Corn and venison casserole

Alrighty, it's time to wrap up the cookbook of the month posts for this month. This is the final post from "Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way" by Lorna Sass (at least for a while). This recipe was originally a masa harina and beef casserole, but I used what I had on hand.

Corn and venison casserole (adapted from "Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way" by Lorna Sass)

1/2 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 1/4 lbs ground venison

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp ground cumin

pinch of salt (for meat)

freshly ground black pepper

1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes with green chiles (like Rotel)

1 1/4 cups medium-grind cornmeal

1 1/2 tsp salt (for topping)

1 tsp chili powder

1 egg

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 cup corn kernels (I used frozen ones, and didn't bother to thaw them)

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and green pepper and cook until tender (about 5 min). Add venison, garlic, oregano, cumin, and salt and pepper. Break up meat and continue to cook until meat is cooked through. Then stir in the diced tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer while you prepare the topping.

Pour 4 cups of cold water into a pot. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal until it's completely blended. Whisk in salt and chili powder. Bring this to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat so that it's at a gentle boil. Stir constantly until it thickens and has a consistency similar to cake batter (about 8 min), and then remove from heat. In a separate bowl, beat the egg and add in yogurt. Add 1 cup of the cornmeal mix to egg/yogurt, then stir this and the baking soda into the pot of cornmeal mix.

Place meat in a baking dish (I used 11 1/2 x 8 1/2", and I wouldn't use anything smaller), making sure to leave most of liquid behind. Pour cornmeal batter over the top and then sprinkle corn kernels on top. Bake at 350 for 45 min, or until it's brown and bubbly. If your dish is very full, you may want to place a baking sheet underneath to catch any overflow. Let sit for 10 min before serving. Serves 6.

This was good, and reminded me a lot of a grits and sausage breakfast casserole (only without any cheese) that Mom used to make. I would add more veggies if I were to do this over again (like chunks of onions and more bell pepper). And, come to think of it, cheese would be a nice addition, and could either be stirred into the meat or batter (or both) right before putting them in the dish.

This wasn't my favorite recipe that I've made from this book, but it's still good and brings in great Mexican flavors. My favorite of Lorna's recipes have been the barley and tofu stir-fry, the Thai salmon and brown rice, and the two desserts (bulgur pudding and creamy wheat berries). But, this recipe and the hominy with shredded chicken and amaranth, quinoa, and corn chowder were also tasty. The only one that I wouldn't consider making again is the amaranth porridge, but it was still a good experiment for my taste buds.

I'm enjoying focusing on a cookbook or two each month. It makes meal planning much faster because if I don't give myself any guidance I end up reading recipes for hours before deciding on what to make for the week. It's also a great way to explore each of my many cookbooks in depth. I'll wait to announce the cookbook for April (I know you're all waiting on the edge of your seats!), but I'll just say that there may be a little bit less meat in my diet...

Creamy wheat berry and honey dessert

**This is not a gluten-free recipe and was posted before I eliminated gluten from my diet.**

While flipping through Lorna Sass's whole grains book, I came across another great dessert. I loved her bulgur pudding that I made, so I knew that this would be good. And, I had some milk that I needed to use, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity to try this out.

Creamy wheat berry and honey dessert (adapted from "Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way" by Lorna Sass)

1 1/2 cups milk (whole or 2%)

1 Tbsp honey

1 1/2 cups cooked wheat berries (see below)

pinch of salt

generous pinch of cinnamon

2 Tbsp currants (or raisins or chopped dates)

Stir milk and honey together in small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in wheat berries, salt, and cinnamon. Return to a boil, reduce heat slightly, and let simmer for 30 min, stirring occasionally. Discard the skin that forms at the top and add currants. Continue to simmer until the mixture gets really thick (about 10 min). Serves 3.

To cook wheat berries, combine 2/3 cup wheat berries and 3 cups water in pot and bring to a b

oil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until wheat berries are tender (about an hour). Drain wheat berries. You can store them in the refrigerator for a few days, or the freezer for a few months.

This was very similar to the bulgur pudding, and every bit as delicious. The main difference is the texture because the berries retain their chewiness while the bulgur gets extremely soft. I love both varieties, though. I'm still crazy about wheat berries, kamut, bulgur, and every other variation of wheat that I can get my hands on. Mom told me that the bulgur pudding was one of the weirder things that I've made, but both were incredibly sweet (I promise!) and very similar to rice pudding. I'm looking forward to trying one out on her to see what she thinks. I could eat this all day, except for the fact that it's extremely filling.

This was so delicious, that I have to submit it to the Jihva for Ingredients blogging event because this month's theme is wheat. I have to celebrate and share one of my favorite grains! This month JFI is hosted by Roma at Roma's Space, and I'm excited to participate!

Andean pinto bean and butternut squash stew

After a few days of warmer weather, it got fairly cold again. On one hand I'm completely sick of winter and can't wait for summer, but I also enjoy soups and stews that are essential for staying warm. I figured I should make one to make the most of the less-than-desirable weather. I was excited to stumble upon this recipe because it combined two of my favorite things - beans and winter squash.

Andean pinto bean and butternut squash stew (adapted from The New York Times)

1/2 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1/2 Tbsp paprika

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup (about 1/2 can) diced tomatoes

4 cups water

4 cups cooked pinto beans (from about 1/2 lb dried beans, or 2 cans)

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed into bite-sized pieces

1 bay leaf

1/4 cup quinoa, rinsed well

1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

1 tsp tabasco sauce

salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil over medium heat in large pot. Add onion and cook until tender, about 5 min. Add paprika and garlic and cook for an additional minute. Stir in tomatoes, and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated (5-10 min). Add water and beans and bring to a boil. Stir in squash and bay leaf, reduce heat, cover, and let simmer until squash is tender (about 30 min). Add quinoa and continue to cook about 20 min, or until quinoa is done (there will no longer be a white dot in the middle of each grain). Stir in parsley and tabasco and season with salt and pepper. Cook for an additional 5 min. Serves 5.

This was delicious, and somewhat different than your typical bean soups/stews. I love pinto beans, but I usually forget about them and end up using black or kidney beans. I'm glad

I discovered this recipe that was perfect for them. Next time I'll add more quinoa because I really couldn't tell that it was there, but otherwise it was fabulous. I really liked the pairing of the beans and squash, and they gave the stew a smooth texture as they cooked and began to disintegrate.

I'm submitting this post to My Legume Love Affair. This blogging event was started by Susan from The Well-Seasoned Cook, and is hosted by Laurie from Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska this month (see complete list of hosts). I'm glad that I can include my reconnection with pinto beans in this great event!

Roasted asparagus with peanut sauce

Today the Michigan State basketball team played Louisville for a chance to go to the Final Four. I didn't think they had a chance, but figured that I should make something green for good luck. And, I figured a nice peanut sauce would go well with my leftover Thai salmon, butter beans, and rice.

Roasted asparagus with peanut sauce (adapted from "Vegetables Every Day" by Jack Bishop)

1 lb. thin asparagus

1 Tbsp peanut oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp creamy peanut butter

juice of 1/2 lime

1 tsp soy sauce (use wheat-free tamari for gluten-free)

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

water

Remove and discard bottom inch of asparagus stalk. Drizzle asparagus with oil, and sprinkle with garlic. Toss well so that all stalks are completely covered with oil, and then spread out on a baking sheet. Roast at 450, stirring asparagus occasionally, until it starts to brown (about 15 min). Mix remaining ingredients well, and add enough water so that it becomes pourable (I added about 2 Tbsp). Place asparagus on serving dish and drizzle with sauce. Serves 3.

This was delicious and went perfectly with my Thai lunch. I was never able to get the sauce very smooth (and I may have added a little bit too much water while I was attempting this), but it still tasted great. And apparently it brought the Spartans the luck that they needed because I've never seen them play better and they ended up creaming Louisville! I got so much energy from the excitement of winning the game (and the massive amounts of caffeine I consumed while watching the game) that I ended up juggling this afternoon instead of working. Note to self: don't lift weights in the morning and then juggle for a long time (your arms and shoulders will hate you so much that it's hard to stir while cooking).

Given that the month is almost up, this will probably be the last recipe from one of the cookbooks of the month, "Vegetables Every Day." I still love this book - the recipes are fairly simple, but all have been great. When all is said and done, in addition to this delicious asparagus, I've made a cauliflower and curry dish, boiled carrots with African spices, a spinach and pasta concoction, and two braised cabbage dishes (one with vinegar and onions and one with apples and cinnamon. It will be fun to use this book more as the seasons change and I have access to more veggies.

Slow-cooked cabbage with apples and cinnamon

See, I told you there would be another cabbage recipe this week. And this was another winner. In the past, I've avoided cooking sweet vegetable dishes, but I'm liking it more and more now. The sugar of fruit (whether that be apples, pears, raisins, or other fruit) really enhances the flavor of some veggies. This is no exception.

Slow-cooked cabbage with apples and cinnamon (adapted from "Vegetables Every Day" by Jack Bishop)

1/2 head of green cabbage

1 Tbsp butter

2 small fuji apples, chopped into small pieces (peel if you want - I didn't)

1 medium onion, sliced thinly

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 cup apple cider (I made "strong" apple juice with frozen concentrate and water)

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Shred cabbage into 1/2 - 1" strips. Melt butter in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Add apples and onions and cook until they start to brown (about 8 min). Add cinnamon stick, stir a few seconds, and then stir in cabbage. Add cider, reduce heat, cover, and cook until cabbage is tender (about 40 min). Stir in vinegar and season with salt and pepper. If there's remaining liquid, let simmer uncovered for a few minutes until it evaporates. Remove cinnamon stick. Serves 3.

Another delicious cabbage dish that I couldn't stop eating. In fact, I even ate some for breakfast the day after I made it. The cabbage absorbed a lot of the apple flavor from the apples and the juice, and it was a great combination of tastes. I wish I had more cabbage, but there should be more yummy veggie recipes on the way this week!