (Or refrigerate overnight.)

Grill Directions

1. Preheat grill to medium‑high heat (about 400°F).

2. Oil the grates lightly.

3. Place chicken thighs skin‑side down (if using skin‑on).

4. Grill 5–7 minutes per side, or until nearly cooked through.

5. Brush with sauce and grill 2–3 minutes per side, letting the glaze caramelize but not burn.

6. Cook until internal temp reaches 165°F.

Stovetop Directions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium‑high heat and add 1 tbsp. oil.

2. Sear chicken thighs 4–6 minutes per side until browned.

3. Reduce heat to medium‑low.

4. Brush on sauce and cook 3–5 minutes, flipping and glazing until sticky and fully cooked (165°F).

5. If the glaze thickens too quickly, add a splash of water to loosen it.

The post Cooking on the Ridge: Glazed Barbecue Chicken Thighs first appeared on Lake Wales Daily News.

Cooking on the Ridge: Roasted Squash Soup

Allison — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 13:46:37 +0000

Cooking on the Ridge: Roasted Squash Soup

by James Coulter

Autumn brings a bounty of seasonal produce: apples, pears, root vegetables, pumpkins, and squash. This roasted squash soup was my first time cooking with butternut, and it taught me a few valuable lessons.

The recipe calls for cutting up the squash into inch large chunks. Sounds easy, right? Well, it wasn’t.

Cutting the squash in half was the toughest part. My knife didn’t cooperate, and actually halving the squash took longer than I expected. And then I had to cut it into pieces.

I was told by a friend on Facebook that they simply cut the squash in half, roast it, then cut it up into pieces. Perhaps, I’ll try that next time.

Actually, halfway into cooking this meal, I realized I could have easily substituted the squash for sweet potato. Cutting up potatoes is much easier than cutting up squash. Again, maybe I’ll try that next time.

All things considered, the effort was worth it. The soup turned out creamy and hearty, lifted by onion, garlic, bacon, and warming spices. The cumin especially offered an almost taco or curry flavor.

Either way, it made for a good warm bowl of soup. Whether you prepare it from squash, pumpkin, or sweet potato, it’s sure to warm you up as the days get cooler.

***

Roasted Squash Soup

Ingredients

• 3 to 4 cups of squash or pumpkin, cubed

• 4 slices of bacon, chopped

• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped

• 3 cloves of garlic, minced

• 3 cups of chicken or vegetable broth

• 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half

• 1 tsp. salt

• ½ tsp. pepper

• ½ tsp. ground cumin

• ½ tsp. paprika

• 1 tbsp. olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F

2. Cut squash or pumpkin in half, brush with oil, and sprinkle with salt.

3. Cook in oven for 25 to 35 minutes, or until flesh is caramelized and tender.

4. Let cool, then cut and peel into 1–2-inch cubes.

5. In a large pot, cook bacon until crisp, then reserve a few pieces for garnish.

6. Add chopped onion and sauté for 6-8 minutes or until soft and translucent.

7. Add minced garlic and cook for a minute or until fragrant.

8. Add roasted squash, cumin, paprika, pepper, and salt, then cook for 1-2 minutes.

9. Pour in stock and cook for 8-10 minutes to simmer.

10. Remove from heat and blend until smooth, either with immersion blender or in a countertop blender.

11. Return to pot and add cream. Stir and bring soup to simmer or until all ingredients are well-blended.

12. Ladle into bowls and garnish with remaining bacon. Add chopped chives or parsley.

The post Cooking on the Ridge: Roasted Squash Soup first appeared on Lake Wales Daily News.

Cooking on the Ridge: Apple Dump Cake

Allison — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 11:51:04 +0000

Cooking on the Ridge: Apple Dump Cake

by James Coulter

Fall is here. Apples are in season. And what could be more fitting than homemade apple pie.

Sometimes you don’t have the time or patience to make an apple pie. But sometimes you want something more satisfying to eat than a store-bought pie.

What do you do?

Why not try making an apple dump cake? It has all the warm, comforting gooey-ness of an apple pie with only half the effort. All you need to do is dump apple pie filling and cake mix into a baking dish and bake it in the oven.

Of course, if you’re willing to put in a little more effort, you can prepare your dump cake using fresh apples.

Here’s two recipes for apple dump cake: one with apple pie filling, and the other with fresh apples.

***

Apple Dump Cake (w/Apple Pie Filling)

Ingredients

• 2 cans (20-21 oz.) apple pie filling

• 1 box (13.25–16.5 oz.) yellow or spice cake mix

• 1 cup melted butter (or 2 sticks sliced)

• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

• Caramel sauce (optional)

• Vanilla ice cream (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 13×9-inch baking dish.

2. Dump apple pie filling into dish and spread evenly.

3. Sprinkle cake mix over filling and spread into even layer.

4. Pour melted butter or lay out sliced butter over cake mix, then sprinkle on cinnamon.

5. Bake 45–55 minutes, or until apples are bubbling and the top is golden brown.

6. Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes, or until cake has cooled.

7. Serve with vanilla ice cream, drizzle with caramel, or both.

***

Apple Dump Cake (w/Fresh Apples)

Ingredients

• 6 apples

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar.

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar.

• 2 tsp. cinnamon.

• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

• 1 box (13.25–16.5 oz.) yellow or spice cake mix

• 1 cup melted butter (or 2 sticks sliced)

• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

• Caramel sauce (optional)

• Vanilla ice cream (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 13×9-inch baking dish.

2. Peel, core, and slice apples.

3. Mix apples slices with sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly coated.

4. Dump apple mixture into baking dish and spread evenly.

5. Sprinkle cake mix over apple mixture and spread into even layer.

6. Pour melted butter or lay out sliced butter over cake mix.

7. Bake 45–55 minutes, or until apples are bubbling and the top is golden brown.

8. Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes, or until cake has cooled.

9. Serve with vanilla ice cream, drizzle with caramel, or both.

The post Cooking on the Ridge: Apple Dump Cake first appeared on Lake Wales Daily News.

Cooking on the Ridge: Slow Cooker Garlic Steak Bites

Maria Iannucci — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 23:13:58 +0000

Cooking on the Ridge: Slow Cooker Garlic Steak Bites

by James Coulter

If you’re a meat lover like me, there’s nothing better to sink your teeth into than a nice, juicy steak. But sometimes you don’t have the patience to fire up the grill and sear your steak. Sometimes you want something quick and easy. In that case, you should try this recipe for slow cooker garlic steak bites and potatoes.

If you’ve been following my cooking articles, you know that I love my slow cooker. It is, hands down, the best cooking instrument. You simply dump your ingredients in the pot, then set it and forget it. Then, when dinner rolls around, your supper has already been made.

My niece recently prepared this garlic steak bites recipe she discovered on TikTok. It went well with the potatoes and peas. A nice, easy meal that doesn’t sacrifice taste for convenience. The steak was juicy and succulent with the perfect blend of garlic. Then again, in our family, any amount of garlic is a good amount.

So, if you’re looking for a quick, simple meal for the meat lovers in your family, give this quick, simple recipe a try:

Slow Cooker Steak Bites and Potatoes (from Janelle Rohner on TikTok)

Slow Cooker Garlic Steak Bites

Ingredients

2-3 lbs. chopped beef

2 cups beef bone broth

1 bag baby red potatoes

1 pkg. onion dip mix

3-4 tbsp. butter

Salt, pepper, and garlic powder

Directions

1. Brown beef in a frying pan with oil. Add salt, pepper, and garlic to taste.

2. In a slow cooker, add mini potatoes to the broth and onion dip mix. Add the butter and plenty of garlic to taste.

3. Add beef to slow cooker. Cook with lid on at high setting for four to five hours (or at low setting for six to eight hours).

The post Cooking on the Ridge: Slow Cooker Garlic Steak Bites first appeared on Lake Wales Daily News.

Cooking on the Ridge: Creamy White Chicken Enchiladas

Maria Iannucci — Sat, 24 May 2025 12:12:14 +0000

By James Coulter

You know, there’s a joke about how all Mexican food is essentially the same thing: meat, veggies, and cheese wrapped in a tortilla.

What are tacos? Meat, veggies, and cheese wrapped in a tortilla.

What’s a burrito? Meat, veggies, and cheese wrapped in a tortilla.

What are chimichangas? Meat, veggies, and cheese wrapped in a tortilla.

Enchiladas are probably more unique. They’re meat, veggies, and cheese wrapped in a tortilla–and covered in either a red or white sauce.

Last weekend, I made enchiladas for the first time. I prepared both beef and chicken. I’m sharing the recipe for chicken enchiladas, since the beef enchiladas essentially just involve mixing ground beef with taco seasoning.

For the chicken enchiladas, I deviated from the recipe. Rather than season the shredded chicken with only salt, pepper, and adobo sauce, I seasoned it with lime and chili powder. The result was a more flavorful dish than simply adding salt and pepper.

Overall, these enchiladas were good, and the white sauce certainly added some flavor and moistness to the dish. This is certainly an easy dish to make over the weekend with beans and rice. It’s like going to a Mexican restaurant without going to a Mexican restaurant.

Creamy White Chicken Enchilada (from The Country Cook)

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken (can use a store-bought rotisserie chicken)

• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or mozzarella)

• salt, pepper, Adobo seasoning, to taste

• 10 flour tortillas (taco size)

• 3 Tablespoons butter

• 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 2 cups chicken broth

• 1 cup sour cream

• 4-ounce can diced green chiles (do not drain)

• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, mix 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken with 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese along with salt, pepper, and Adobo seasoning to taste.

3. Place chicken mixture into each of the 10 flour tortillas.

4. Roll them all up and place them in the prepared baking dish.

5. In a medium saucepan, melt 3 Tablespoons butter. Whisk in 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour and let cook and thicken for 1 minute (don’t let it burn).

6. Add 2 cups chicken broth and whisk until smooth.

7. Stir in 1 cup sour cream and 4-ounce can diced green chiles. Be sure not to let the mixture boil.

8. Take the sauce off the heat and pour it over the enchiladas.

9. Top with 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese.

10. Bake for about 20-25 minutes. If you’d like, you can turn the broiler on high and broil these for a minute or two until the cheese is slightly browned and bubbly.

The post Cooking on the Ridge: Creamy White Chicken Enchiladas first appeared on Lake Wales Daily News.

Cooking on the Ridge: Slow Cooker Tikka Masala

Maria Iannucci — Sat, 15 Mar 2025 12:02:21 +0000

by James Coulter

I love curry. I love how the blend of sweet and spicy makes Indian food so flavorful. And I love being able to make my food extra spicy by adding hot peppers to the mix.

The only thing I love more than curry is my slow cooker. All you have to do is dump all your ingredients in the pot, turn it on, and let it cook through the day for a delicious meal come dinner time. So, of course, I love being able to prepare my curry dishes with my slow cooker.

And making the entire experience more convenient are curry sauces sold premade in jars. It certainly saves me time measuring and adding all of the different spices. All I have to do is dump the sauce in with my meat and veggies, and I have a scrumptious curry dinner by the end of the day.

I recently purchased my first curry simmer sauce and used it to make chicken tikka masala. The sauce was extra spicy, just the way I love it! The recipe is easy enough: just add the sauce to a pound of chicken and cook.

However, like with all good recipes, it can always be improved with modifications. So, I also added diced onion, fire-roasted tomatoes, and green chilies for added spice. The result was a spicy helping of curry served with white rice and naan bread.

With how easy this recipe is, I certainly expect to prepare it for future meals. Maybe next time I’ll add jalapeno or even poblano and habanero peppers. The spicier, the better.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients

1 lb. chicken thigh or breast

1 tbsp. minced garlic

1 15. oz. jar curry sauce (like Patak’s Taste of India)

1 diced onion

1 10 oz. can diced tomatoes (fire roasted for added heat)

1 7 oz. can green chilies or jalapenos (optional for added heat)

Directions

1. Cut chicken into bite-sized portions.

2. In a large frying pan, sauté onion and garlic until soft and fragrant.

3. Add the chicken and cook until the meat turns white.

4. Add contents to slow cooker along with sauce, diced tomatoes, and peppers.

5. Cook on high for six hours, or low for eight hours, or until chicken has been cooked thoroughly.

6. Serve with rice and naan bread.

The post Cooking on the Ridge: Slow Cooker Tikka Masala first appeared on Lake Wales Daily News.

Cooking on the Ridge: Shrimp & Sausage Gumbo

Maria Iannucci — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 20:05:26 +0000

by James Coulter

There are many things I miss about no longer living in Florida. Right now, the one thing I miss most (aside from its lack of snowstorms) is being able to attend Lake Wales Mardi Gras.

I’ve been covering the annual celebration for many years. I’veeven participated in it with the Daily Ridge on their parade unit. I love the food. I love the beads. And overall, I love the atmosphere.

Sadly, since I no longer live in Florida, I won’t be able to attend the event this year. So, to make up for it, I’m going to celebrate Mardi Gras my own way through some good old-fashioned Creole cooking.

I’ve prepared gumbo several times before. I love the flavorful broth prepared with Cajun seasoning with heaping helpings of shrimp and andouille sausages. And poured over rice? It’s…chef kiss.

This year, I plan on preparing the dish for the family for a special Mardi Gras dinner with rice, potato salad, fried okra, and Kings Cake. It may not be as good as attending Lake Wales Mardi Gras, but it’s the next best thing.

Laissez les bons temps rouler! Let the good times roll!

***

Shrimp & Sausage Gumbo

Ingredients

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, chopped

2 stalks celery, finely sliced

12 oz. andouille sausage, sliced into 1/2″ rounds

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning (without salt)

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 (15-oz.) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1 bay leaf

1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled, deveined

3 scallions, sliced

Cooked white rice, for serving

Directions

1. In a large, deep skillet over medium-low heat, melt butter, then add flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until roux is dark caramel colored, 12 to 15 minutes.

2. Add onions, peppers, and celery and cook, stirring, until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in sausage, garlic, and Cajun seasoning; season with salt and pepper. Stir in broth, tomatoes, and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 1 hour.

3. In the last 6 minutes of cooking, add shrimp. Once the shrimp is pink and cooked through, taste and adjust the seasonings. Stir in scallions, reserving some for serving.

4. Divide rice among bowls. Spoon gumbo over. Top with reserved scallions.

The post Cooking on the Ridge: Shrimp & Sausage Gumbo first appeared on Lake Wales Daily News.

Cooking on the Ridge: Fruit Leather

Maria Iannucci — Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:47:14 +0000

by James Coulter

For Christmas, I received a toaster oven that also works as an air fryer. Curious, I decided to do some research on what can be prepared with a dehydrator. Many things actually: raisins, apple chips, beef jerky, and—the dish I’ll be sharing in this recipe—fruit leather.

What’s fruit leather? Well, as a kid, have you ever had a Fruit Roll-Up or Fruit by the Foot packed in your school lunchbox? Because that’s essentially what fruit leather is: a sweet treat like a homemade Fruit Roll-Up.

The best part about fruit leather is that you can make it using any fruit: apples, berries, oranges, bananas, or a combination of any of them. Whether frozen or unfrozen, fresh or over-ripe, aslong as you have a blender, a dehydrator, and the patience, you can turn any fruit into a sweet treat that can’t be beat.

Best of all, because they’re dehydrated, these treats have a good shelf life. You can store fruit leather in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to a month and in the fridge for several months.

The following recipe uses apples and cinnamon, but you can use any fruit you want. Go wild and experiment. These homemade treats are as extreme as the commercials used to advertise the store-bought variety.

***

Apple Cinnamon Fruit Leather

Ingredients

4 cups of peeled, chopped apples

1/2 cup water

1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar, to taste

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

1) Wash, peel, and chop apples and place them in a medium saucepan.

2) Add 1/2 cup water and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes or until soft.

3) Add granulated sugar and cinnamon and mash. Cook for 2-3 more minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.

4) Put mixture into a blender and process until smooth.

5) Pour onto a large baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat and spread with a spatula into a thin layer. Bang the pan on the counter a few times to make sure the mixture is evenly distributed.

6) Bake at 170 degrees (or a similar low temperature, depending on your oven) for 2-3 hours, checking every 20-30 minutes, until it’s tacky but doesn’t stick to your finger.

7) Allow it to cool, then cut into strips (a pizza cutter works well) and roll up. Keep in an airtight container.

The post Cooking on the Ridge: Fruit Leather first appeared on Lake Wales Daily News.

Cooking on the Ridge: Creamy Mushroom Pasta

Maria Iannucci — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:35:12 +0000

by James Coulter

Does anyone love the Super Mario Bros. Movie? I did. You can read all about it in my movie review from two years ago: https://dailyridge.com/2023/04/19/welcome-world-travelers-the-super-mario-bros-is-okey-dokey/

Anyway, I really love the scene early in the movie where Mario and Luigi are having dinner with their family. The meal they’rehaving is a creamy pasta dish with mushrooms–something Mario hates but which will, ironically enough, help give him powers later in the movie.

I really like seeing different foods in movies. They’re so appetizing and it makes me want to eat it myself. So, since watching that movie, I’ve tried my hands at making similar pasta dishes.

The pasta dish Mario and his family eat looks like a spaghetti dish served with a white Alfredo sauce with mushrooms. So, this recipe will essentially prepare just that: spaghetti with alfredo sauce with sauteed mushrooms.

This recipe makes for a good meatless meal. However, if you crave some meat, you can always grill some chicken and add it to your dish.

***

Creamy Mushroom Pasta

Ingredients

16. oz spaghetti or linguini noodles

8 oz. sliced mushrooms

1 onion, chopped and diced

1 tbsp. garlic, minced

1/2 cup butter

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 cups milk

6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1) In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add pasta noodles.

2) Add cooking oil to a medium, non-stick saucepan. Add onions, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook until brown. Set aside in a small dish.

3) Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cream cheese and garlic powder, stirring with a wire whisk until smooth.

4) Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in Parmesan cheese and pepper. Thin with milk if needed.

5) When sauce reaches the desired consistency, add mushrooms and onions and stir, then remove from heat.

6) Either ladle sauce onto individual dishes of pasta noodles or mix the whole sauce into all of the noodles.

The post Cooking on the Ridge: Creamy Mushroom Pasta first appeared on Lake Wales Daily News.