Venison Taco Soup

1 or 2 pounds ground venison
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can diced green chillies
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 dash of hot sauce
1 package taco seasoning mix
2 packages dry Ranch dressing mix
1 can pinto beans
1 can great northern beans
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can white hominy
1 can whole yellow or white corn
2 cans petite diced tomatoes
1 32 ounce container lower sodium beef broth

Brown the meat and onions then add all other ingredients to a large dutch oven or crockpot.  Mix and cook over low heat for at least an hour or place all ingredients in a crock pot and let cook all day or overnight.  Serve with corn chips and shredded cheddar cheese.  Serves about 10

Venison Corn Bake

(adapted from a recipe from the NWTF Women in the Outdoors Magazine)
1 lb venison (brown and drain)
1 small onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small container of sour cream
1 package of frozen yellow corn (thawed)
½ package of egg noodles (cooked and drained)
1 sleeve of Ritz crackers
Salt & pepper to taste

Mix all above ingredients in a large casserole dish; add crushed Ritz crackers (or topping of choice). Bake covered at 375-degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover 5 minutes before removing from oven.

Venison Sausage Breakfast Pie

1/2 pound venison sausage
1/2 pound breakfast sausage (spicy is good)
1 tbsp. butter
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper
2 9-inch pie shells, baked

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a large frying pan and saute the mushrooms and onions for about 5 minutes. Drain and put aside. Brown the sausage mixture and set aside. Mix the sausage, mushrooms, onions, cheese, beaten eggs, cream, and salt and pepper. Spread evenly into the pie shells and bake for about 30 minutes. Place foil around the edge of the pie shells if they become too brown. A great recipe to eat one just out of the oven, and cool one to wrap in foil and put in the freezer for a later date.

Texas Snakebite Chili

2 pounds ground venison
1 - 14.5 oz can of Diced Tomatoes or 1 cup fresh diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can Tomato Sauce (thick and zesty kind the best)
1/2 cup chili pepper
1/2 tbsp. Paprika
1/2 tbsp. comino (cumin)
1/2 tbsp. oregano - ground finely
1/2 tbsp. salt
1/2 tbsp. dried onion flakes or 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh onion
1/2 tbsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. of red pepper (1/2 tbsp. if you want to fire it up!)
2 tbsp. of masa flour
1/4 cup warm water
1 - 15 oz can of pinto beans (if desired)

Brown venison, drain off fat. Add all ingredients except last three. Cook for 30 minutes, stir occasionally. Stir masa and water together to make thick, flowable mixture. Add to chili and stir. Add beans if desired. Simmer another 30 minutes. While cooking, add more water or sauce as needed to consistency desired.

Serve with a sprinkle of Monterey jack cheese, a warm tortilla and a very cold Cerveza.

Horseradish Crusted Venison Tenderloin

.   1 venison tenderloin
.    kosher salt
.    3 tablespoons Japanese bread crumbs
.    1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
.    1 ¼ teaspoons ground black pepper
.    1 ½ tablespoons minced shallot
.    2 tablespoons minced or pressed garlic
.    1/4 cup well-drained prepared horseradish
.    2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
.    1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
.    6 ounces coarsely-crushed potato chips or homemade potato crisps
.    1 ½ teaspoons mayonnaise
.    1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
.    1/2 teaspoon unflavored powdered gelatin

1. Sprinkle roast with kosher salt. Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature for one hour. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Toss bread crumbs with 2 teaspoons oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a non-stick skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Cool on rimmed baking sheet then toss with shallot, garlic 2 tablespoons horseradish, parsley, thyme and crushed potato chips.

3. Pat tenderloin dry with paper towels and sprinkle evenly with remaining teaspoon of pepper. Heat one tablespoon of oil in non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Sear tenderloin until well browned on all sides. Transfer to wire rack and let rest 10 minutes.

4. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons of horseradish, mayonnaise and mustard in a small bowl. Just before coating tenderloin with paste, add gelatin and combine. Spread horseradish paste over top and sides of meat, leaving bottom and ends bare. Roll coated sides of tenderloin in bread-crumb mixture, pressing gently so crumbs just cover the paste; pat off any excess.

5. Return tenderloin to wire rack and place on rimmed cookie sheet. Roast until thermometer registers 120 degrees for medium rare. Transfer roast to carving board and let rest 20 minutes (the venison will continue to cook during that time). Carefully cut the meat crosswise into ½-inch thick slices and serve with horseradish cream sauce.

Horseradish Cream Sauce

.    1/2 cup heavy cream
.    1/2 cup horseradish
.    1 teaspoon salt
.    1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Whisk until cream just thickens. Gently fold in horseradish, salt and pepper - refrigerate at least 30 minute prior to serving.

Dark Chocolate Butter

Makes 2/3 cup (12 servings). | Source: Hy-Vee Seasons Fall 2010.
All you need:
1/3 c. Hy-Vee granulated sugar
1/4 c. Hy-Vee baking cocoa
3 tbsp water
1/4 c. Hy-Vee unsalted butter
1/4 tsp Hy-Vee vanilla extract
All you do:
In a heavy small saucepan stir together sugar, cocoa powder and water until smooth. Add butter; cook and stir over medium-low heat until bubbly. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Pour into a small bowl.
Cool 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.