Sunday Paper Recommends—Week of October 12, 2025
This week at The Sunday Paper, we're sharing a series, a new podcast series, a novel, and a recipe that we believe will add inspiration to your days. We hope these suggestions open your heart and mind and encourage you to come together for meaningful conversations.
What We’re Watching
Ever heard of the Mitford sisters? They came from an aristocratic British family who rose to fame in the 1930s for their frequent scandals and general outrageousness. One journalist described them as "Diana the Fascist, Jessica the Communist, Unity the Hitler-lover; Nancy the Novelist; Deborah the Duchess and Pamela the unobtrusive poultry connoisseur.” And that is exactly the ripe soil this new show, aptly named Outrageous, is bringing to the big screen.
What We’re Listening To
In his first original Dateline podcast series, Lester Holt uncovers the urgent case of Robert Roberson, a Texas father set to be executed on October 16th for the 2002 death of his 2-year-old daughter. In this four-episode podcast, Lester reports from the ground in Texas, where he examines the evidence against Roberson and talks to the people closest to the case, including the lead detective, who now believes he helped put an innocent man behind bars.
Lester’s exclusive interviews reveal critical information the jury never heard. The series will confront listeners with questions about justice and truth, and perhaps the most haunting question of all: Is an innocent man about to be put to death?
What We’re Reading
What if you got to do everything in your life—twice? A young boy named Logan can do just that: undo any moment and live it again. The catch? He cannot change whatever happens on his second chance. Longtime friend of The Sunday Paper Mitch Albom has written a beautiful, thought provoking, and deeply moving story of love, second chances and finding what truly matters.
What We’re Making
KIMCHI MAC ’N’ CHEESE
When I asked my brother why he wouldn’t consider going vegan, his answer was simple: “The only thing Liam [his then three-year- old son] will eat is mac ’n’ cheese. Literally.” I am not a parent of a toddler. While it’s easy for me to sit on my pedestal and think, “Well, you should teach him to like something other than mac ’n’ cheese!” or “That doesn’t mean you all have to eat mac ’n’ cheese!” I decided the simplest solution was to introduce my brother to one of my favorite recipes of all time, my vegan Kimchi Mac ’n’ Cheese. I’ve made this recipe so many times I have it memorized. Liam is still a little too young to appreciate the kimchi part of this recipe, but my brother is not! And neither are you!
SERVES: 8 | DIFFICULTY: Easy GFO
1 pound elbow macaroni (can substitute gluten-free macaroni)
2 tablespoons vegan butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (can substitute cornstarch)
4 cups Kimchi Queso (page 68)
2 cups chopped cabbage kimchi
1 - Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
2- About 1 minute before the pasta is finished cooking, drain and return the noodles to the cooking pot. Add the butter to the pasta. Sift the flour over the cooked pasta (I just run it through a fine-mesh sieve right over the top) and stir until the butter is melted and the flour is well incorporated.
3 - Add the cheese sauce and half of the reserved pasta water and stir the mixture vigorously. Continue to add more pasta water, as necessary, until it seems a little soupy (it will firm up before you serve). Add the kimchi and stir until it is evenly distributed throughout the pasta. Serve warm and store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, Reheat over medium heat, stirring in a little plant-based milk.
KIMCHI QUESO
Adapted from a fantastic recipe in Serious Eats, this vegan cheese sauce isn’t your typical nacho cheese. Not only is it dairy-free, it definitely has a Korean twist. It is always a HIT.
MAKES: 21/2 cups | DIFFICULTY: Easy GFO
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
5 ounces russet potato, thinly sliced 1/4 cup chopped onion
2 medium cloves garlic
1 scallion, white part only
1/4 cup cabbage kimchi (such as Mak Kimchi, page 87)
1 tablespoon gochugaru
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder 11/2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 cup cashews
1 tablespoon gochujang 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons kimchi liquid
1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 - In a small pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 1 minute. Add the potatoes, onion, garlic, scallion whites, kimchi, gochugaru, turmeric, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and cashews and cook until the veggies begin to brown, about 3 minutes.
2 - Add the gochujang and stir until all the vegetables are evenly coated.
3 - Add the soy sauce to deglaze the pot and stir.
4 - Add 1/2 cup of water to the pot and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer the vegetables until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 minutes.
5 - Carefully pour the vegetable mixture into a high-powered blender. Add the nutritional yeast, kimchi liquid, plant-based milk, lemon juice, and maple syrup. Blend on high until smooth, about 1 minute. Allow to cool for 20 minutes, then pour into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can reheat the queso in the microwave for about 1 minute before serving or using as an ingredient.
Excerpted from The Korean Vegan: Homemade: Recipes and Stories from My Kitchen, Copyright © 2025 by Joanne Lee Molinaro. Published by Avery, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.
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