Oh dear, is that deer?

Here in the High Country deer hunting season is in full swing! Once you're out of the woods, what should you do with your prized deer meat? Try one of these fun recipes.

Venison Chili

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless venison steak, cubed

1 pound pork sausage

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

Hot pepper sauce to taste

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 (15.5 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained

1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes green chilies

3 tablespoons chili powder, or to taste

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese for garnish

Directions:

1.) Place the venison and sausage in a large skillet and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon as necessary, over medium heat until no longer pink and evenly browned. Drain grease. Stir in the onions and garlic, and cook until aromatic, about 3 minutes. Drain, and mix in the tomato paste. Season to taste with hot pepper sauce, salt, and pepper.

2.) Pour the cannellini beans and tomatoes into a slow cooker. Stir in the venison mixture. Cover, and cook 8 to 10 hours on Low, or 5 hours on High. Sprinkle each serving with shredded Cheddar cheese.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 8 hours

Serves: 8

~OR TRY~

Venison Stroganoff

Ingredients:

1 pound venison, cut into cubes

Salt and pepper to taste

Garlic powder to taste

1 onion, chopped

2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 (16 ounce) package uncooked egg noodles

1 (8 ounce) container sour cream

Directions:

1.) Season venison with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Saute onion in a large skillet; when soft, add venison and brown. Drain when venison is no longer pink and add soup. Reduce heat to low and simmer.

2.) Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

3.) When noodles are almost done cooking, stir sour cream into meat mixture. Pour meat mixture over hot cooked noodles and serve.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4 

Happy cooking! Let us know if you tried and liked either of these recipes!

Eat more pumpkin!

       The advent of winter is upon us, but before you go and pick out a Christmas tree to put up in your living room remember that there are a few holidays we have to get through before the end of December. That first holiday comes at the end of October: Halloween. 

       The first words that come to mind when I think of October are hot apple cider and pumpkins. Why not try seasonal recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth? Because who says you can only make fudge during Christmas time? 

Pumpkin Fudge

Ingredients:

• 3 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup melted butter
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 (12-ounce) package white chocolate morsels
• 1 (7-ounce) jar marshmallow crème
• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

• Stir together first 6 ingredients in a 3 1/2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. 
• Cook, stirring constantly for about 12 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat.
• Stir in remaining ingredients until well blended. 
• Pour into a greased aluminum foil-lined 9-inch square pan. 

Let stand 2 hours or until completely cool; cut fudge into squares.

Note: Line pan with aluminum foil before you cook the fudge. Once the remaining ingredients are added, quickly spoon the fudge into the pan.

Recipe Time

Cook time: 15 minutes

Prep time: 10 minutes

Stand: 2 hours

OR TRY

Candy Corn Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• Yellow food coloring
• Red food coloring

Preparation:

• Beat butter and sugar together at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Combine flour, salt, and lemon zest; gradually stir into butter mixture.
• Divide dough into 3 equal pieces (about 1 1/4 cups each); tint 1 piece with yellow food coloring. Tint another piece orange using red and yellow food coloring. (Add 1 to 2 teaspoons flour to orange dough if food coloring makes it softer than other colors.)
•  Place white, untinted dough in bottom of a 9- x 5-inch loaf pan, pressing down. Top with orange dough and then yellow, pressing down. Cover and chill 2 hours.
• Turn dough out onto work surface. Cut slices 3/8-inch thick from dough; cut each slice into 6 triangles. Place cookies on parchment paper– or aluminum foil–lined baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 7 to 8 minutes, or until set but not browned. Cool on wire rack 1 minute; transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Recipe Time
Prep time: 50 minutes
Chill: 2 hours
Bake: 7 minutes


       Enjoy the fall weather and happy cooking!!