Cassie’s Ruminations

Happy Fall!

Yesterday marked the autumnal equinox – the first day of fall. It’s been noticeably cooler around here in the northwest, and much to my delight (and most everyone else’s annoyance) it rained quite a bit this weekend. I love the rain. I guess I’m in the right place 😉 It was the first time that it rained all month, actually. The summers here are gorgeous, and I’ll miss all of the fresh produce, but I love this time of year. The grocery stores just started stocking the first pumpkins and gourds of the season, and the winter squash bin is now overflowing after months of sparseness. The picture above is of a sweet dumpling squash that I’ll be roasting soon, probably tonight. I’m also looking forward to visiting Foster’s Farm and going through the corn maze before picking out some pumpkins and getting some of their great pumpkin butter. Yum!

Posted in Ramblings | 1 Comment »

Emma’s Graduation and Some Udon Soup

It was a rainy and chilly weekend ushering in the first day of fall. It was another Emma focused weekend, as the poor thing is having some more gut issues, but she was feeling up to going to her last day of puppy kindergarten. It was a review day, and she did great. Then we got a certificate of completion, a gourmet dog cookie, a little goodie bag with some new toys, a picture with a cute graduation hat (Emma was not the biggest fan of this 😉 ) and some quality play time. Emma loves to play with other dogs, and she became good friends with Annabelle, a goldendoodle in the class. I’m sure she’ll miss getting to play with her.

Since it was chilly, yesterday’s dinner was some homemade udon soup. The ingredients are somewhat specialized, and you might need to make a trip to an oriental grocery store, but you might find them in a well-stocked grocery store as well. There are some great online stores as well, such as Asian Food Grocer. I’ll use them to link to similar products for the ingredient list below.

Udon Soup
Serves 2

1 packet (5 g, 1 tsp) dashi soup base

1 tbsp soy sauce

6 cups water

3 oz dried udon noodles

15 g (about 1/2 cup) dried shiitake or dried gourmet mushroom mix (found at Costco, or similarly from the website mentioned)

2 g (about 1 tbsp) precut wakame (seaweed)

Stir together the water, soy sauce, and dashi stock powder. Bring to a boil. Add the udon noodles and the mushrooms and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 12-14 minutes or until the noodles are tender. In the last two minutes of cooking, add the wakame. Remove from the heat and divide the soup into bowls.

Posted in Asian, Corgi, Food, Ramblings, Soup | 2 Comments »

“Housiversary” Dinner

Yes, I’m making up words 😛 We had a very nice dinner at home last night to celebrate one year in our new home. We had sirloin steak, grilled asparagus, baked white rose potatoes, and broiled shrimp and bacon skewers. I usually make individual bacon wrapped shrimp for Christmas Eve, and this is a lazy easier spin on that. 😉

The shrimp are 21/25 count – fairly large, but not huge. The bacon is a very nice applewood smoked cut from the meat counter. The bacon lends a nice subtle smoky flavor to the shrimp without overwhelming them. I thought about wrapping the strips around the shrimp, but that would have left the end ones uncovered, and I wanted them all covered, at least to start, under the the broiler to help keep them from overcooking. We only ate 2 of the skewers, as we had a huge meal. We’ll probably have the other two tonight.

Broiled Shrimp Skewers
Serves 4

1 pound of 21/25 count shrimp
4 slices bacon (I used applewood smoked)
4 skewers

If using bamboo skewers, soak them for at least half an hour before using.

Line a large baking pan with foil and place an all metal cooling rack on top, nested in the pan. This gives the bacon fat a place to drain to that is very easy to clean up – just throw away the foil at the end.

Preheat the broiler.

Peel the shrimp if necessary, leaving the tails intact. Thread onto skewers and place the skewers on the cooling rack in the pan. Lay a strip of bacon on top of each skewer.

Place the pan under the broiler and cook for about 5 minutes or until the bacon is curling up and is nicely browned and the shrimp are pink and opaque. Watch carefully, as they can go from perfect to overcooked in short order. Serve immediately.

Posted in Food, Seafood | 1 Comment »

One year ago today…

One year ago today Shaun and I closed on our house. It’s been a great year, and we’re looking forward to many more! Maybe one of these years we’ll actually put away the last few boxes of miscellaneous stuff living in the bonus room 😛

Here we are in front of our house that day. Our realtor took the picture.

Such an occasion is definitely worthy of a celebratory dinner. I’ll have to come up with something good when I stop by the grocery store on the way home tonight 🙂

Posted in Ramblings | 5 Comments »

Grilled Marinated Flat Iron Steak

I got this recipe from Elise of Simply Recipes. She has a lot of great recipes, so visit her blog! The marinade made the steak very flavorful, even after just 2 hours. The only things I changed were using a 1.25 lb flat iron steak instead of a 2 lb flank steak (I kept the marinade quantities the same though), and grilling for about 8 minutes on each side at medium heat instead of 6 minutes on each side at high heat, as I wanted to give my veggie packets a bit more time to cook.

Grilled Marinated Flat Iron Steak
Serves 4

Marinade Ingredients
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Other ingredients
1 pound flat iron steak
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

Mix all of the marinade ingredients in a large zip top bag. Make ¼ inch deep cuts in the flank steak across the grain. Place the steak in the bag and turn to coat completely. Let marinate for 2 hours to overnight.

Preheat the grill to medium heat. While the grill is heating, put foil veggie packets on. Remove the steak from the marinade and generously sprinkle both sides with kosher salt and pepper. After 10 minutes of preheating and veggie cooking, put the flank steak on the grate. Grill for 8 minutes, then flip and grill for another 8 minutes for medium rare steak. Feel free to cook for longer if you prefer your steak more well done. Slice across the grain and serve.

I served this with several miscellaneous vegetable packets using up the odds and ends of my veggie drawer. The method is the same as with the grilled carrots and asparagus and grilled corn below.

Posted in Beef, Food, Grilling, Vegetables | 3 Comments »

Snack-y Sort of Weekend

This weekend was a snack-y sort. We went to Red Robin for lunch on Saturday and to Qdoba on Sunday, so dinner ended up being a very informal light grazing both nights. Saturday we enjoyed some gorgeous Cherokee Purple heirloom tomatoes:

…and we made some popcorn. I always use my air popper. It makes the popcorn much healthier, even after I put a bit of butter on it 🙂 I always sprinkle some chili powder on mine for an extra kick. Gebhardt is a great dark and flavorful brand and is my go-to chili powder

Emma got to go to another corgi meet up at the Marymoor Dog Park on Sunday. She’s very nearly full grown now. She was quite annoyed that I kept her on the leash, but we don’t get her spay stitches out until later today, so she was stuck next to me for the whole time. She still had a blast walking all around and even got in a little bit of playing.

Posted in Corgi, Food, Ramblings, Snacks | No Comments »

Roasted Butternut Squash Cubes

This is a quick and easy side as long as you buy the pre-cubed butternut squash. It’s also not too much more trouble to peel and cube a whole one if you have the time and inclination (here’s a Slashfood video demonstration). It cooked alongside the pork tenderloin below at the same time and temperature and was done perfectly. Next time I think I’ll add some cumin for a bit more flavor.

Roasted Butternut Squash Cubes
Serves 2

1 8-oz bag of pre-peeled and cut butternut squash
½ tbsp olive oil
kosher salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Toss the squash in the olive oil and spread on a baking pan. Sprinkle with salt. Bake for 30 minutes or until tender and turning golden brown on the edges.

Posted in Food, Sides, Vegetables | 1 Comment »

Raspberry Chipotle Glazed Pork Tenderloin

This is the fall/winter version of the grilled pork tenderloin I made a few weeks ago. The rub is the same, but it also incorporates a raspberry chipotle sauce glaze. I use Fischer & Wieser’s sauce, which I get at Costco. They make some other outstanding sauces – I’ve made great Hawaiian burgers with their Pineapple Bourbon sauce, for instance. I served this with a tossed green salad and some butternut squash cubes that roasted in the same pan with the pork.

Raspberry Chipotle Glazed Pork Tenderloin
serves 4

Ingredients:
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound)
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 large clove garlic, pressed
½ tbsp olive oil
¼ cup raspberry chipotle sauce

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Mix together the rosemary, salt, black pepper, garlic, and olive oil, making a wet rub. Generously rub the mixture all over the pork loin. Bake in a rimmed pan for about 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. Pull out the pan and pour the raspberry chipotle sauce over the top of the loin. Turn the heat up to 500 degrees and return the loin to the oven for 5 minutes. Remove to a platter and allow the meat to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice into ½ inch rounds and serve.

Posted in Food, Pork | 1 Comment »

Teriyaki Chicken Bowls

This is an easy Asian-inspired meal. The stir fry comes together quickly, and making your own teriyaki sauce is easy and delicious.

I’ve entered this in Joelen’s Chinese Cuisine Adventure.

Teriyaki Chicken Bowls
Serves 4

Rice:
1 ⅓ cups dry jasmine rice (i.e. 2 rice maker measures full)

Stir fry:
½ tbsp vegetable oil
½ tbsp sesame oil
1 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
8 oz mushrooms, sliced

Teriyaki Sauce:
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup dry sake
4 tbsp mirin or sweet sake
3 tbsp sugar
sprinkle of red pepper flakes
1 tbsp of cornstarch dissolved in 3 tbsp of water

Cook the rice in a rice cooker according to the manufacturer’s directions.

While the rice is cooking, make the teriyaki sauce. To a saucepan, add all the ingredients except for the cornstarch slurry. Stir to dissolve the sugar and bring to a gentle boil. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir to combine. Bring back to a boil to thicken the sauce, then reduce heat to low and keep warm.

When the rice cooker switches to warm, heat the oils in a wok or large skillet over medium high heat (I dial my electric wok to about 350 degrees F). When it just starts to smoke, add the chicken pieces and let sit for one minute, then stir until just about cooked through and nicely browned, about 5 minutes total. Push the chicken to the sides of the pan and add the mushrooms. Toss them in the center of the wok for 2 minutes or until they’re browned and starting to get tender. Stir them in together with the chicken and cook for another minute. Turn off the heat. Add the teriyaki sauce and stir to combine. Serve over rice.

Posted in Asian, Food, Poultry | 5 Comments »

The Vegetarian 100

I am far from a vegetarian, but I’m enjoying these food memes, so I’ll have a go at this one too. This is the vegetarian version of the Omnivore’s 100, and was created by Barbara of Tigers and Strawberries. The rules are the same:

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.

2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.

3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.

The Vegetarian Hundred

1. Real macaroni and cheese, made from scratch and baked
2. Tabouleh
3. Freshly baked bread, straight from the oven (preferably with homemade strawberry jam)
4. Fresh figs
5. Fresh pomegranate
6. Indian dal of any sort
7. Imam bayildi
8. Pressed spiced Chinese tofu
9. Freshly made hummus
10. Tahini
11. Kimchi
12. Miso
13. Falafel
14. Potato and pea filled samosas
15. Homemade yogurt
16. Muhammara
17. Brie en croute
18. Spanikopita
19. Fresh, vine-ripened heirloom tomatoes
20. Insalata caprese
21. Stir-fried greens (gai lan, bok choi, pea shoots, kale, chard or collards)
22. Freshly made salsa
23. Freshly made guacamole
24. Creme brulee
25. Fava beans
26. Chinese cold sesame peanut noodles
27. Fattoush
28. New potatoes
29. Coleslaw
30. Ratatouille
31. Baba ganoush
32. Winter squash
33. Roasted beets
34. Baked sweet potatoes
35. Plantains
36. Chocolate truffles
37. Garlic mashed potatoes
38. Fresh water chestnuts
39. Steel cut oats
40. Quinoa
41. Grilled portabello mushrooms
42. Chipotle en adobo
43. Stone ground whole grain cornmeal
44. Freshly made corn or wheat tortillas
45. Frittata
46. Basil pesto
47. Roasted garlic
48. Raita of any type
49. Mango lassi
50. Jasmine rice (white or brown)
51. Thai vegetarian coconut milk curry
52. Pumpkin in any form other than pie (soup, cookies, muffins, roasted)
53. Fresh apple, pear, or plum gallette
54. Quince in any form
55. Escarole, endive or arugula
56. Sprouts other than mung bean, alfalfa sprouts
57. Naturally brewed soy sauce
58. Dried shiitake mushrooms, regularly in soup
59. Unusually colored vegetables (purple cauliflower, blue potatoes, chocolate bell peppers…)
60. Fresh peach ice cream
61. Chevre
62. Medjool dates
63. Kheer
64. Flourless chocolate cake
65. Grilled corn on the cob
66. Black bean (or any other bean) vegetarian chili
67. Tempeh
68. Seitan or wheat gluten
69. Gorgonzola or any other blue veined cheese
70. Sweet potato fries
71. Homemade au gratin potatoes
72. Cream of asparagus soup
73. Artichoke-Parmesan dip
74. Mushroom risotto
75. Fermented black beans
76. Garlic scapes
77. Fresh new baby peas
78. Kalamata olives
79. Preserved lemons
80. Fried green tomatoes
81. Chinese scallion pancakes
82. Cheese souffle
83. Fried apples
84. Homemade frijoles refritos
85. Pasta fagioli
86. Macadamia nuts in any form
87. Paw paw in any form
88. Grilled cheese sandwich of any kind
89. Paneer cheese
90. Ma Po Tofu (vegetarian style–no pork!)
91. Fresh pasta in any form
92. Grilled leeks, scallions or ramps
93. Green papaya salad
94. Baked grain and vegetable stuffed tomatoes
95. Pickled ginger
96. Methi greens
97. Aloo paratha
98. Kedgeree (the original Indian version without the smoked fish, not the British version with fish)
99. Okra
100. Roasted brussels sprouts

Hmmm, pretty good. 71/100. There’s nothing that I’m entirely opposed to trying, though I’d have to keep to small bites on things like the baba ganoush, as I rather suspect that I’m allergic to eggplant.

Posted in Food, Ramblings | No Comments »