Mental Health Food
Author: Eileen Clarke - Rifles and Recipes
Mental Health Food
Eileen Clarke
Rifles and Recipes
That’s what casseroles are. But the most common enchilada casseroles have too much tortilla---just empty calories--for me. I want protein in hunting season, to keep me going for three or more hours--longer than white flour tortillas and sugar do. I need meat. And melted cheese. I carry candy bars in the field, but they’re for quick, short-term exertion, like driving home with a whitetail in the back of my truck. Once I’m home after a frigid morning’s hunt, I’m stacking protein to be ready for tomorrow.
FYI: Want a bigger casserole? I made this one in an 8.25x8.25 baking dish: that’s 68.6 square inches. A 9x12 pan is 108 sq. inches or 40% larger. There was more room in that 8.25x8.25 baking dish. So when I make this for more people in a full 12” long pan, I double the recipe. And have plenty of room.
Low Carb-High Protein Enchilada Casserole
Serves 4
Ingredients
1½ teaspoons onion powder
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground oregano
¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
2 tablespoons oil
1 pound ground venison
10 ounce can Rotel (original)
½ can (14.75 ounces) of creamed corn
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 flour tortillas (10 inch)
¾ pound queso blanco or Monterey Jack cheese
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Combine the onion powder, ground cumin, ground oregano and coarse ground black pepper in a small bowl or cup. Set that by the stove.
2. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium to medium-high heat and, when the oil is hot, add the ground venison to the skillet. As you first break up the meat, sprinkle the spice mixture over it and stir it in.
3. When the meat is lightly browned, add the Rotel and continue cooking until the pan is pretty dry. (There’s a ton of liquid in the Rotel which, left as is, would make the casserole very soupy.) Pan pretty dry? Turn it off and stir the creamed corn and brown sugar into the meat/Rotel.
2. Lay the tortillas on a cutting board and slice them into about 6 strips, each 1½ to 2 inches wide. If they were frozen, let them thaw first to make them easier to handle.
Assembly
Are you using queso blanco? Crumble it up. Monterey jack? Cut it into thin slices, about ⅛ inch. (If you don’t have enough of each, use some of both.) Now assemble the casserole. Pour half of the meat/Rotel mixture into a 9x9 baking dish. Layer about half the tortilla strips over that, then half the cheese. Repeat. ending with the cheese.
Cooking
Loosely cover the casserole with foil and bake about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes, until the cheese on top is nicely browned.
Serve with cornbread or a salad. Or both.
This casserole will be in the November issue of Rifle Loony News on online written 4 times a year by Eileen and her husband John Barsness, a longtime columnist for Rifle and Handloader magazines, and Sports Afield. He writes about handloading and all things hunting, while Eileen talks game care and cooking, as well as hunting stories--both successful and royally messed up. Available at https://www.riflesandrecipes.com $10 a year. 406-521-0273
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PhotoCredit: Eileen Clarke Photo
Image 1 Caption: Winter Kill
Eileen Clarke Photo
