Healthy Venison Supper

There are many ways that I cook with deer meat, some are healthy and some aren't. We love it fried, sauteed, even on kabobs. The meat part of this recipe came from my best friend Samantha. The unhealthiest part of this supper is probably the brown gravy, which isn't that bad.

Venison & Gravy:
1 1/2 lbs cubed venison (or cubed steak or pork)
1 packet brown gravy
Sliced onion (about 1/4 of the onion, I used vidalia)
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, Lawry's seasoned salt

Season the meat with desired seasonings. Mix gravy packet with 1 cup cool water in casserole or glass oven safe dish. Put seasoned meat in into gravy mixture. Sprinkle meat and gravy with the onion slices. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

Before cooking

Roasted Sweet Potatoes
3-4 small sweet potatoes, peeled
Salt, pepper
Canola oil

Slice the potatoes into about 1/4 inch slices. Pour about 1/4 cup canola oil onto tinfoil lined cookie sheet pan. Pour potatoes onto pan and season liberally. Lay slices flat and roast on 400 degrees for about 45 minutes, turning once. They will be golden brown on both sides.

After roasting

Green Beans:
1 large or 2 small cans any type of green beans
1 tsp of Better than Bouillon Ham Base (I buy mine at Winn Dixie) or 1 packet Goya Ham seasoning
Salt, pepper
Add all ingredients to pot. Cook over medium heat about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Smores Heath Bar Oreo Cheesecake

I love, love, love to bake and I love cheesecake. I adapted a recipe I found online to make it my own way. It is delicious!! It is wwaayy over the top but worth the calories!!
Substitutions: Use graham cracker crumbs for crust (add 3 tbsp sugar to crust if using); use chocolate chips instead of Heath Bar chips; leave out pecans if someone is allergic or doesn't like nuts, leave off chocolate ganache topping.

Crust:
1 1/2 cups oreo cookie crumbs (about half a pack of oreos)
1/4 cup melted butter

Cheesecake:
3 packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup marshmallow creme
1 tbsp vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup Heath bar chips
1/2 cup pecans

Chocolate Ganache Topping:
1 cup milk or semi sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line bottom of 10-inch springform pan with tinfoil and clasp the side. Pull the tinfoil up toward the top of the pan. Spray with cooking spray or canola oil.
2. Process oreo cookie's into crumbs. Add melted butter and pulse to combine. Press mixture evenly into bottom of the pan and up the sides about 1/2 inch.
3. Sprinkle Heath bar chips and pecans over crust.
4. Beat cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth, scraping bottom and sides. Add brown sugar, marshmallow creme, and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating until smooth after each. Pour over chips and pecans.
5. Bake cheesecake for 15 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 225 degrees. Bake 45 more minutes or until cheesecake is set around edge and center is slightly wiggly.
6. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.
7. In small sauce pan over LOW heat, bring heavy cream just to a boil. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips. Stir until smooth and all chips have melted. Spread over top of cheesecake. Top with extra Heath bar chips, chocolate chips, or pecans if desired.
8. Refrigerate until completely cold.

Chicken & Fries: Fiesta Style!

     I appreciate good fries and wings just like the next girl. But I really don't like to fry things and I don't need the calories! I grew up in a house with a father that prefers to have everything fried (pork chops, cubed steak, fries, vegetables, etc). Now that I have my own kitchen, I tend to bake or roast food. You can spice the wings and fries however you want and it's a lot healthier.
     My husband is a fan of chicken wings or drumsticks (whatever they are called). As mentioned, I am not really into frying so I bake or roast. I have made this recipe with many different flavors but tonight I chose Fiesta Lime. This recipe makes enough for my husband, me, and our little girl. For bigger crowds, just do more chicken and fries but the same cooking and temperatures will work.

Wings:
10 drumsticks or 20 wings
Abt 3 tablespoons canola or olive oil
Abt 1/4 cup Mrs. Dash seasoning
Salt, pepper, garlic powder
   Pull skin off chicken and put the chicken in a large bowl or resealable plastic bag. Season the chicken liberally and then pour over the oil and mix well. Allow to marinate about 2-3 hours or as much time as you have. Put onto a foil lined sheet pan and roast on 400 for about 45 minutes, turning halfway through. (Might need more time, check for clear juices)

Fries:
4-5 potatoes, peeled or unpeeled
Salt, pepper, garlic powder
   Slice the potatoes on an angle or into rounds. Put into boiling water to par-boil about 5 minutes. Drain and allow to cool slightly. Put onto a foil lined and greased sheet pan. Sprinkle with seasoning and roast on 400 for about 30 minutes until golden brown on both sides. Turn halfway through or when you notice browning.
 Serve with ranch or your favorite dipping sauce!