Amy

Best Venison Chili Recipe

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Here’s a great recipe for hunting season.  The kiddos will never know you used deer meat instead of hamburger.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ground venison
2 15 oz. cans kidney beans, drained
2 15 oz. cans black beans, drained
2 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes
2 medium onions, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 t. ground cumin
2 T. chili powder
1 T. hot pepper sauce
1 t. salt

Directions:

1.  Saute onions and garlic in a pan over medium heat.  Add ground venison and brown.

2.  Add spices to mixture and transfer to crockpot.  Place remaining ingredients in crockpot.  Stir.  Cook on low 8-10 hours or high 4-6 hours.  (I recommend the low setting.)

Source:  id-rather-be-deer-hunting.com

What is Ennui?

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 “It is wonderful how much time good people spend fighting the devil. If they would only expend the same amount of energy loving their fellow men, the devil would die in his own tracks of ennui.” 

― Helen Keller

 
What is ennui you may ask?  The dictionary defines ennui as boredom from lack of interest: weariness and dissatisfaction with life that results from a loss of interest or sense of excitement.  Can’t you just picture it?  Satan’s plan frustrated to the max!  The more I come to know the Savior, Jesus Christ and what’s important to Him, the more power I feel I have to combat Satan.  I have also come to know the devil quite a bit more over the last 2 years and that was some difficult knowledge to acquire.  But, you gotta know what you’re up against, right?

Full-Flavored Beef Stew

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This is a quick crock pot recipe.  It makes your house smell wonderful all day long!

Ingredients:

2 lb. beef roast or stew beef, cubed
2 c. sliced carrots
2 c. diced potatoes (I like to leave the skins on)
1 medium onion, sliced
1 1/2 c. peas
2 t. quick-cooking tapioca
1 T. salt
1/2 t. pepper
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 c. water
1 T. brown sugar

Directions:

1.  Combine beef and vegetables in slow cooker.  Sprinkle with tapioca, salt and pepper.

2.  Combine tomato sauce and water.  Pour over ingredients in slow cooker.  Sprinkle with brown sugar.

3.  Cover. Cook on Low 8 hours.

Source:  Stacy Petersheim, Mechanicsville, PA

Wet Coconut Cake

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This is 5 ingredients of deliciousness.

Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix
1 14 oz. can condensed milk
1 8 oz. can of cream of coconut milk
12 oz. cool whip
1 7 oz. can coconut

Directions:

1.  Mix cake according to package directions.  Bake in a 9×13 pan.

2.  While cake is still warm, poke holes in cake with fork.

3.  Combine condensed milk and coconut milk, pour over warm holes punctured in the cake.

4.  Let cool in the refrigerator 2 to 3 hours.

5.  Cover with cool whip and sprinkle with coconut.

Source:  cooks.com

Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies

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These cookies are fun and festive and pretty darn tasty.  It’s a party in a cookie!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 c. flour
1 1/4 c. yellow or white boxed cake mix (I used a funfetti mix)
1/2 t. baking soda
3/4 c. (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. light brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1 c. chocolate chips (I used 1/2 white and 1/2 semi-sweet)
1/2 c. sprinkles

Directions:

1.  In a large bowl, sift together flour, cake mix, and baking soda.  Set aside.  In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugars on medium speed.  Mix in the egg and vanilla until creamy.

2.  Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.  Do not overmix the dough.

3.  Cover and refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 days.  This step is mandatory.  The dough is fairly sticky, so chilling the dough is required in order to keep the cookie from spreading too much.

4.  Scoop rounded tablespoons of the cold dough onto an ungreased baking sheet.  Shape your cookie dough balls to be “taller” than they are wide.  Make sure to keep dough chilled when working in batches.  Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are slightly browned.  The centers will still appear very soft, but the cookies will set as they cool.

6.  Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 4 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Source:  sallysbakingaddiction.com

Swig Sugar Cookies

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Apparently, this is a knock off version of a cookie that is served at a spunky little joint in St. George, Utah.

Ingredients:

1 c. butter (room temperature)
3/4 c. vegetable oil
1 1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. powdered sugar
2 T. water
2 eggs
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. cream of tartar
1 t. salt
5 1/2 c. flour

Directions:

1.  Cream together butter, oil, sugars, water and eggs.

2.  Combine dry ingredients and slowly add to butter mixture.

3.  Mix until everything is combined.  Your dough should not be sticky at all.

4.  Roll into golf ball-sized dough and place on cookie sheet.  Put 1/4 c. sugar and a pinch of salt in a dish (this is in addition to the sugar and salt listed above).  Butter  the bottom of a glass. Stick the buttered glass into the sugar.  This is going to be your cookie press.  Firmly press it onto the center of your dough balls.

5.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.  Move cookies to a cooling rack.  Once they are cool put them in the refrigerator.

Sour Cream Frosting

Ingredients:

1/2 c. room temperature butter
3/4 sour cream
2 lb. powdered sugar (may not use it all)
1 t. salt
1/4 c. milk
red food coloring

Directions:

1.  Start by creaming together butter and sour cream and salt.  Slowly add powdered sugar.  When it gets so thick it’s frosting like, add a splash of milk.  Alternate this process until your frosting is the desired consistency.  Add 1 drop red food coloring and whip on high for 1 minute.

2.  Keep cookies in a sealed container until they are ready to serve.  The magic of a Swig Sugar Cookie is that the cookies are cold and the frosting is room temperature.  Frost right before serving (if you make them in advance and need to refrigerate the frosting make sure you give it time to warm up before serving).

Source:  vintagerevivals.com

Roasted Chicken with Wild Rice Soup

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This recipe was born when company showed up unexpectedly to a “Cooking Light” reader’s home.  It became a big hit.  It’s easy to prepare and it tastes even better the next day. 

Ingredients:

1 (6 oz) box long-grain and wild rice mix (such as Uncle Ben’s)
1 T. olive oil
1 1/2 c. chopped red onion
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped carrot
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 (8 oz) package mushrooms, halved
1/4 c. all purpose flour
1/2 t. dried tarragon
1/4 t. dried thyme
2 c. water
2 T. dry sherry (optional)
2 (15.75 oz) cans fat free, less sodium chicken broth
1 (12 oz) can fat free evaporated milk
3 c. shredded roasted skinless chicken

Directions:

1.  Prepare wild rice mix according to package directions; set aside.

2.  Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add onion and next 4 ingredients (onion through mushrooms); saute for 6 minutes or until onion is tender.  Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife.  Stir flour, tarragon, and thyme into onion mixture; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.  Add 2 c.
water, sherry, chicken broth, and evaporated milk; bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until slightly thick.

3.  Stir in cooked rice and chicken; cook 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Yield:  8 servings (serving size;  1 1/2 cups).

Source:  Cooking Light

Spaghetti Sauce

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I’m always on the lookout for a better spaghetti sauce recipe.  This one is from the famous “Pioneer Woman—Ree”.

Ingredients:

5 lbs. ground beef
3 T. olive oil
2 large yellow onions, diced
2 green bell peppers, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. white wine (or low sodium beef broth)
2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (4 oz) can tomato paste
1 jar good store bought spaghetti sauce
1 t. ground oregano
1 t. ground thyme
4 bay leaves
2 T. sugar
2 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. crushed red pepper (optional)
1/4 c. finely minced fresh parsley (or 3 T. parsley flakes)
1 whole rind from one wedge Parmesan (optional)
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

Important:  This recipe can be halved!  I just like to make a ton so I can freeze it.

1.  In a large pot over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef until totally browned.  Remove meat from pot with a slotted spoon and put into a bowl.  Set aside.

2.  Discard any grease in pot, but do not clean the pot.  Drizzle in olive oil.  When it is heated, throw in the diced onion and diced bell pepper.  Stir it around for 1 1/2 minutes, then add the garlic.  Stir and cook for an additional minute.

3. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and marinara sauce.  Stir to combine, then add oregano, thyme, sugar, salt, bay leaves and crushed red pepper (if using).

4.  Stir, then add ground beef and stir to combine.  Place the lid on the pot and allow to simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  Add a little water or some low-sodium broth if it needs more liquid.

5.  After an hour, add the minced parsley and the rind from a wedge of Parmesan (or grated Parmesan if you prefer–or both!).  Stir to combine, then put the lid back on and allow it to simmer for another 30 minutes or so.  Discard bay leaves before serving.

Source:  thepioneerwoman.com

Oreo Puddin’ Poke Cake

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Ingredients:

1 box chocolate cake mix
Ingredients needed to make cake (usually eggs, oil and water)
2 (4 oz.) packages of Instant Oreo pudding
4 cups milk (2 % or higher)
crushed Oreo cookies

Directions:

1.  Make cake mix according to directions and bake in a well-greased 9×13 pan.
2.  Just before cake is done, start making pudding.  In a medium bowl, begin to add milk to pudding mix and continue to whisk until most of the lumps are removed.  Let pudding mixture sit for about 2 minutes.  You want it to thicken slightly so it isn’t runny but not fully thickened into pudding.

3.  When cake is finished, while still warm, poke holes all over cake (about 1 inch) intervals using a wooden spoon handle or a straw.  Pour pudding mixture over warm cake.  Spread it out with a spoon, gently pushing the pudding down into the holes.

4.  Put cake in the refrigerator and allow it to cool completely, about an hour.  Once it is set, top with crushed Oreo cookies.  The cake needs to be refrigerated.

Source:  www.thecountrycook.net