Cassie’s Ruminations

Tayberry Freezer Jam

I got a half flat of just Tayberries today, as well as another half flat of the variety pack 🙂 I wanted to do something interesting with some of the berries, and the first thing that came to mind was freezer jam. I’ve never made jam before, but freezer jam seemed like an easy entry to the world of preserving.

I used the recipe in the pectin packet, just making a half batch to start. I used Sure-Jell. I only mention the brand because each brand is a little different as to what they require, and the ratios of fruit, sugar, and pectin have to be very close to what is stated on the packet’s instructions, otherwise it won’t work. They do make pectin that uses less sugar or works with artificial sweeteners, so look for that if you are so inclined.

I’ll be keeping my initial jar (I used a medium Ziploc Twist ‘n Loc, as they seem to come highly recommended for this application) in the fridge, and if it turns out well, I’ll make more and actually put it in the freezer 😛 I’ll come back tomorrow evening to update this post with how it set up. In any case, it tastes good!

Update: It set up very nicely too. I divided it in half and froze half 🙂

Tayberry Freezer Jam
Makes about 1 quart

3 cups tayberries (or raspberries, blackberries, loganberries, etc.)
535 g (2 5/8 cups) granulated sugar
25 g Sure-Jell pectin
89 ml (3/8 cups) water

Rinse the berries and drain well. Pour them in a large mixing bowl and crush with a potato masher, leaving some chunks. Add the sugar to the crushed fruit and stir to combine well. Let the fruit mixture sit for 10 minutes to macerate.

When the fruit is almost done macerating, pour the pectin and water into a small saucepan and put it over high heat. Stir constantly as the mixture comes to a boil. Let the mixture boil for 1 minute, continuing to stir. Turn off the heat.

Pour the pectin mixture into the fruit mixture and stir well until all the sugar is dissolved, and the mixture is no longer grainy, about 3 minutes.

Pour the jam into clean, tight sealing containers, leaving about 1/2 inch of room at the top for expansion. Seal the containers and let them sit at room temperature for 24 hours to let the pectin set.

Move the containers to the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or to the freezer for up to a year.

Posted in Dips Spreads Sauces and Condiments, Food, Fruit | No Comments »

Berry Week!

It’s that glorious week of summer in the northwest when all the berries are ripe. I went to the store this morning for my usual weekly big shopping trip, and they had all the large half flats out front and center in the produce section. I’ll have to brave the store after work a few times this week to keep loading up while they’re here! The half flat I got today was a variety pack – from left to right are Tayberries, Gold Raspberries, and Red Raspberries. I’ve never had tayberries before – they’re a cross between loganberries and red raspberries. I absolutely love them and will be seeking them out now! They’re a little bit tart with just a touch of an almost a citrus note. Not only did they have all the berries, but the first local Sungold cherry tomatoes are here too. I also got some gorgeous apricots. I’m in produce heaven 😀

Posted in Food, Fruit | 2 Comments »

Another Weight Loss Goal Met!

I’ve lost 20% of me 🙂 I’m feeling so much better these days, loving the energy and easier movement. Now I’m on to my next goal, 25% of my former self lost, which will bring me under 200 pounds. I’ll probably post when I cross that threshold too, since it’s a nice round number to celebrate 😀

Posted in Ramblings, Weight Watchers | 5 Comments »

Mini Burgers, aka Sliders

Tonight I made some mini burgers, inspired by finding some great little mini hamburger buns in the store – just 90 calories for a bun. I made my usual hamburger recipe, but used my #40 disher to portion the meat into 1 oz patties, which I then patted to about 1/4 of an inch thick. I browned them up for a minute or two on each side in a grill pan and served them up. The seasonings were a little too strong in the little bitty burgers, so next time I go this route I think I’ll just add a little bit of pepper. These were a lot of fun, and I’m sure kids would love them too 🙂

Posted in Beef, Food, Grilling, Sandwiches | No Comments »

CSA Box, Week #5

Week #5 of my Growing Washington CSA. This week officially started the fruit, but so far just strawberries and apricots are ready. Very good strawberries and apricots 🙂

This week’s haul:

• Flowers
• Arugula-Cut
• Lettuce Mix x2
• Carrots
• Squash-Raven
• Peas-Shelling
• Peas-Snow Peas
• Broccoli
• Beets-Red Ace x2
• Rhubarb
• Apricots
• Strawberries

Posted in Food, Fruit, Vegetables | No Comments »

Some of what we’ve been eating

Here’s some of the favorites we’ve been eating recently:

Posted in Food | No Comments »

Lasagna

This is my take on lasagna. It’s somewhat lighter, but still packed with flavor – tons of veggies, chicken Italian sausage, low fat ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, mozzarella, smoked provolone, and delicious homemade tomato sauce. I froze most of this for lunches over the next few weeks, but couldn’t resist having one small piece for dinner tonight 🙂

Lasagna
Serves`8

1 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 pound bulk chicken Italian sausage
4 cloves garlic, pressed, divided
Crushed red pepper flakes
8 oz sliced cremini mushrooms
2 medium-small zucchini, about 10 oz, cut into rounds
15 oz (about 2 cups) low fat ricotta
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 4 oz)
2 eggs
6 basil leaves, cut into chiffonade
2 cups (8 oz) Italian cheese blend – mine has mozzarella, smoked provolone, and Parmesan
1 1/2 9-oz boxes no-boil lasagna noodles

For the marinara sauce:
1 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 28-oz cans crushed San Marzano tomatoes
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

First, make the marinara sauce. Pour the olive oil into a sauce pan. Add the garlic and turn on the heat to medium. When the garlic starts to sizzle, add the tomatoes and spices and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes. Turn the heat off and set the sauce aside.

Next, brown the sausage. Pour 1 tsp of olive oil in a large skillet and turn the heat to medium high. When the pan is hot, add the sausage and brown it well, crumbling into small pieces. Remove the sausage to a bowl and set aside.

Next, saute the veggies. Add another tsp of olive oil to the pan and place it back on the heat. Add 2 cloves of pressed garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes. When the garlic starts to sizzle, add the mushrooms and season with kosher salt. Saute until they are tender and cooked through. Remove the mushrooms to the bowl with the sausage.

Add the final tsp of olive oil to the pan and place it back on the heat. Add the final two cloves of garlic and another pinch of red pepper flakes. When the garlic starts to sizzle, add the zucchini slices and season with kosher salt. Saute until the zucchini is tender and turning translucent. Remove the zucchini to the bowl with the sausage and mushrooms.

Gently toss the sausage and veggies to evenly distribute the ingredients and set aside to cool slightly.

In a bowl, mix together the ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, eggs, and basil to form a smooth mixture.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Assemble the lasagna. Pour 1 cup of marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9″ x 13″ deep baking dish. Place a layer of 4 noodles in the bottom, overlapping slightly in the middle and leaving about 1/4 inch of space around the edges for expansion. Spoon 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over the pasta and then add about 2/3 cup of sauce. Add a layer of noodles, going at a 90 degree angle from the first layer, making sure to keep the 1/4 inch border all around the edges. Spoon 1/3 of the sausage and veggie mixture on top, top with 1 cup of sauce, then sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the cheese blend.

Add a layer of pasta, going the same direction as the first layer, then top with the second 1/3 of the ricotta mixture and another 2/3 cup of sauce. Add a layer of pasta, going at a 90 degree angle again, then 1/3 of the sausage and veggie mixture, 1 cup of sauce, and 1/2 cup of the cheese blend.

Add another layer of pasta, going at the first orientation, the last of the ricotta mixture, and another 2/3 cup of sauce. Add another layer of pasta at the 90 degree angle, the final 1/3 of the sausage and veggie mix, another 1 cup of sauce, and another 1/2 cup of the cheese blend. Top with the last of the pasta at the first orientation, the rest of the sauce, and the last 1/2 cup of the cheese blend.

Cover the dish with foil and bake until the lasagna is hot and bubbly and the noodles are cooked through, about 45 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.

Let the lasagna cool for 20-30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Posted in Food, Italian, Pasta, Poultry, Vegetables | 2 Comments »

Chicken and Shiitake Stir Fry and Stir Fried Snow Peas

An easy and healthy dinner tonight using shiitake mushrooms and snow peas from my CSA boxes 🙂 This is infinitely adaptable to your tastes in meats and veggies. The sauce has a bit of a kick from the red pepper flakes, so omit them if you prefer.

Chicken and Shiitake Stir Fry
Serves 4

1.5 lbs skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into bite sized chunks
2 lbs shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, cut into bite sized chunks
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp sesame oil

For the sauce:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sake
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 large cloves garlic, pressed
1 tbsp grated ginger (about a 1 inch piece)
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp crushed red pepper

Mix all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and let it brown undisturbed for 1 minute before tossing to brown the other sides, about 3 minutes total cooking time. Remove the chicken to a bowl, leaving as much oil as possible in the pan.

Add the mushrooms and toss to coat in the oil. Continue to toss and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until tender. Add the chicken back to the pan. Stir the sauce to reincorporate the cornstarch and then pour it into the pan. Toss to coat well and heat the mixture just until the sauce is thickened, about 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and serve over rice.

Stir Fried Snow Peas
Serves 4

1 tsp canola oil
1 lb snow peas, trimmed if necessary

Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the peas and toss for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until starting to brown on all sides. Add 1/4 cup water and cover the skillet. Steam the peas for 1 minute or until tender. Serve hot.

Posted in Asian, CSA, Food, Poultry, Rice, Vegetables | 1 Comment »

Baked Chicken Noodles

I took some leftover chicken noodle soup from lunch today, which I made with twice as many noodles so it was not very brothy, sprinkled the top with some breadcrumbs, and baked at 375 degrees F in an ovensafe bowl for about 30 minutes. It turned out quite good, but next time I’ll mix a little melted butter into the breadcrumbs to make an even crunchier topping.

Posted in Food, Leftovers, One Dish Meals, Pasta, Poultry, Soup | 1 Comment »

Trip to Umatilla

I just got back from a quick trip out to see my paternal grandmother in Umatilla, Oregon. It was a good little trip, and I enjoyed seeing Grandma very much. Emma came along and got to socialize with both Grandma and her little miniature schnauzer girl, Willie. The first night I was there, my Uncle Steve and Aunt Luanne came up from Heppner and we all went out to dinner, which was nice 🙂 I spent 2 days helping out around the house, taking her out and about a bit, and just chatting and enjoying time with her. I hope that I’ll be able to get out again to see her this year, hopefully when it’s not quite so hot!

Emma and Willie on the couch

Grandma and me

The McNary Dam

Trailhead at the McNary Dam

Emma investigating a stream

Zonked after a big adventure

Posted in Corgi, Ramblings | 2 Comments »