Cassie’s Ruminations

Cassie’s Chili

November 1, 2008 – 10:35 am

Chili is one of those foods that everyone has an opinion on – beans or no beans, fresh chiles or canned, and so on. Here is my recipe, which I’m quite partial to 😉 It has quite a kick, so cut down on the cayenne and omit the chipotle chile if you aren’t a fan of spiciness. I served this with some cornbread.

Cassie’s Chili
Makes approximately 8 2-cup servings

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
10 large or 15 medium cloves of garlic, finely minced
½ small sweet onion, diced
2 lb ground beef (preferably “chili ground” – it’s a coarser, heartier grind)
2 tbsp dark chili powder (I prefer Gebhardt)
1 tbsp cumin
½ tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
2 4-oz cans diced fire roasted green chiles, undrained (I prefer Ortega or 505)
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained (I prefer Muir Glen Organic)
1 28-oz can fire roasted crushed tomatoes, undrained (I prefer Muir Glen Organic)
1 can tomato sauce (8 oz)
1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely minced
1 can pinto beans, undrained (15 oz)
1 can kidney beans, undrained (15 oz)
1 can northern beans, undrained (15 oz)

Sauté the garlic and onion in the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium high heat. When the garlic is just getting color and the onion is tender, add the meat seasonings and brown. Add the green chilies and stir to combine. Add the beans and tomato products and stir again. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer for at least half an hour and up to 4 hours.

Nutritional Information Per 2 Cup Serving

Calories	581
Fat	29 g
Saturated Fat	11 g
Cholesterol	88 mg
Sodium	1041 mg
Carbohydrates	45 g
Fiber	14 g
Protein	34 g
Vitamin A	37%
Vitamin C	145%
Calcium	12%
Iron	39%

Posted in Beef, Food, Soup | No Comments »

Happy Halloween!

October 31, 2008 – 4:25 pm

I hope that everyone has a nice Halloween! We’re planning on spending the evening at home with a big pot of chili, an even bigger bowl of candy to pass out to little goblins and ghosts, and a bunch of monster movies on the tv. We carved a couple pumpkins Wednesday night, and here they are on the kitchen counter. Not too shabby 🙂

I roasted the pumpkin seeds as well. They make a great salty fall snack.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Makes 2 cups, 8 servings

Raw seeds from 2 medium pumpkins (about 2 cups)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the seeds from 2 jack o lantern pumpkins. Pick them free of the pumpkin guts and put them in a bowl. Soak in warm water for a couple minutes and pull off any remaining pumpkin slime. Drain very well and pat dry. Toss with the olive oil and spread in a single layer on a baking pan. Sprinkle liberally with salt. Roast for about 30-40 minutes or until fragrant, turning brown, and crisp.

If you’d like them to have a kick, feel free to replace the kosher salt with a tsp of Lawry’s season salt, or add some cumin and cayenne pepper to the kosher salt.

Nutritional Information Per ¼ Cup Serving

Calories	85
Fat	5 g
Saturated Fat	0.25 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	215 mg
Carbohydrates	9 g
Fiber	1 g
Protein	3 g
Vitamin A	1%
Vitamin C	1%
Calcium	1%
Iron	5%

Posted in Food, Ramblings, Snacks | No Comments »

Southwestern Rubbed Flat Iron Steak

October 29, 2008 – 6:58 pm

This is a recipe I got right from the flat iron steak wrapper, courtesy of “The Beef Checkoff”, as I was feeling less than creative tonight 😛 It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t anything special either, and I don’t think I’ll bother making it again. Maybe it’ll float your boat, though, so I’ll post the recipe anyway.

Southwestern Rubbed Flat Iron Steak
Serves 4

2 lb flat iron steak

Rub
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp packed brown sugar
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp cider vinegar
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Combine all rub ingredients in a small bowl. Rub onto beef before grilling or broiling, about 15-20 minutes for medium rare.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (0.5 lb of seasoned meat)

Calories	395
Fat	18 g
Saturated Fat	7 g
Cholesterol	113 mg
Sodium	248 mg
Carbohydrates	10 g
Fiber	2 g
Protein	47 g
Vitamin A	28%
Vitamin C	6%
Calcium	4%
Iron	36%

I served this with some roasted butternut squash.

Posted in Beef, Food, Grilling | No Comments »

Meatloaf

October 28, 2008 – 6:48 pm

This is an easy comforting fall meal. Not particularly photogenic, but tasty 🙂

Meatloaf
Serves 4

1 lb ground beef
1 large egg
5 saltines, crushed
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp oregano
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Non-stick spray
¼ cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together all the ingredients using your hands until they just come together. Form into a flat loaf shape, about 1 inch thick and place on a baking pan with sides (to catch any grease) that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Spread the ketchup over the top and sides of the meatloaf. Bake for about 45 minutes or until cooked all the way through.

Nutritional Information Per Serving

Calories	312
Fat	19 g
Saturated Fat	7 g
Cholesterol	130 mg
Sodium	578 mg
Carbohydrates	11 g
Fiber	0 g
Protein	23 g
Vitamin A	4%
Vitamin C	1%
Calcium	4%
Iron	18%

Posted in Beef, Food | No Comments »

Turtle Cake

October 26, 2008 – 7:59 pm

This is a rich dessert incorporating the taste of a turtle into a cake. It’s been making the rounds in the blogosphere, and I was recently reminded of it in an email.

Turtle Cake
Serves 16

Cake
1 German Chocolate Cake Mix (just the mix)
1/3 cup evaporated milk
3/4 cup melted butter
Middle Layer
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Caramel Sauce
1 bag caramels
1/2 cup evaporated milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a 13″x9″ baking pan with non-stick baking spray or butter and flour.

Stir together the dry cake mix, the evaporated milk, and the melted butter to form a batter.

Spread 2/3 of the batter into the prepared baking pan. With damp hands pat the batter down to form an even thin layer across the bottom of the pan.

Bake the bottom layer for 10 minutes.

While the bottom layer is baking, combine the caramels and 1/2 cup evaporated milk in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave for 2 minutes at 80% power, stir, and return to the microwave for another 2 minutes at 80% power. Stir again to form a smooth sauce. If necessary to make the sauce smooth, return to the microwave for a final 2 minutes of heating.

Remove the bottom layer from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top. If using nuts, sprinkle them evenly as well. Pour the caramel sauce on top of both. Spoon the remaining 1/3 of the batter over the top in dollops, leaving areas with the caramel showing.

Bake for another 20 minutes or until the edges are pulling away from the side of the pan.

Cool completely and cut into 16 small squares.

Nutritional Information Per Serving
(16 servings in a pan)

Calories	374
Fat	19 g
Saturated Fat	9 g
Cholesterol	29 mg
Sodium	416 mg
Carbohydrates	47 g
Fiber	1 g
Protein	4 g
Vitamin A	6%
Vitamin C	0%
Calcium	12%
Iron	6%

Posted in Baking, Cakes, Desserts, Food | No Comments »

Bierocks

October 26, 2008 – 7:24 pm

These are a classic Oktoberfest food – bread filled with a savory beef and cabbage filling. They are surprisingly easy to make, though somewhat time-consuming.

Bierocks
Makes 12 bierocks, 4 dinner servings

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 small sweet onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 lb ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
10 oz cabbage shredded (~6 cups, one package)
2 12 oz loafs of frozen or refrigerated bread dough

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender and starting to caramelize. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or until fragrant and starting to color. Turn up the heat to medium high and add the ground beef with the salt and pepper. When it is brown, turn the heat down to medium again, and add the Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine. Add the cabbage and gently stir and cook until the cabbage is wilted completely. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool.

In the meantime, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut each loaf into 6 pieces (12 pieces of dough total). Roll out each piece into a round approximately 6 inches in diameter. Fill with 3 tablespoons of the filling and pinch closed, sealing completely. Place the bierock seam side down on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Space the bierocks with at least 1 inch between each one to avoid sticking. Place the baking sheet(s) in the oven and bake bierocks for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot.

Nutritional Information Per Serving, 3 Bierrocks

Calories	675
Fat	24 g
Saturated Fat	8 g
Cholesterol	76 mg
Sodium	1780 mg
Carbohydrates	83 g
Fiber	6 g
Protein	36 g
Vitamin A	3%
Vitamin C	63%
Calcium	8%
Iron	40%

Posted in Beef, Food, German | 1 Comment »

Wooohooo!

October 26, 2008 – 4:05 pm

On a whim, Shaun checked the LSAT site today, as tomorrow is when the email notifications are supposed to be going out, and the scores were already up. He kicked some major butt on that test – 93rd percentile!

Posted in Ramblings | 2 Comments »

Smoked Sausage and Zucchini Sauté

October 23, 2008 – 6:19 pm

Tonight’s dinner idea came from Allrecipes user Laripin via our local newspaper. As I can’t leave a recipe alone, I modified it for our tastes and my unexpected lack of tomatoes in the house 😛 My version is below. We followed the poster’s suggestion and served it over steamed rice.

Smoked Sausage and Zucchini Sauté
Serves 4

1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
2 medium large zucchini, cut lengthwise into quarters and then sliced
¼ tsp onion powder
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Brown the sausage in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. No oil will be necessary. Remove the browned sausage to a plate. Add the olive oil and then the garlic and stir for 10 to 15 seconds or until the garlic is fragrant and just starting to turn golden brown. Add the zucchini and toss to combine. Add the other seasonings and cook until the zucchini is tender, about 10 minutes. Add the sausage back to the skillet and toss to coat in the juices. Cook for a couple minutes more to let the flavors meld. Serve over steamed rice.

Nutritional Information Per Serving

Calories	427
Fat	38 g
Saturated Fat	16 g
Cholesterol	50 mg
Sodium	923 mg
Carbohydrates	8 g
Fiber	1 g
Protein	15 g
Vitamin A	7%
Vitamin C	21%
Calcium	2%
Iron	7%

Posted in Easy, Food, Pork, Vegetables | No Comments »

Beer Bread

October 22, 2008 – 5:49 pm

This is a quick bread (i.e. leavened without using yeast). It’s very easy to customize by adding your favorite herbs, spices, or even cheese to the batter before baking. I usually skip the extra butter on top, and did this time as well. Make sure to use a lighter colored beer. This time around I used a Henry Weinhard’s India Pale Ale, brewed here in the Northwest, and I think turned out particularly well.

Beer Bread
Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp salt
3 tbsp white granulated sugar
1 12-oz bottle of beer
Non-stick spray
2 tbsp butter, melted (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add the beer and stir together until combined completely. Scoop the dough into a 9 inch by 5 inch loaf pan that has been prepared with non-stick spray. If desired, pour melted butter over the top of the loaf.

Bake for 1 hour. Serve with butter.

Nutritional Information Per Slice
Assumes thick slices – 8 slices per loaf

Calories	189
Fat	0 g
Saturated Fat	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	440 mg
Carbohydrates	40 g
Fiber	1 g
Protein	5 g
Vitamin A	0%
Vitamin C	0%
Calcium	8%
Iron	10%

Posted in Baking, Bread, Food | 1 Comment »

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

October 19, 2008 – 7:27 pm

These are a delightful twist on the classic chocolate chip cookie recipe. They are almost cake-like. The recipe makes between two and three dozen, depending on the size of the cookies you make.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes about 3 dozen cookies

2 ½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ tsp allspice
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (I always use my microplane and grate it fresh – it’s much more aromatic that way)
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ½ cups sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ package (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.

In an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla and beat until just blended.

Mix in the dry ingredients, starting on slow and moving up to medium speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl once during mixing (turn the mixer off first) to ensure complete blending.

Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and use a rubber spatula to gently stir in the chocolate chips. Drop the batter by heaping tablespoon full onto the baking sheets, with 1 inch spacing between them.

Bake the cookies for 15-17 minutes or until lightly browned. If necessary, rotate the sheets halfway through baking to ensure even cooking. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the sheets before moving them to wire cooling racks to finish cooling completely.

Nutritional Information Per Cookie
(assuming 3 dozen cookies per batch)

Calories	129
Fat	5 g
Saturated Fat	3 g
Cholesterol	15 mg
Sodium	119 mg
Carbohydrates	21 g
Fiber	1 g
Protein	2 g
Vitamin A	12%
Vitamin C	0%
Calcium	2%
Iron	3%

Posted in Baking, Cookies, Desserts, Food | 1 Comment »