Venison Bowl

Posted on August 27, 2011 by okieranchwife

Hunting season is right around the corner. Time to get all of your favorite wild game recipes out of the cabinet and dusted off.

  • 4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
  • 1 large Onion, diced
  • 1 pound of Sweet Italian Sausage, removed from the casing
  • 2 teaspoons Red Chili Powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground Cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried Oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
  • 2 pounds boneless Venison, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 can (16 ozs) Beef Broth
  • 2 cups crushed Italian Style Tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup Tomato Paste
  • 2 tablespoons Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Dark Brown Sugar
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper, seeded and diced
  • Sea Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup Parsley, chopped
  • Cooked Rice. Brown or White, your choice

In a cast iron Dutch Oven heat 2 tablespoons EVOO. Add onion and cook over medium heat until translucent and tender about 8 minutes. Don’t brown. Crumble sausage into the pan and stir to break up any chunks. Cook over medium high and brown well for about 10 minutes. Gradually add in chili powder, cumin, oregano, and pepper flakes.

Heat the remaining EVOO in a nonstick skillet. Brown the venison in small batches. Don’t let it dry out. Add cooked meat to the Dutch Oven.  When all of the venison is browned and in the Dutch Oven add beef broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, chipotles and brown sugar.

Simmer over medium heat, uncovered for 1 hour. Stir occasionally.  Add the bell pepper and simmer on medium low for 30 minutes or until venison is tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley and serve over cooked rice in bowls. Serve with crusty bread and creamy butter.

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Mexican Lasagna

Posted on August 27, 2011 by okieranchwife

Like Italian Lasagna? Try this Mexican version. For a real twist try Chicken instead of beef.

  • 1 pound lean ground Beef or Bison (or 6 skinless Chicken Breasts diced)
  • 1 can (16 oz) Refried Beans
  • 2 teaspoons dried Oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground Cumin
  • 2 teaspoons Red Chili Powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 12 uncooked Lasagna Noodles
  • 2 1/2 cups Water (can use less if salsa is watery)
  • 2 1/2 cups Picante Sauce or Salsa
  • 16 ozs Sour Cream (out here we have a great Mexican Sour Cream called Cacique)
  • 3/4 cup fine sliced Green Onions
  • 1 can (3 ozs) sliced Black Olives, drained (or blitz some whole olives in a food processor)
  • 4 ozs Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded

Preheat oven 350F.

Combine meat, beans, oregano, cumin, chili powder and garlic powder. Place 4 uncooked noodles in the bottom of a 13x9x1 baking pan. Spread half of the meat mix on top of noodles. Place 4 more noodles on top of the meat mix. Spread the rest of the meat mix on the noodles. Cover with the remaining noodles. Combine the water and picante sauce. Pour over the layers of meat and noodles. Cover tightly with foil. Bake for 1 1/2 hours or until noodles are tender.

Mix sour cream, onions and black olives. Spoon over casserole and top with cheese. Bake uncovered for about 5 minutes until cheese is melted and slightly browned.  Serves about 12.

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Sticks and Stones Arkansas Stew

Posted on August 26, 2011 by okieranchwife

This is a contribution from my brother for my blog. Again a one pot meal that is a favorite of mine!

  • 1 pound Beef, cubed
  • 4 ribs Celery, cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 1 large Onion, large chopped
  • 6 Carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 2 teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 3 teaspoons Pepper
  • 1 can (15 ozs) Green Beans
  • 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
  • 2 quarts Water
  • 1 can (16 ozs) Low Sodium Beef Stock or Home made
  • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

Brown the beef in a cast iron Dutch Oven about 8 minutes. Add Olive Oil if needed.  Remove beef from pot and set aside.  Add flour to the pot and brown the flour. Gradually add water and stir to smooth any lumps. Add beef back in the pot and all the remaining ingredients.  Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Serves 4 to 6.

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Sourdough Biscuits and Sawmill Gravy

Posted on August 26, 2011 by okieranchwife

Oh yeah, this was another dish that I had to learn how to make for my cowboy husband when I moved west. Now I can say that I am a connoisseur of Sawmill gravy. And, no surprise, I like mine best! This is my white breakfast gravy. My kettle gravy that I pair with my husband’s Chicken Fried Bison Steak is slightly different. And I’ll post that one soon.

  • 1/2 cup Onion, chopped
  • 1 clove Garlic, peeled and pressed
  • 2 tablespoons Butter
  • 2 cups cold Milk
  • 4 tablespoons All Purpose Flour or Wondra
  • 1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt or Kosher Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper

Over medium high heat, melt butter and saute onions and garlic until tender. Don’t let them brown.  Gradually add milk and flour and stir constantly until smooth. Turn up heat to medium high and let gravy thicken but don’t let it burn.

Ladle the gravy over the biscuits and serve warm.  I use my husband’s Sour Dough Biscuits that listed in the bread category. Or you can use store bought ones like Pillsbury.

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Cimarron Strip Chicken and Cornbread

Posted on August 25, 2011 by okieranchwife

I found this recipe in my mom’s collection. She clipped recipes from everywhere so I don’t have any attribution to give the original chef credit but I’m certain it was a big hit when he or she made it. I think you’ll like it too.

You need to use a stove top and oven safe cooking vessel because this starts on the stove top and finishes in the oven. That’s why I use one of my cast iron skillets.

  • 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
  • 1 small Onion, chopped
  • 1 small Red Bell Pepper, cleaned, seeded and diced
  • 1 Jalapeno Pepper, seeded and minced
  • 1 large clove of Garlic, peeled and pressed
  • 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour or Wondra
  • 1 can (15 oz) Low Sodium Chicken Broth or Home made
  • 1/4 cup fresh squeezed Lime Juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground Cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated Lime Zest
  • 2 cups cooked Chicken Breast, diced
  • 1/2 cup Corn Kernels, fresh or frozen
  • 1/2 cup Black Beans, drained
  • 2 tablespoons fresh Cilantro

For the Cornbread topping:

  • 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour or Wondra
  • 1/2 cup Yellow Cornmeal
  • 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
  • 2 tablespoons sliced Black Olives
  • 1 whole Egg, slightly beaten
  • 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
  • 1/2 cup Milk
  • Sprigs of Cilantro as garnish

In a deep cast iron skillet heat the EVOO on medium low heat. Add onion, peppers and garlic. Cook for one minute. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add the broth, lime juice, cumin and lime zest. Cook over medium heat, stirring until thickened and smooth about 8 to 10 minutes. Add in the chicken, corn, black beans and cilantro. Reduce heat to low and prepare the cornbread topping.

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Combine all topping ingredients except the cilantro sprigs to garnish in a bowl and mix until well blended. Drop the topping by tablespoons onto the chicken mixture. It should resemble a cobble when finished. Bake in oven for 30 to 35 minutes until the topping is golden brown. Serve with sprigs of cilantro.

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Sooner BBQ Pork Chops

Posted on August 25, 2011 by okieranchwife

My husband, AKA The Grill Meister, made dinner  last night. As I said before I don’t even fire up the grill when he’s not at home. I think he was born with a “grilling” gene in his DNA! He said this recipe was too easy to put on my blog, but I said easy is where it’s at.

We had mashed sweet potatoes and German potato salad as sides. Yes, we were heavy on the carbs, but I was using up our leftovers! 🙂   

  • 1 butterflied Pork Chop per person
  • Woody’s Cook-in’ Sauce (Or any smoky flavored BBQ sauce)

Coat all sides of the chops with Woody’s and let marinade for at least 2 hours in the fridge.  Take the chops out of the fridge and allow the chops to come to room temperature.

Fire up your grill. We use a hot charcoal grill that will seer surface and hold in the juices. Depending on how thick the chops are, we grill them 4 to 5 minutes on each side.  Now that’s some good eatin’.

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Frosted Pumpkin Squares

Posted on August 25, 2011 by okieranchwife

I like savory dishes but every once in a while I get a craving for something sweet. But even then I include spices in it. I guess it’s like my personality! And it’s my husband’s favorite cake……so far! 🙂

  • 2 cups All Purpose Flour
  • 1 cup packed Brown Sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 3 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie or Spice Cake Spices (If you don’t have the premixed spices use a combination of Cinnamon, Nutmeg, powdered Ginger and Allspice) 
  • 1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt or Kosher Salt
  • 1/2 cup Canola Oil
  • 1/2 cup Apple Juice
  • 1 can (15 ozs) Pumpkin (don’t use the Pumpkin Pie mix) or you can use fresh cooked mashed Pumpkin
  • 2 Whole Eggs, beaten

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 1 stick salted Butter, softened
  • 1 package (8 ozs) Cream Cheese or Neufchatel Cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups Confectioner’s Sugar
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons Milk or Half & Half
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Beat to mix until smooth. Add more milk if needed to get a nice spreadable consistency. Set aside until pumpkin squares are baked and cooled. 

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 15x10x1 pan with shortening or non stick cooking spray. Lightly dust with flour. In the large bowl of a stand mixer combine ingredients of the pumpkin squares and beat on low speed until blended and moistened. Then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Turn out the batter into the greased and floured pan.

Bake 20 to 30 minutes depending on your oven. Check with a toothpick. When it comes out clean from the center the squares are done. Cool on the countertop for about 1 hour.

Spread the frosting over the cooled bars and chill in fridge for 30 minutes. When the frosting is set cut into squares.

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Indian Taco

Posted on August 25, 2011 by okieranchwife

Before Oklahoma was a state, it was Indian Territory. “Okla-Humma” means “red People’ in the Choctaw language. There are 39 tribal governments in the state’s boundaries and the Oklahoma Indian Affairs Commission states that Oklahoma has the second highest American Indian population.

When I first started to work for one of Indian Nations, a co-worker asked me if I wanted an Indian Taco for lunch. I didn’t know what it was so I said no. Oh, big mistake! When she came back with hers I just wanted to eat it up.  Now it is one of my Oklahoma favorites. It all starts with the Fry Bread.

  • 2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
  • 2 cups White Flour
  • 4 level tablespoons Baking Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/4 cup Vegetable or Canola Oil
  • 1 cup Warm Water

Mix together flour, baking powder and salt. Add the vegetable oil a little at a time, only enough to make the mixture look like corn meal.  Slowly add 1 cup warm water, only adding enough to make the dough stick together.  Roll into fist sized balls and put in a large bowl.  Cover the bowl with a towel for about 10 minutes. Pat dough out with your hands to the size of a large pancake.   

Fry in hot vegetable oil (about 375 F) until golden brown on both sides. Take out of oil and place on paper towel. It should look like a puffed up pita bread.

To assemble the Indian Taco, you use all of the same ingredients as a Mexican Taco. Beef, refried beans, shredded lettuce, onions, tomatoes, cheese and sour cream. But use a knife and fork, you can’t pick this bad boy up!

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Black Bean Soup

Posted on August 24, 2011 by okieranchwife

Almost any soup is a good candidate for cast iron cooking and emergency cooking. This soup uses some fresh veggies but you can easily substitute with dried veggies. The canned veggies are convenient in an emergency situation. This soup has a really nice Southwestern flavor in either version.

  • 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
  • 1/2 cup Carrot, peeled and grated
  • 1/2 cup Celery, chopped
  • 1/2 cup Onion, chopped
  • 2 cans (10 oz each) diced Mexican Tomatoes with Green Chilies 
  • 3 cans (15 ozs each) Black Beans, undrained
  • 1 can (11 ozs) Mexican Style Corn
  • 1/2 teaspoon Cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground Coriander
  • 1/4 cup fresh Cilantro, destemmed and chopped
  • Sea Salt and pepper to taste

Heat EVOO over medium high heat in a cast iron Dutch Oven, saute carrots, celery and onions about 15 minutes until tender. Add remaining ingredients except the cilantro. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes. Adjust seasonings to your taste and stir in cilantro. Serve warm.

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Chicken Minestrone Soup

Posted on August 24, 2011 by okieranchwife

This soup is so versatile. You can use any type of veggies you have on hand. You can also make a vegetarian version by dropping the chicken and substituting veggie broth. This soup also freezes well, so make a double batch!

  • 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
  • 1 8 oz boneless, skinless Chicken Breast, cut in bite size pieces
  • 4 large Cloves, peeled and pressed
  • 1 large Onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cups Celery, finely chopped
  • 2 1/2 cups Zucchinni, thin sliced
  • 2 cans (14 ozs) diced Tomatoes, undrained
  • 3 cups low sodium Chicken Broth or Home made
  • 2 cups Water
  • 2 teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Sugar or Sugar Substitute
  • 2 teaspoons dried Basil or 1 tablespoon fresh
  • 1 teaspoon dried Oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried Thyme or 4 sprigs fresh
  • 1/2 teaspoon Red Cayenne Powder
  • 1 Jalapeno Pepper, seeded and chopped
  • Sea Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 1 can (15 oz) Cannolini Beans (White Kidney Beans)
  • 1 cup uncooked Elbow style Pasta
  • Fresh Parsley to garnish

In a cast iron Dutch Oven, heat EVOO over medium high heat. Saute chicken breast pieces ans set aside. Add garlic and onions and saute in the EVOO.  Add back the chicken. Then add celery, zucchini, tomatoes, broth, water, herbs, spices and beans. Simmer covered for about 30 minutes.  Add pasta and cook an additional 15 minutes. Check to see if you need water. Don’t let soup get too thick. Add salt and pepper to taste. Check the other herbs and spices add additional per your taste.  Can serve with fresh parsley.

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