There’s just something about a warm bowl of noodles that puts a smile on a person’s face.

Toss them with some crisp and colorful veggies and a rich sauce in quick fashion, as this recipe from “Kitchen Sanctuary Quick & Easy” does, and the pleasure is only double — tripled, if you’re able to pinch a few pennies and clean out your refrigerator crisper in the process.

One classic staple for noodle aficionados is chow mein, a quick stir fry of meat, vegetables and noodles that came to the U.S. sometime during the Gold Rush era of the mid-1800s via Cantonese immigrants from southern China’s Guangdong province.

An Americanized version of Chinese “ch’ao mien,” or “stir-fried noodles,” chow mein has been a favorite American-Chinese takeout dish for many decades. The tasty combination of crispy noodles, crisp-tender vegetables and savory meat just works. And for those trying to recreate the flavors at home, it’s also fairly easy to pull together once you’ve gathered and prepped all the ingredients.

Cantonese chow mein is traditionally made with beef and green peppers, but I had neither and felt completely comfortable substituting what I had on hand instead: a big bag of shiitake mushrooms left over from a marathon dumpling-making session and red and yellow bell peppers.

If you grew up on those super-crunchy chow mein noodles La Choy famously puts in a can, you might be disappointed. In this recipe, the curly egg noodles are boiled before going into the stir-fry with the vegetables and sauce, so they’re still fairly soft.

Chow mein is often only as good as its sauce, and this homemade version — made with two kinds of soy sauce, rice wine and hoisin sauce — is a sweet and salty delight.

Mushroom Chow Mein

PG tested

For noodles

• 5½ ounces dried chow mein or fine egg noodles
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 5 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, cut into thick slices
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small onion, peeled and sliced
• 1 carrot, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
• ½ bell pepper, deseeded and sliced
• ¼ green cabbage, thinly sliced
• 3½ ounces fresh bean sprouts

For sauce

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine
• 2 tablespoons kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), or 1 tablespoon soy sauce mixed with 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• ⅓ cup vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper

To serve

• Chopped spring onions
• Toasted sesame seeds
• Red pepper flakes

Cook noodles in boiling water according to package instructions. Drain and run under cold water to keep them from sticking together. Set aside.

While noodles are cooking, make sauce. In small bowl, mix together cornstarch, soy sauce and Chinese rice wine until cornstarch is fully incorporated. Then add in kecap manis, hoisin sauce, stock, sesame oil and white pepper. Mix together to combine and set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok over high heat. Season the mushroom slices with salt and pepper, then add to the wok and fry for 2-3 minutes, turning once or twice, until they are just cooked. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to wok. Add onion, garlic and carrot and stir-fry for 3 minutes, regularly tossing everything together with a wooden spoon or spatula.

Add pepper, cabbage and bean sprouts and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes, keeping everything moving in the work with your spatula or spoon.

Now add the mushroom strips back to the wok, along with the noodles. Pour chow mein sauce over the top.

Stir-fry everything together for 2-3 minutes, tossing regularly with a set of tongs or pair of chop sticks, until the noodles are hot.

Serve topped with chopped spring onion, sesame seeds and chili flakes.

Serves 4.

— adapted from “Kitchen Sanctuary Quick & Easy: Delicious 30-Minute Dinners” by Nicky Corbishley (Kyle, $27)

©2024 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

I love tacos when I’m cooking for a crowd because they’re usually so much easier to pull together than a sit-down dinner with multiple courses, and they can be easily individualized depending on the toppings.

Any protein made with tinga, a spicy-ish sauce crafted from fire-roasted tomatoes, chili peppers and spices, is always at the top of my go-to list because it’s so flavorful and can be prepared fairly quickly — a blessing when you’re pinched for time in a crowded kitchen full of hungry people.

I was just that during a recent weekend, when four of my five kids (plus two daughters-in-law and two grandkids) came for a weekend visit. Taking everyone out to dinner would have cost the proverbial arm and a leg, along with the patience required to dine with active toddlers. And ordering pizza just seemed so … predictable.

But tacos? Kids especially love crunchy handheld foods and the grown-ups appreciated the casual eat what you want, when you want it taco bar I set up on the kitchen counter.

There are probably as many recipes for chicken tinga as there are home cooks, but a few pantry ingredients are essential: tomatoes, white onion and garlic, chipotle peppers in adobo and Mexican oregano, which is a bit more floral than the Italian variety used in pasta sauces.

I also like to add a little cumin to the sauce. Mexican cookbook author Rick Bayless, whose recipe I’ve adapted over the years, also recommends a dash or two of vinegar for extra tang.

This recipe is doubled for a crowd, but can easily be cut in half for smaller gatherings. If you like, you can cook the chicken thighs whole and shred them in the pan with two forks just before serving, or you can start with thin slices or bite sized pieces. It all depends on how chunky you like your tacos.

Similarly, if you prefer a tamer dish, cut down on the amount of chipotles and adobo sauce you add.

Serve with a salty, crumbly cheese such as queso fresco or feta and lots of chopped cilantro.

Chicken Tinga Tacos

PG tested

• Vegetable or olive oil to coat the pan
• 1 large white onion, sliced a little less than 1/2 inch thick
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 (15-ounce) cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, or to taste
• 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• A little additional vinegar, if you think the dish needs it
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• 1 cup Mexican queso fresco or other fresh cheese like farmers cheese, mild feta or fresh goat cheese
• A handful of cilantro leaves for garnish
• Chopped red onion, for garnish
• 24 hard taco shells or soft taco-sized flour tortillas, warmed

Prepare chicken. Set a very large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat and drizzle the bottom liberally with oil. When the pan is hot, add onions.

Stir onions until they soften and start to brown, about 4 minutes, then snuggle the chicken in the pan in a single layer on the bottom. Cook until everything is nicely browned, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook a minute or so longer.

In a blender or food processor, blend the tomatoes and their juice to a very coarse puree.

Remove chipotle peppers from sauce and chop into small pieces — start with 3 or 4, you can always add more.

Add puree to the browned chicken in the skillet, along with the chopped chiles, half the adobo sauce from can and oregano and cumin. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the chicken is tender and the mixture is thick, about 4 minutes.

Taste and add a little more adobo sauce or chopped chiles if it’s not spicy enough. Season with 2 teaspoons of salt and a couple dashes of white or red vinegar, if you would like it a little more tangy. Stir to combine.

When ready to serve, place some chicken tinga in warmed hard taco shells or on warmed soft tortillas. Top with sliced avocado, a sprinkling of fresh cheese, chopped onion and leaves of cilantro.

Serves 8.

— Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

©2024 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Protein bowls are appealing for many reasons, the biggest of which is they’re incredibly versatile.

Whether you top them with a lean meat like roasted chicken or a fatty, good-for-you fish like salmon — or opt for a vegetarian source of protein such as tofu or canned chickpeas — bowls can fill you up with countless combinations, while also making you feel great about how well you’re eating.

Plus, they’re easy to assemble on a busy weeknight or quick lunch break, without the need for any fancy-pants equipment. Besides its namesake dish, all that’s really required to create the perfect lunch or dinner bowl is a cutting board for all the chopping (of toppings) and a small bowl for a bit of mixing (of sauce).

Start with a base of rice, quinoa, farro or another grain. Or choose a sturdy, leafy green such as spinach, Romaine lettuce or baby kale. After the chosen protein, pile on whatever crunchy vegetables are killing time in your fridge, add a healthy fat such as feta cheese and sliced avocado or a handful of nuts or seeds. Then, drizzle it with a yogurt-based sauce, vinaigrette or squeeze of lemon.

This recipe, which was adapted from a similar dish that showed up on my social media feed, features aromatic, Mediterranean-style chicken shawarma cooked in a loaf pan with red onion and then shredded. Chickpeas and assorted veggies complete the combo, along with a generous scoop of white rice.

If you prepare the grains and chop the toppings while the chicken thighs are roasting, you’ll only need about 5 minutes to pull it all together come meal time. Sweet!

Chicken Shawarma Bowl

Serves 4

For chicken

2 pounds boneless chicken thigh, fat trimmed

2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

2 tablespoons plain yogurt

Juice 1 lemon

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Dash of ground nutmeg

1/2 large or 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

For bowl

1 1/2 cups cooked white or brown rice

1 cup whole canned chickpeas

2 small cucumbers, sliced into half-moons

1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, chopped

1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles

Chopped parsley, for garnish

For sauce

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Juice of 1 lemon

1. Prepare chicken: Trim fat off chicken thighs, season generously with salt and pepper and place in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil.
2. In small bowl, mix yogurt and lemon juice, then add to bowl with chicken and toss to combine with a rubber spatula.
3. In another bowl, combine thyme, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add to pan with chicken, and toss well to combine. (Feel free to add more or less of any particular seasoning.)
4. Add sliced onion to bowl, toss to combine and then allow to marinate for an hour or up to a day in the fridge. Or you can place it in a loaf pan and cook it right away.
5. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425 degrees, and bring chicken mixture up to room temperature (if it’s been in the fridge). Pack chicken and onions into a loaf pan, then cook in hot oven for 45-55 minutes (instant thermometer should read 160 degrees.)
6. While chicken is cooking, prepare rice according to package directions, drain and rinse chickpeas and chop vegetables. Prepare sauce by mixing together yogurt, garlic, dill and lemon juice, then set aside.
7. When chicken is done, drain excess juices from the pan and flip the loaf pan onto a cutting board. Cut the meat into thin strips or chunks.
8. Assemble bowls with a scoop of rice, 1/4 cup chickpeas, sliced vegetables and feta. Add chopped chicken, then drizzle with sauce. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if desired, and serve. Use leftover chicken (there will be plenty) for a salad or sandwich the next day,

— Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

©2024 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

LOS ANGELES — It’s the dawn of a new era — a new Taylor Swift Era, that is.

This week, the 14-time Grammy Award-winning artist will release her 11th studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” which she first announced at the Grammys in February.

While accepting the pop vocal album award for “Midnights” — her first of two wins that night — Swift thanked her fans by divulging “a secret that I’ve been keeping from you for the last two years, which is that my brand-new album comes out April 19.”

The announcement came as a shock to Swifties, who had theorized the singer would instead announce “Reputation (Taylor’s Version)” at the awards ceremony. (That the albums seem to share a B&W aesthetic didn’t help).

And while she may have intentionally thrown fans off the scent, “All’s fair in love and poetry.” So here’s what we know so far:

When does ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ come out?

Following a whirlwind promotional week, “The Tortured Poets Department” will arrive at midnight Eastern time on Friday.

Swift began making the album directly after she turned in “Midnights,” and it took her about two years to complete, she said during her first Eras Tour show in Japan on Feb. 7.

“I kept working on it throughout the U.S. tour, and when it was perfect — in my opinion, when it’s good enough for you — I finished it and I am so, so excited that soon you’ll get to hear it,” she told the crowd.

What genre is it?

In Target’s product description for “The Tortured Poets Department” vinyl, the album is classified as pop, but the singer herself has not indicated where the album lands with respect to genre.

Instead, the self-proclaimed “chairman of the Tortured Poets Department” has released successive batches of lyrics, including “Crowd goes wild at her fingertips / Half moonshine, / full eclipse” — posted on the day of the April 8 solar eclipse.

Still, clues about the album’s potential sonic characteristics may lie with two of its credited songwriters, Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff, who have each produced large swaths of Swift’s discography.

If the two producers’ generally dissimilar sounds — Dessner leans pastoral, and Antonoff, synthetic — both inflect the record, it could be anything from folk to indie pop.

How many songs? Any guest artists?

Swift revealed the track list for “The Tortured Poets Department” in a Feb. 5 Instagram post, listing the following 16 titles:

• “Fortnight” (feat. Post Malone)
• “The Tortured Poets Department”
• “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys”
• “Down Bad”
• “So Long, London”
• “But Daddy I Love Him”
• “Fresh Out the Slammer”
• “Florida!!!!” (feat. Florence & the Machine)
• “Guilty as Sin?”
• “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?”
• “I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)”
• “loml”
• “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”
• “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived”
• “The Alchemy”
• “Clara Bow”

Additionally, there are four different confirmed editions of the album, each named after the bonus track it will include: “The Bolter,” “The Albatross,” “The Black Dog” and “The Manuscript.”

Post Malone and Florence & the Machine are also credited as songwriters on their respective tracks.

What promotional activity has gone on?

After the initial announcement at the Grammys, Swift was relatively quiet. In recent weeks, though, she’s gone back to her internet-breaking behavior.

It started with an Apple Music collaboration that saw Swift releasing five different playlists on the platform, each consisting of songs from her catalog and representing one of the stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. The playlists were titled with track names and lyrics from “The Tortured Poets Department.”

Then, on Saturday, Apple Music marked the final countdown to the album with a digital scavenger hunt.

“A word a day til the @taylorswift13 album drops,” the music service wrote in its bio on X (formerly Twitter).

Soon after, fans discovered that the secret words were hidden within song lyrics on Apple Music. Thus far, they’ve parsed the words “hereby,” “conduct,” “this,” “post” and “we,” and while many have their theories, the meaning of the incomplete word jumble is still unknown.

The festivities have also moved offline, to Spotify’s “The Tortured Poets Department” library installation at the Grove in L.A., which debuted Tuesday and is open through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

“Fans will be able to explore a poetry library, highly curated to represent the new record,” the event description on the Grove’s website reads. “The shelves will be packed with books and visual surprises for fans to enjoy.”

Visitors also seem to be finding a number of Swift’s trademark Easter eggs throughout the installation, including an upside-down “So Long, London” title — which fans suspect is a nod to her year-ago breakup with British actor Joe Alwyn — and a clock set to 2.

The former visual also appeared in a video Swift posted Tuesday on Instagram. Captioned “The TTPD Timetable,” the cryptic clip guides viewers from a “Midnights”-style room into “The Tortured Poets Department,” where a wall calendar teases a Friday music video release.

How can I listen to the new album?

“The Tortured Poets Department” is available to preorder (and presave on Spotify or Apple Music) on Swift’s website, and is currently being offered in vinyl, cassette, CD and digital album formats to be released April 19. It will also start streaming on that date — which for West Coasters means at 9 p.m. Pacific time Thursday.

The four versions of the album are also available to preorder on Swift’s website, but CD and vinyl versions of the album are also available at Target. Currently, there is no version of the album, digital or physical, that will contain all four bonus tracks.

©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Slender asparagus and fresh ricotta are easy to find in spring, and these savory crespelle offer a winning combination of the seasonal favorites.

Adapted from a recipe from Tuscan food writer and chef Giulia Scarpaleggia, the two ingredients are paired in a fresh and creamy filling for lacy, tender homemade crepes that can either be rolled up like burritos, or folded into elegant handkerchief-like triangles.

The asparagus is first simmered in boiling water until just tender and then pureed in a blender. The bright green puree then goes into a bowl with ricotta, grated Parmesan and just enough lemon zest and mint to cut through the richness of the dairy.

I baked the filled crepes on a parchment paper-covered cookie sheet, but you also could line them in a buttered casserole dish.

These are topped with a super-simple Bechamel sauce, but if you’re feeling adventurous, you also could drizzle the crepes with Hollandaise sauce. The chopped pistachios add a slightly crunchy, salty finish.

Asparagus and Ricotta Crepes

PG tested

For crepes

• 1 1/3 cups whole milk, room temperature
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• Generous pinch fine sea salt

For filling

• 1 pound asparagus
• 2 cups fresh ricotta
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• 3 or 4 mint leaves, finely chopped
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For Bechamel sauce

• 1 3/4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• Salt and pepper
• Grated nutmeg

For garnish

• 2 tablespoons pistachios, chopped
• Fresh mint leaves
• Olive oil

Prepare crepe batter. Mix milk, flour, eggs, melted butter and salt in blender just until smooth. (It will be thin.) Cover batter and chill at least 15 minutes while you prepare filling, and up to 1 day.

Prepare filling. Remove woody ends from asparagus, then cook in a saucepan with 1 inch of boiling, salted water until just tender, 2 to 4 minutes depending on thickness of spears. Remove from hot water into a bowl of ice water to blanche, then remove and allow to dry on a paper towel.

Cut off and set aside tips. Place the rest of the asparagus into a food processor or blender and add just enough water (a teaspoon or 2) to blend until smooth.

Add puree to bowl with the ricotta, grated Parmesan, lemon zest and chopped mint. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If it’s too bland, add more Parmesan or a bit more lemon.

Prepare crepes.

Heat a large nonstick saute pan over medium heat. (I used a 9-inch shallow saute pan.) Brush pan with a little melted butter or paper towel soaked with olive oil.

Whisk crepe batter to combine, then pour about 1/4 cup into the pan, swirling it to cover the bottom of pan with a thin layer. Cook for 2 minutes, or until the crepe is golden brown on the edges. Carefully flip with a spatula and cook on the other side for 1 more minute. Remove to plate. (The first crepe might not be perfect, but that’s okay! It will ready the pan.)

Continue process until you have 12 crepes set aside and stacked. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make Bechamel sauce: Melt butter in saucepan on medium heat. Spoon in flour and whisk until golden brown and toasted.

Pour in cold milk in a thin stream, stirring to avoid lumps. Cook over medium-low heat until thickened, then season with salt, pepper and ground nutmeg.

Compose crepes: Spread each crepe with the asparagus and ricotta filling, then roll them up as cannelloni or fold them as a handkerchief, first in half and then in half again. Arrange in a casserole pan or on a rimmed baking sheet on top of parchment paper.

Drizzle the crepes with the Bechamel sauce, then decorate each with cooked tips of asparagus, chopped pistachios and a drizzle of olive oil.

Place pan in oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling on the sides.

Serve hot out of the pan, with more chopped mint as a garnish. You also can warm any leftovers in 350-degree oven.

Makes 10-12 crepes.

— adapted from julskitchen.com

©2024 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Here’s how it often goes at dinner time on weeknights in my kitchen: My husband walks in, and if there’s no discernible aroma wafting across the room, he starts lifting lids on pans on the stovetop and looking in the fridge for leftovers before wondering out loud “What’s for dinner?”

On a recent Monday, the answer was something of a shocker, given his lifelong belief that every nighttime meal should include a starch, a vegetable and some sort of animal protein. In addition to a tender green salad dressed in a tangy, cheesy vinaigrette, there was a entrée featuring the hardest working veggie in my refrigerator’s crisper drawer — carrots.

If you’re going to go vegetarian, this is the way to go. Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen’s vegetal take on the classic fruit-topped French dessert, Tarte Tatin, is nothing short of spectacular. Carrots sauteed in butter with a little honey are always delicious, but when you also add a splash of balsamic vinegar, toss in a little goat cheese and tuck them into a tight circle on top of puff pastry, well, they’re something else entirely.

Perelman categorizes the dish as an appetizer, and indeed, cut into thin wedges, the Tarte Tatin would make a lovely finger food for parties. But paired with a salad and a crusty roll, it becomes an even lovelier, veggie-forward casual supper.

I used bunch carrots and a log of fresh goat cheese. Don’t forget the flaky salt as a finishing touch; it really brings out the flavor of the carrots.

The dish is best served warm. If you make it in advance, keep it in the pan and gently rewarm it in the oven before flipping it onto a plate.

Carrot Tarte Tatin with Salad Greens

PG tested

For tart

1 pound trimmed slim carrots, scrubbed

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons honey

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Lots of freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted

2 ounces goat cheese, thinly sliced or torn into bits

Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, for garnish

For salad

1 small garlic clove

1-ounce chunk Parmesan or pecorino cheese, grated

1/2 cup salted pistachios

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar, plus more to taste

1/2 teaspoon smooth Dijon mustard, or more to taste

6 tablespoons olive oil

4 generous handfuls butter lettuce, washed and dried

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 9-inch round cake pan with a circle of parchment paper.

Prepare carrots: If carrots are very thin, cut them in half lengthwise. If they’re slightly thicker (more than 1/2 inch) quarter them lengthwise.

In large saute pan, heat butter and honey over medium-high heat until butter is melted and mixture is bubbly. Add carrots, salt, pepper and thyme and toss to coat. Cover with lid, reduce heat to medium and cook 10-12 minutes, or until carrots are mostly cooked through. (While you’re cooking carrots, lift lid occasionally to ensure they’re cooking evenly. If they’re browning in pan, reduce heat slightly.)

With lid off, increase heat, allowing most of the liquid to cook off. Add vinegar and cook 2 more minutes, turning carrots over in sauce as carefully as you can without breaking them. Tip the carrots and juices into the prepared pan. Nudge them around so they evenly cover the bottom.

Assemble tart: on floured counter, roll out puff pastry to a 10-inch round. Scatter goat cheese slices over the carrots in the pan. Top the carrots with pastry, tuck in dough edges all around and cut a vent into the center of the dough.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the pastry is a deep golden color.

While tart is baking, prepare salad. On cutting board, finely chop garlic then add Parmesan and pistachio and continue chopping until mixture is reduced to a breadcrumb-like rubble. Place in small bowl, season with salt and pepper and set aside.

In large bowl, whisk together vinegar and mustard. Drizzle in your olive oil in a steady stream, whisking the whole time. Season with salt and pepper. Taste dressing, and add more vinegar or mustard to taste, if needed. Pile lettuce leaves on top, but don’t mix yet.

Remove tart from oven and let rest 10 minutes; then run a knife around the edges and flip onto a plate. Remove parchment paper and scrape any juices left in the pan over the tart. Nudge any wayward carrots back into pace. Garnish the tart with additional thyme leaves, if desired, and flaky salt.

When ready to assemble and serve salad, wash hands well and use them to toss the lettuce with the dressing, evenly coating each leaf.

On serving plate, spread out a layer of dressed leaves. Sprinkle them lightly with pistachio-mixture, and season with salt and pepper.

Cut carrot tart into wedges with a serrated knife and serve with the dressed salad.

Serves 4-6.

— adapted from “Smitten Kitchen Keepers” by Deb Perelman

___

©2024 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The film that gives Travis Kelce his first billed credit as a movie producer received largely positive reviews and a standing ovation at its premiere.

“My Dead Friend Zoe” debuted at the SXSW Film & TV Festival over the weekend. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end is one of 10 executive producers.

Kelce was in Singapore with girlfriend Taylor Swift as she wrapped up a six-concert stand and did not attend the festival in Austin, Texas.

The film’s director, Kyle Hausmann-Stokes, a Wisconsin native who served in Iraq and co-wrote the screenplay, earned the ovation at the premiere Saturday. The festival will show the film again on Wednesday.

From the film’s festival synopsis: “’My Dead Friend Zoe’ is a dark comedy drama that follows the journey of Merit (Sonequa Martin-Green), a U.S. Army Afghanistan veteran who is at odds with her family thanks to the presence of Zoe (Natalie Morales), her dead best friend from the Army.

“Despite the persistence of her VA group counselor (Morgan Freeman), the tough love of her mother and the levity of an unexpected love interest, Merit’s cozy-dysfunctional friendship with Zoe keeps the duo insulated from the world.

“That is until Merit’s estranged grandfather (Ed Harris) — holed up at the family’s ancestral lake house — begins to lose his way and is (in) need of the one thing he refuses … help.”

The story is grounded in Hausmann-Stokes’ reality as a veteran. He dedicated the film to his own “Zoes,” close Army friends lost to suicide after they came home. Group therapy scenes in the movie involve real-life veterans.

At the premiere, he explained to the festival audience how Kelce got involved.

Two other producers — TV and film director Mike Fields and entertainment executive Ray Maiello — have a connection “to somebody on Travis’ team,” he said.

“And they got the script and the short that I had made … they reviewed the material. Travis is supportive of veterans in the military, and they decided to come in and support the film.

“It was so surreal. We’ve been so grateful.”

Having Kelce attached to the project has attracted added attention to the movie, Hausmann-Stokes said.

That comes as no surprise. The NFL star’s romance with Swift over the last few months has dominated news cycles around the world.

“And ultimately, selfishly, I want people to enjoy this film, but I want it to effect change,” Hausmann-Stokes said. “So the more eyeballs that are on this film … there’s going to be a veteran somewhere, I don’t know who they are but they’re going to see this film and it’s going to be the little nudge that convinces them to talk about it.

“And I think what Travis did for us is just this tidal wave of energy and exposure, and so we’re so excited to have him.”

The movie kicked up buzz on social media, where one festival-goer called it “a staggeringly impactful movie about military veterans dealing with PTSD.”

Reviewers applauded the story, the acting and directing. Here’s a sampling:

The Daily Beast: “There are few surprises in My Dead Friend Zoe, co-writer and director Kyle Hausmann-Stokes’ (and executive producer/football mega-star Travis Kelce’s) feature debut.

“But what stirred the audience at its March 9 premiere at SXSW Film Festival was how the story of a grief-stricken woman running away from her problems — at the behest of the titular spectral bestie that continues to haunt her — imbued its familiar formula with a sense of earnestness and charm.

“It’s a film that could easily veer into manipulative territory in lesser hands, but Hausmann-Stokes transforms this personal and devastating story into something deeper, sweeter, and funnier than it may initially seem.”

The Hollywood Reporter: “The film … is an honest effort to bring complicated veteran stories to the screen.

“The characters in My Dead Friend Zoe are written with a tender familiarity. Hausmann-Stokes served for five years in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper in Iraq before pursuing filmmaking full time; his experience textures the lives of these fictional veterans.

“My Dead Friend Zoe frequently plays like an extended public service announcement … still, strong performances from a stacked cast help smooth over some of the bumps.

RogerEbert.com: “A deeply personal film that comes from Hausmann-Stokes’ own experience as a vet, this is a powerful drama with a phenomenal performance at its core and another reminder that Ed Harris is one of our best living actors in its supporting cast.

“Ultimately, it’s telling two stories of memory: A man who is increasingly struggling to remember and a woman who wishes she could forget.

Deadline: The film’s “focus on characters of color and the community that forms around those most affected by trauma are the script’s most powerful assets.

“This film celebrates the power of community in the healing process, showcasing the collective strength that emerges in the face of individual suffering. …

“My Dead Friend Zoe is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the imperative to provide better support for our veterans.”

_________

©2024 The Kansas City Star. Visit at kansascity.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

If it’s homemade, you really can’t lose with chicken noodle soup, can you?

One of the world’s most beloved comfort foods, a bowl of the nourishing liquid instantly makes you feel better when you’re sick or lonely, and is just so warm and soothing when it’s still a little chilly outside.

It can be ladled into a cup to enjoy on the living room couch, or be paired with bread and a salad for a quick and casual supper. Sliced carrots add a bit of color and crunch and who would say no to a finishing sprinkle of flaky salt.

This deliciously simple recipe from Milk Street for sujebi, a traditional Korean noodle soup, achieves the perfect balance of umami and spice. It combines shredded chicken breast, carrots and sliced zucchini in a rich and satisfying broth flavored with onion, garlic and three staples you’ll find in every Korean kitchen: soy sauce, chili paste (gochujang) and chili flakes (gochugaru).

Fresh, hand-torn noodles that take just minutes to make with flour and water add a lovely chewy texture to the soup, which has a slight (but absolutely terrific) kick. My soup probably had a little bit more chicken than called for since the bone-in chicken breasts were really big, but there still was enough broth to keep the dish from turning in to a stew.

The noodles only need a few minutes to cook in the simmering broth; you’ll know they’re done when they float to the top.

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Korean Hand-Torn Noodle Soup with Chicken

PG tested

1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 3/4 — 2 pounds bone in, skin-on chicken breasts

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

4 scallions, thinly sliced, whites and greens reserved separately

4 medium cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided

4- 5 teaspoons gochujang (Korean fermented chili paste)

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted

1/4 teaspoon gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), optional

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 -inch rounds

1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise 1/4 -inch thick

Make dough: In large bowl, stir together flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Make a well in the center of the flour and add 1/3 cup water.

Using a silicone spatula or wooden spoon, begin incorporating the flour by starting at the center and gradually drawing in more, until a shaggy dough forms. Don’t add more water even if it feels dry at first; it will hydrate during kneading and after a few minutes become supple and tender.

Using the heel of your palm, knead the dough in the bowl, swiping along the sides to incorporate dry bits. Lightly flour the counter and turn the dough onto it.

Lightly flour your hands and knead until dough is smooth, about 4 minutes. Form dough into a bowl, wrap in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature while you make the soup.

Make soup: In large pot, combine 2 1/2 quarts water, chicken, onion, scallion white, garlic, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high, cover partially and simmer until a skewer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken meets no resistance, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together scallion greens, remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, gochujang, sesame oil, sesame seeds and gochugaru, if using. Set aside.

When chicken is done, transfer to large plate. Add carrots to broth and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally until carrots are tender, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, use 2 forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces; discard the skin and bones.

Unwrap the dough. Working beside the pot, hold dough in one hand. With your other hand, pull and stretch small sections of the dough, flattening it between your thumb and forefinger, then tear off a piece roughly 1 1/2 inches long. Drop the piece into the broth.

Continue until you have used all the dough. Stir in the zucchini and shredded chicken. Return to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until noodles are tender and zucchini is tender-crisp, about 3 minutes.

Off heat, stir in the gochujang-sesame mixture, then taste and season with salt and pepper.

Serves 4-6.

— 177milkstreet.com

©2024 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Sure, you can order pizza or fill up on grilled cheese sandwiches, but that can get pretty old pretty quick. That’s especially the case when there’s so many wonderful plant-based dishes that are not only inexpensive and easy to whip up in short order, but just as filling as a meal centered around meat.

The recipes below offer two examples.

The first takes a favorite Pittsburgh fish-fry side dish — potato-and-cheese pierogies — and deconstructs it into a filling, stick-to-your ribs casserole. The second is an easy, gently spiced onion-and-tomato curry that features chickpeas simmered in a fragrant blend of herbs and warming spices.

Both are made in one pan or pot, making for easy cleanup.

Deconstructed Pierogi Casserole

PG tested

This easy casserole boasts all the great flavors of an onion-and-cheese pierogi, but none of the hassle of having to make dough from scratch, roll it out and stuff into dumplings. It’s adapted from a recipe created by celebrity chef Michael Symon, whose mother grew up in Monessen, for the Food Network.

Symon’s original recipe calls for farmers’ cheese, a semi-soft curd-like cheese with a mild, milky flavor. I substituted cottage cheese, which is a lot easier to find in your average grocery store. I also omitted bacon to make it vegetarian and used lasagna noodles instead of homemade pierogi dough.

Be sure to let the casserole dish rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting it into slices. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a soupy mess on the plate.

12 lasagna noodles

2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks

Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

1 cup heavy cream, heated until hot

8 tablespoons cold butter, cubed

1/4 cup chopped chives, some reserved for garnish

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese

1 1/2 cups cottage cheese

Sour cream, for garnish

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water.

Prepare filling: Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with 2 inches of cold water. Bring to a boil. Season the water generously with salt. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until a knife easily pierces the potatoes, about 10 minutes.

Drain and return the potatoes to the pot. Mash, slowly mixing in the hot cream and cold butter. Stir in chopped chives, then season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13-by-9-inch casserole dish or metal pan.

In large pan, heat olive oil and add sliced onions. Toss to coat and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are caramelized and sweet, about 10 min. Let cool.

Assemble casserole: Have the cooked lasagna noodles, mashed potatoes, caramelized onions and cheeses ready on a work surface. Arrange one layer of 4 lasagna noodles on the bottom of the buttered casserole dish, slightly overlapping the edges of the strips.

Spread a 1/2 -inch layer of potatoes on top of the dough. Top with some caramelized onions and a sprinkling of both Gruyere and cottage cheeses. Repeat the layers to use the remaining ingredients, finishing with the Gruyere and cottage cheese. Season the top with pepper.

Bake until the casserole is bubbly and the cheese on top is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let rest 15 to 20 minutes and then serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of chives, if desired.

Serves 8.

— adapted from foodnetwork.com

Chana (Chickpea) Masala

PG tested

This naturally gluten-free vegetarian recipe has an incredible depth of flavor for something that comes together so quickly. I only added one jalapeño to keep it tame, but you could double the amount or use chopped Thai green, or bird’s eye, chiles for even more spice. Eat it right out of the pan or, to stretch out the number of servings, dish over white or brown rice.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium yellow onion, finely diced

1 tablespoon ground cumin

Sea salt

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for garnish

1 large jalapeño, seeded and chopped

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 28-ounce can finely diced tomatoes

2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Sugar

1 teaspoon garam masala

Juice 1/2 lemon, plus more to taste

Rice or roti, for serving, optional

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add oil, onion, cumin and a generous pinch of salt.

Add garlic, ginger, cilantro, and chopped jalapeño and stir to combine. Add ground coriander, chili powder and turmeric and stir to coat. Add a little more oil at this point if the pan is looking dry.

Add canned tomatoes and chickpeas and another pinch or two of salt. If the mixture looks a little too thick, add a little water.

Increase heat to medium high until it reaches a rolling simmer, then reduce heat to low or medium-low and maintain a simmer (uncovered) for 15-20 minutes, or until thick and stew-like. Stir occasionally.

When the masala is thickened and bubbly, taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt for saltiness, chili powder for heat, or if desired, a bit of sugar for sweetness (and to offset the heat of the chilies).

Remove from heat and add lemon juice and garam masala. Stir to mix, then let cool slightly before serving. Enjoy as is or pair with white or brown rice and/or roti. Leftovers will keep covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days, or in the freezer up to 1 month.

Serves 4.

— adapted from minimalistbaker.com

©2024 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

“Estoy aquí porque Donald Trump me violó, y cuando escribí sobre aquello, dijo que no sucedió (…) Mintió y destrozó mi reputación, y estoy aquí para tratar de recuperar mi vida”, ha testificado Carroll ante un tribunal de distrito de Manhattan, según recoge la cadena de noticias CNN.

La periodista ha reconocido que aquel día de primavera de 1996 se sentía “encantada” de poder ir de compras con Trump e incluso pensó que sería una gran historia que poder contar. “Fue una escena divertida de Nueva York”, ha manifestado ante la Justicia estadounidense.

“Me encanta dar consejos, y ahí estaba Donald Trump pidiéndome un consejo sobre cómo comprar un regalo”, ha expresado Carroll, quien ha reconocido que el exmandatario, quien en aquella época era conocido por ser uno de los grandes magnates del país, fue amable y divertido.

Sin embargo, Trump comenzó a insistir a Carroll con entrar a los probadores de la tienda para probarse prendas de lencería, a lo que la periodista finalmente accedió sin imaginar “nada de lo que estaba a punto de suceder”. “Esa puerta abierta me ha atormentado durante años porque, simplemente, entré”, ha reconocido.

A continuación, Carroll ha relatado como ya dentro de los probadores Trump la acosó hasta el punto de llegar a la penetración sin consentimiento. “Pero me enorgullece decir que salí, levanté la rodilla y lo empujé hacia atrás”, ha detallado la redactora, quien ha admitido que aquel episodio la impidió “volver a tener una vida romántica”.

Este caso arrancó en 2019 como una denuncia por difamación después de que el expresidente de Estados Unidos desmintiese el relato de Carroll y la llamase “pirada”, asegurando que la periodista “no era su tipo” y que las acusaciones eran tan solo un truco publicitario para vender más ejemplares del libro en el que narraba lo sucedido.

Sin embargo, en noviembre de 2022 entró en vigor una nueva ley en el estado de Nueva York que habilitó la posibilidad de que Carroll pudiera denunciar a Trump por agresión sexual al ser considerada superviviente de este tipo de delitos, incluso si el caso había prescrito.

Trump rechazó en todo momento las acusaciones e incluso llegó a denunciar ser víctima de una “persecución política”. El caso de Carroll se suma a la reciente imputación del expresidente por ocultar una serie de sobornos pagados a Stephanie Clifford, actriz de cine para adultos, más conocida como Stormy Daniels.

El expresidente se declaró el pasado mes de marzo no culpable de una treintena de cargos presentados por la Justicia por haber pagado con dinero de su campaña a Clifford con el fin de evitar que hablara de una supuesta infidelidad días antes de las presidenciales que le llevaron en 2016 a la Casa Blanca.