Elk Chili

This recipe calls for ground elk, but ground beef works well too.

The key to any good chili is to avoid using canned kidney beans. Although convenient, for the most part the canned variety has a texture on par with mashed potatoes. They are complete disaster if the chili is frozen then thawed and reheated. Do yourself and your family a favor, use the dry variety instead. It only takes a couple of minutes to set them up for overnight soaking.


Ingredients

3 1/2 cups dry kidney beans, soaked overnight in 2 quarts of water
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp canola oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 large sweet red pepper, diced
1 cup diced celery
2 lb ground elk
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 x 28 ounce cans of diced tomatoes
2 x 14 ounce cans of tomato sauce
2 small cans of tomato paste
6 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin seed
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp ground coriander seed
1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (more if you like it hotter)
Method

Drain the kidney beans that have been soaking overnight.
Put them in a large pot with enough water so that the water level is one inch above the beans.
Add 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat, continue to stir very occasionally, and cook them until they are tender firm, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Drain the cooked kidney beans and set them aside.

While kidney beans are cooking prepare the onion, garlic, red pepper and celery.
Set the prepared vegetables aside in one medium sized bowl.

In a small bowl combine the chili powder, ground cumin seed, oregano, ground coriander seed, and cayenne pepper.
Set the bowl of spices aside.

Put 2 tbsp canola oil in a heavy bottomed 12-quart stock pot.
Over medium to medium-high heat sauté the prepared vegetables for about 3 minutes, or until the onion is just beginning to soften.

Add the set aside spices to the stock pot.
Stir and cook for about a minute or until the spices begin to colour and become aromatic.
Immediately add the elk meat.
Break up any elk meat that clumps, and continue to stir and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste.
Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat immediately.
Simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add cooked kidney beans and continue to cook for an additional 15 minutes or until desired tenderness in beans is reached.
Serve with crusty French bread.

Flavor improves if refrigerated overnight and reheated the following day.
This chili also freezes well.

Carne Asada with orange juice marinade

1 20 oz sirloin steak
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf oregano, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup orange juice
1 Tablespoon lime juice
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 oranges sliced 1/2" thick

Place steak in shallow glass baking dish. Rub with oil on each side.

Sprinkle with oregano, salt and pepper.  Spinkle orange juice, lime juice, and vinegar over the steak.  Cover and refrigerate overnight for best flavor or several hours, turning occasionally.

To cook, bring meat to room temperature.  Prepare and preheat grill.  Drain meat, reserving marinade.  Place steak on grill.  Top with orange slices.

Occasionally spoon reserved marinade over steaks as they cook.  Grill 3-4 minutes on each side, or until medium-rare.  Cook longer if desired.

Remove orange slices to turn steak.  Replace orange slices on top of steak.

Raspberry Pecan Crockpot Turkey

This is a good recipe if you are not serving a crowd.  It keeps the turkey really moist, and it helps avoid the conflict between people who like cranberry sauce and those who don’t.  And it is super easy.

Serves 6 – 8

1 (3 to 4 lb) boneless turkey breast, fully thawed

10 oz. raspberry jam

1 tsp. prepared mustard

1/2 cup pecan pieces

Fresh raspberries and pecan halves, for garnish

Place the turkey breast in the slow cooker.  Mix the raspberry jam, mustard, and pecan pieces together and spoon over the turkey.  Cook for 6 to 8 hours on the low setting, occasionally spooning some of the jam mixture back over the turkey breast.  Garnish with fresh berries and pecans before serving, then listen to the oohs and ahhs.  Also, don’t plan on any leftovers.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 boneless pork shoulder  roast (3 1/2 to 4 pounds), netted or tied
1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed French Onion Soup
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
12 round sandwich rolls or hamburger rolls, split

• Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook until well browned on all sides.
• Stir the soup, ketchup, vinegar and brown sugar in a 5-quart slow cooker. Add the pork and turn to coat.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours* or until the pork is fork-tender.
• Remove the pork from the cooker to a cutting board and let stand for 10 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred the pork. Return the pork to the cooker.
• Spoon the pork and sauce mixture on the rolls.
• *Or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

This is one of my favorite new recipes.  The sauce is sooooo good.  It would be good with chicken as well.  You can add more or less green peppers and carrots if you like.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

• 2 pounds lean ground beef (I used ground venison) 
  
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

• 2 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained with juice reserved
• 2/3 cup water
•  6 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
•  2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a large, shallow baking sheet.
2. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the ground beef, eggs, bread crumbs and onion. Sprinkle with ginger, seasoning salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and sugar. Shape into one inch balls.
3. Place meatballs in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 17 to 20 minutes; set aside.
4. To make the sauce, mix enough water with the reserved pineapple juice to make 2 cups. In a large pot over medium heat, combine the juice mixture, 2/3 cup water, vinegar, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Stir in cornstarch, and ginger, until smooth. Cover and cook until thickened.
5. Stir pineapple chunks, carrot, green pepper and meatballs into the sauce. Gently stir to coat the meatballs with the sauce. Simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, or until meatballs are thoroughly cooked.

White Yeast Bread

This is my all-time favorite bread recipe.

Approx.  5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, unsifted
1/4 cup sugar
1 pkg. active dry yeast
2 tsp salt
2 cups milk
1/4 shortening

Mix two cups of the flour with sugar, yeast, and salt.  Heat milk and shortening together over low heat until warm.  Stir into flour mixture.  Mix in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough that leaves the sides of the bowl.  Knead on a lightly floured surface until dough is smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes.  Place in a greased bowl and turn over once to grease upper side of dough.  Cover and let rise in a warm place (80 to 85 F) until double in size.  Grease two 9x5x2 1/2" loaf pans.  Press dough down to remove air bubbles.  Divide in half.  Shape into loaves.  Place in loaf pans.  Let rise in warm place until double in size.  Preheat oven to 400 F.  Bake 20 minutes.  Remove bread from pan and cool on rack.  Yield: 2 loaves, 16 slices each, about 100 calories per slice.