cumin – Oven Love

Mini Mexican Zucchini Boats (Grain-Free, GAPS/Paleo/Dairy-Free Option)

Natalie — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 04:54:49 +0000

I made a real dinner, you guys.

I actually semi-meal-planned it and put thought into it and everything (say what??). Mom/wife of the year!

It’s tough for me to get my head on straight and focus on my every day responsibilities at the moment. The new house is just crazy and it’s consuming my thoughts. I sat down to write my market/grocery list and I reeeeally had to focus, but I got it done. And I actually bought the things on my list at the market without buying any extra stuff (except a strawberry popsicle for my little helper, couldn’t resist). Although.. we did go to Trader Joe’s afterwards and we have about 0.0% self control in that place.. so mission only semi-accomplished. Oops.

We will have to do a whole run down of our Trader Joe’s favorites soon.. I could talk about it all day. Love/hate relationship.

Okay, so these are mini taco-stuffed zucchini boats. Cute, right? I made them smaller so they’d work nicely for kid portions. I actually thought about making them even smaller, but I thought the filling might fall out. After cooking them, I can say that they’d be perfect bite-sized appetizers if you cut them into 1-inch portions. I’d love to serve teeny tiny ones with some margs- GIANT margs.

If you are paleo or dairy-free, I still think these would be tasty without the cheese. We had some extra filling and we fried it up like a little taco burger, and it tasted great. Cheese not necessary.

These little boats are a nice way to switch things up if you like tacos, but you’re getting tired of your typical tortilla or lettuce wrap. The zucchini is basically just another vehicle for getting that taco goodness in your mouth. It’s really all about the filling, isn’t it? It takes a little extra time, but it’s not as messy as a taco if you’re feeding them to your child. This is important at my house, since my daughter has crazy-dinner-mess-face every time she eats. Girl is serious about her food.

Hopefully, I can keep up this meal-planning streak for another few days. I think you probably know how that’s going to end..

Mini Mexican Zucchini Boats

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

50 mins

*To make things even quicker, you can substitute about 3-4T taco seasoning for the spices.

Author: Oven Love

Recipe type: Main Course

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

4 medium zucchinis, ends trimmed
1 pound ground beef (I prefer grass-fed)
½ onion, minced
½ green bell pepper, minced
1-2 garlic cloves, minced/pressed/grated
1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional, not Paleo-approved)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (optional)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoons salt
cracked pepper to taste (probably around 1 teaspoon)
1 cup shredded cheese (optional, I used a mixture of monterey jack and sharp cheddar)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375. Grease the bottom of a large baking dish.
To prepare the zucchinis, cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh to make a channel. Set aside.
To prepare the filling, mix the ground beef, onion, bell pepper, garlic, jalapeno, tomato paste (if using) and spices in a medium bowl.
To assemble, fill the zucchinis with the ground beef mixture. Then cut each zucchini in half (or smaller sections if you life). Place the mini zucchini boats in the greased dish.
Bake for 20 minutes. Pull out of the oven, top with the shredded cheese and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until the zucchini is soft and the cheese is melted. If you’re not using cheese, bake about 30 minutes until the zucchini is soft and the filling is set.
Serve warm and enjoy.

Slow Cooker (Crockpot) BBQ Ribs

Natalie — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 13:37:00 +0000

Yesterday was an exciting day in the Oven Love house!

I made RIBS. On a MONDAY. With little to no effort.

It was like the Twilight Zone.

Blogger confession: I think I’ve only eaten ribs, like, 2 times in my life before this?

They always seem like they would be tasty.. but when I see people eat ribs, it just looks like more trouble than it’s worth. And a mess. And fatty, low-quality meat. Ugh.

But THESE ribs.. they are something to write about. They came from our grass-fed half-hog, so no worries about low-quality for us. There is usually a little more time between when we eat a meal and when it gets posted, but I had to share these with you ASAP. You need them in your life!

Here’s what to expect: rub the ribs with spices, let cook all day, then reduce your sauce, baste your ribs and broil for less than 10 minutes. Minimal effort for you, big reward for your tummy.

I had to be super careful getting these out of the slow cooker because they were so tender (notice the pile of meat in the background of these pictures- that rack did not make it out without falling apart completely.. YUM). You could probably skip the broiling step if you’re pressed for time, but I wouldn’t if I were you- the natural sugars in the sauce carmelize and make the most amazing crust. You don’t want to miss it.

Needless to say, I am a big fan of this method!

Ribs will probably still be a rarity around here, but the next time I find myself with some.. you better believe they’re headed straight for the slow cooker.

Slow Cooker (Crockpot) BBQ Ribs

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

7 hours

Total time

7 hours 5 mins

with inspiration from My Life As A Mrs, Mmm is for Mommy, Foodie Crush and Spicy Ice Cream

Author: Oven Love

Ingredients

1 full rack or 2 half racks pork ribs, preferably pastured (or whatever fits in your slow cooker!)
1 tablespoon paprika (I used sweet this time, but you can use a combo of sweet and smoked paprika)
1 tablespoon unrefined sugar (like Sucanat)
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon chile powder (I used Ancho chile powder)
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon oregano
1 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce (I used my homemade peach and plum BBQ sauce- I wish I had written down the recipe, it is so good!)

Instructions

Pat your ribs dry with a paper towel. Combine all of the spices (paprika through oregano above) and rub onto the ribs. Place dry ribs (no water needed) in your slow cooker with the meaty side facing the heat.
Cook your ribs on low for 6-7 hours total. About half way through cooking, pour your barbecue sauce over the ribs and continue cooking.
When you’re ready to finish your ribs, preheat your oven’s broiler and place your oven rack about 10 inches below the heating element. Remove the ribs carefully from the slow cooker and place on a baking sheet with aluminum foil and a cooling rack (so any fat will drip off of the ribs and onto the foil). Set aside.
Pour the liquid from the slow cooker into a small pot and bring to a boil. Let the sauce thicken and reduce by about a third- this will take 10-15 minutes. When the sauce has reduced, brush onto the ribs and broil for 3-4 minutes. Baste with sauce and broil another 3-4 minutes. Remove and serve at this point, or continue to baste and broil until you reach your desired carmelization. Serve with any extra sauce.

Freezer-Friendly Chicken Enchiladas

Natalie — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:15:00 +0000

Forgive me if I don’t have much to say today.

I am now living in the Land Beyond Due Dates (again) and I’m having trouble thinking of anything more than this baby’s pending arrival. My brain and body are fried from weeks of early contractions and the last few sleepless nights of false labor. Can’t complain, though- I am lucky to be able to keep this baby healthy in here. Some ladies have to fight tooth and nail to keep their babies in, and I have been so blessed with healthy pregnancies.

See, I’m already off on a baby tangent. Moving on to the main event:

Apparently this dish has been making the internet rounds lately. I didn’t know this until I recognized the recipe over on Kristina’s blog (which you should check out immediately, she’s the cutest on the planet and has great recipes!) Now that I’ve eaten them, I can understand why they’ve been so popular. The savory red sauce, the delicious mix of two melty cheeses, the crispy crunch of the tortilla edges.. it all comes together to make a perfect bite.

The original recipe doesn’t need any help, but I did add my own freezer instructions to it so you can make this meal even easier to prepare. For me, the full recipe made two 8×8 pans of enchiladas as well as the single serving pictured here. I cooked the small serving and one 8×8 for our dinner and put the second 8×8 in the freezer for another time. Hardly any extra work for a whole extra dinner.

If you haven’t already beat me to it, I hope you have a chance to try these out!

Freezer-Friendly Chicken Enchiladas

Prep time

1 hour

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

1 hour 25 mins

via Annie’s Eats, originally from America’s Test Kitchen; freezer instructions added by Oven Love

Author: Annie’s Eats/America’s Test Kitchen/Oven Love

Recipe type: Main

Serves: 8

Ingredients

1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped fine
1 teaspoon canola oil
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons sugar
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large breasts)
1 cup extra sharp white cheddar, shredded
1 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded
½ cup minced fresh cilantro
12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas
cooking spray
salt and ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425.
Combine the onion, jalapeno, ½ teaspoon salt, and oil in a large saucepan. cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar, and cook until fragrant, less than 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce, water, and chopped tomato. Bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, 5 minutes.
Nestle the chicken into the sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through (thickest part reaches 160 degrees), about 12-20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate, and set aside to cool.
Strain the sauce through a strainer into a medium bowl, pressing the onion mixture to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer the onions to a large bowl and set aside. Season sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add to the onion mixture, and add ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce, 1 cup cheese, and the cilantro. Toss to combine.
Stack the tortillas on a plate and cover with plastic wrap; Microwave on high until warm and pliable, 40-60 seconds. Spread the tortillas on a clean work surface, and spoon ⅓ cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of each. Tightly roll each tortilla and lay seam-side down in a greased 9×13 inch baking dish.
*To freeze, stop here and see instructions below.*
Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray. Place in the oven, uncovered, for about 7 minutes, or until the tortillas start to brown slightly (skip this step if you don’t like the crunch).
Reduce heat to 400. Remove enchiladas and pour sauce evenly on top. Top with the remaining cheese. Cover dish with foil, and bake an additional 20 minutes, or until heated through.
Remove foil and bake another 5 minutes, until cheese browns. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, additional cilantro, etc.
To Freeze: Cover the dry enchiladas with aluminum foil and freeze. Freeze the sauce separately in a Ziploc freezer bag. Freeze the remaining cheese in a separate Ziploc bag as well.
To reheat after freezing: Let the enchiladas, sauce and cheese thaw in the refrigerator (putting it in the fridge in the morning should be fine). Preheat the oven to 400. Pour sauce on top of the thawed enchiladas and top with the cheese. Recover with foil and bake 20 minutes or until heated through. Remove the foil and bake another 5-10 minutes until the cheese browns. Remove from oven and follow serving directions above.