Cassie’s Ruminations

Chicken Cacciatore with Sautéed Mushrooms and Zucchini

This excellent recipe is inspired by Fine Cooking’s Soups and Stews special issue (also available online). I modified it for our taste and what I had around: boneless chicken, reducing the oil, omitting the onion and adding some onion powder for some of the flavor, increasing the quantities of most of the veggies, and using dried herbs instead of fresh. My version is below. It was quite spot-hitting!

Chicken Cacciatore with Sautéed Mushrooms and Zucchini
Serves 4

2 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into quarters
kosher salt and black pepper
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 cup red wine (I used a local blackberry wine)
1 28-oz can large diced tomatoes (I used San Marzano)
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/8 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried parsley
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
2 medium zucchini (about 1 lb), quartered lengthwise and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 lb crimini mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup pitted mixed green and black olives, halved (I used manzilla and kalamata)

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a heavy soup pot over medium high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until nicely browned. Transfer the chicken to a bowl.

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and warm, reducing heat to medium. Add the bell pepper and garlic and season with salt. Cook until the pepper softens, about 4 minutes. Turn heat to high and deglaze the pan with the wine. Continue to cook until the wine is nearly reduced completely, about 2 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium again and add the tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and dried parsley. Return the chicken and any juices that seeped out to the pot. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid slightly ajar, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the flavors are nicely mingled.

While the stew simmers, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until the zucchini is tender and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the zucchini to a bowl. Heat the last tbsp of olive oil and add the mushrooms, seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, or until tender. Add the olives, a pinch of dried thyme, and the zucchini and toss together. Add the vegetable mixture to the stew and gently stir to combine.

Serve hot.

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

Corned Beef and Cabbage Hash

A quick and easy breakfast that I packed up to take to work with me today. I just melted half a tablespoon of butter in a large skillet, used kitchen shears to cut my last wedge of cabbage and 2 slices of corned beef into little pieces, added them in, sprinkled with salt and pepper, and sauteed until hot all the way through.

Posted in Beef, Breakfast, Food, Leftovers, Vegetables | No Comments »

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

I usually make my corned beef and veggies in the crockpot, but today I did them on the stovetop, since I wouldn’t be home to put in the veggies at the halfway point. It turned out just as good.

I also baked my soda bread, which was good as always.

I hope you all had an enjoyable holiday filled with good food, friends, and family!

Posted in Baking, Beef, Bread, Food, Holiday Cooking, Vegetables | 1 Comment »

Chicken Mushroom and Basil Calzones

Yet another calzone iteration. This one was just my previous chicken and basil calzones with an 8 oz package of crimini mushrooms added after I browned the chicken. These are so easy and tasty, and the mushrooms were a great way to add some veggies.

Posted in Food, Italian, Pizza, Poultry, Vegetables | No Comments »

Ham Steak with Blackberry Rum Sauce

This is from Jaden’s blog. I halved the sauce recipe, omitted the fresh berries, and just eyeballed everything, and it turned out really well! I still had more sauce than needed, but it’d go great on ice cream or a little piece of pound cake for dessert. I’d definitely make this again.

Ham Steak with Blackberry Rum Sauce
Serves 2

1 large ham steak, about 1 lb total weight

For the sauce:
1 tbsp butter
1/8 cup blackberry preserves (I used Smucker’s Simply Fruit)
2 tbsp white rum
1/4 cup packed brown sugar

Heat the broiler and line a small rimmed cookie sheet with foil. Place the ham steak on the foil and place under the broiler. Cook for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through to brown on both sides.

While the ham is cooking, melt the butter in a small sauce pan over medium low heat. When it starts to foam, add the preserves, rum, and sugar, and whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Keep warm while the ham finishes cooking.

Cut the ham into two equal pieces and plate. Drizzle with the sauce and serve warm.

Posted in Food, Fruit, Pork | No Comments »

Navajo Tacos with Warm Corn and Black Bean Salsa

This was a somewhat successful experiment from crazy ideas in my head. I tried to keep close to ingredients that the Navajo would have had, in some form 😛 Not very flavorful this first try, but next time I can up the spices. I think I’ll add a chipotle in adobo sauce and/or some roasted green chiles to the beans and corn as well, though that was definitely the most successful part of the meal. Maybe I’ll try some Navajo fry bread too, or substitute some chicken rubbed in chile powder and then grilled for the buffalo. I’ve typed it up as I made it, so take it with a grain of salt or three!

An update: I scrambled a couple eggs, added some leftover buffalo and warm corn and bean salsa along with some salsa, and made a sort of migas style breakfast that was quite tasty!

Navajo Tacos with Warm Corn and Black Bean Salsa
Serves 4

For the meat:
1 lb ground buffalo
1 tbsp dark chile powder (I like Gebhardt)
1/8 tsp cayenne

For the warm salsa:
1/2 tbsp canola oil
1 large clove garlic, pressed
1 14-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed (I like Bush’s)
8 oz frozen corn kernels, defrosted and drained
dash cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp onion powder

12 small corn tortillas

In a large skillet, brown the buffalo with the cayenne and chile powder. As it cooks, heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until just turning golden and fragrant. Add the beans and corn and the spices and stir to combine. Heat through and simmer until the rest of the meal is done. When the meat is browned, turn off the heat on the beans and the meat and heat the tortillas for 40 seconds in the microwave. Assemble tacos and serve warm.

Posted in Beans, Beef, Exotic Meats, Food, Mexican, Vegetables | 1 Comment »

Northwest Scramble

This was a quick, easy, filling breakfast for a dark and chilly morning before work.

Northwest Scramble
Serves 1

2 large eggs
3 oz smoked salmon
1 oz cheese (I used 1 wedge garlic and herb Laughing Cow cheese this time)
kosher salt and black pepper
1 tsp olive oil

Beat the eggs lightly. Stir in the salmon, cheese, and a few pinches of salt and pepper to taste. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the eggs and cook, stirring at intervals, until eggs are cooked through, cheese is melted, and salmon is warm. Serve immediately.

Posted in Breakfast, Eggs, Food, Seafood | No Comments »

Portrait of Emma

A friend of Shaun’s (and now of mine too), Brenden, painted a portrait of Emma for us. I’m just thrilled with it, and it now graces our dining room. Isn’t it awesome?

Posted in Corgi, Ramblings | No Comments »

Balsamic Teriyaki Steak

This is a great recipe from Jaden’s excellent cookbook, which I highly recommend: The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook: 101 Asian Recipes Simple Enough for Tonight’s Dinner

This is a flavorful steak that is easy to prepare. The marinating takes some time (I did mine overnight), but it’s definitely worth it! I used a thin flat iron steak, so mine cooked up faster. I’ve paraphrased the recipe as I made it below. I served this with some steamed broccoli.

Balsamic Teriyaki Steak
Serves 4

For the steak:
1 lb flat iron steak
1 tsp olive oil

For the marinade/sauce:
1-1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, pressed (I added extra garlic to make up for the lack of shallot)
1 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup beef broth (I used water and Better Than Bouillon)
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp mirin

Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium low heat. When it starts to foam and bubble, add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute – until the garlic starts to turn golden and fragrant. Add the vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the volume of the liquid is reduced by half. Add the sugar, broth, soy sauce, and mirin, and return the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat to low and let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Reserve 1/4 cup of the sauce for serving.

Pour the rest of the sauce into a large zip top bag and add the steak, turning to coat. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator, turning periodically. When ready to cook, remove the steak and let it come to room temperature. Discard the marinade, and pat the meat dry. Spray a grill pan with olive oil and heat over medium high heat. Grill the meat for 3 minutes on each side for medium rare. Let rest for 5 minutes, then cut across the grain and serve.

Posted in Asian, Beef, Food | No Comments »

Eggs in Purgatory

This is a very easy and cheap dinner, easily scaled for however many you need to serve. I have the recipe for one below, as tonight Shaun and I were just foraging thanks to a headache I had earlier that precluded any major cooking that might involve such things as knives 😛

Eggs in Purgatory
Serves 1

1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 large clove garlic, pressed
1 pinch dried oregano
1 pinch dried basil
1 small (8 oz) can tomato sauce
2 eggs

Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and other spices and cook until the garlic is just turning golden and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. Crack an egg into a small bowl and slide it into the sauce. Repeat with the other egg. Cover and cook eggs to desired doneness – as little as 3 minutes and as much as 10. Slide the sauce and eggs into a bowl and eat hot.

Posted in Breakfast, Budget, Eggs, Food, Italian | No Comments »