HUNTERS STEW WITH VENISON

Great hearty stew that you can make in the slow cooker the night before.
Don't get too hung up on how big you dice/chop ingredients in this recipe,
remember its "hunter" stew so think rough chop!!

3 lb venison roast, fat and silver skin removed.
1 teaspoon salt and pepper mix.
3 tablespoons oil, i used coconut
1 medium onion chopped
4 ribs of celery chopped
2 small yams chopped or one large. if you can find true yams go with that over sweet potato
8 oz package of mushrooms sliced , baby bellas work well.
1 pint container cherry or grape tomato, no chopping needed
8 oz baby carrots
6 cloves garlic, smashed or whole, your call
1 sprig fresh sage, picked and chopped
4 in long spring of fresh rosemary, picked and chopped
2 bay leaf, fresh if you can find them
1 cup red wine
4 cups beef broth, i used the store bought carton type

1) cut venison to about one in cubes and season with salt and pepper mix
2) heat2 tablespoons oil in cast iron pan, or heaviest pan you have. oil    should be very hot
    we want to sear the meat brown.
3) brown meat for a 2 minutes before turning, brown for 2 more minutes. turn heat off and 
    remove from pan, set aside. the venison will release some juices while it sits, this is good
    stuff we will use it later!!
4) turn heat back on and add 1 tablespoon of oil, dont worry about the sticky stuff in the pan
   its tasty and it will come off when you add the red wine!!!
5) add onions and garlic and brown well say 5 minutes or so. add herbs ( bay, sage and rosemary)
6) add red wine and simmer this until its evaporates buy 75% this will concentrate the flavors .
7) ok every body in the pool !! ( slow cooker) add the venison, reduced wine and rest of ingredients
    to your slow cooker.

8) set on low 4-6 hours, over night works too unless you sleep like a teenager!!
9) if you wish to thicken the stew a bit after cooking feel free. just remove 8 oz of the stew
   broth and stir in 3-4 tablespoons of rice flour or wondra flour and pour mixture back into
   cooker for 15 minutes on high.
10) ENJOY!!!

PORK AND HOMINY VERDI

This is a nice light and refreshing dish. Great for fall or spring. can be
served as is or over rice.
If you have never used Tomatillos your missing out. A Tomatillo is a small
green fruit, pail green and grows in a paper like hush.

Tomatillo Sauce

7-8 medium tomatillos husked and halved
6 garlic cloves
1 small yellow onion peeled and sliced
1 teaspoon salt and pepper mix

1) put all ingredients in a small sauce pan and just cover with water.
2) bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
3) pour off some of the water until level is just to top of tomatillos
4) puree sauce in a blender or use a immersion blender, set aside.

Pork

2 lbs boneless pork loin or pork chop, remove fat and dice 1/2 inch
1 large onion diced
1 small red pepper diced
1 small green pepper diced
2 celery stalks diced
3 garlic gloves smashed
2 tablespoon oil, i like coconut oil but olive is good too
1 teaspoon salt and pepper mix
1 can 29 oz hominy drained and rinsed .
fresh cilantro leaves

1) heat 1 tablespoon oil in a dutch oven type pan, oil should be very hot.
2) season pork with salt and pepper mix and add to pan.
3) let pork brown well before stirring, stir and brown for 5 mins.
4) remove pork and any juices, reserve.
5) return pan to stove and heat 1 tablespoon oil
6) add diced veggies and cook till lightly browned.

7) add browned pork

8) add hominy and tomatillo sauce.

9) simmer over low heat for 30 minutes and serve topped with fresh cilantro leaves.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND BUTTER AND APPLES

This is a great healthy snack!!

3 Tablespoons almond butter
1Tablespoon cacoa powder
1 packet stevia
1 apple

1) mix these ingredients together
And spread on your favorite sliced
Apple, enjoy health!!

SPINACH & ARTICHOKE DIP

I make this recipe like a rich garlic Alfredo sauce. The amount of cheese you use is up to
your taste, i like a lot!!
so here we go....

2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves chopped garlic
2 Tablespoons flour
1 pint cream or half and half ( go for the cream!)
1/2 to 1 cup of parm or romano cheese grated
1/2 cup of thawed chopped spinach, squeeze out the water real well
1 can 17 oz artichoke hearts
1-2 teaspoons salt & pepper mix ( 75% kosher salt & 25% black pepper)

1) heat olive oil and saute garlic until golden brown

2) add the flour and stir for a minute
3) add 1/2 the cream and bring to a simmer before adding the remaining cream.
   bring to a simmer
4) add the cheese and bring to a simmer, sauce will thicken a bit more at this point should be thick.
5) add spinach
6) open and drain the artichoke hearts. crush the artichokes in your hand as you add to the dip

7) bring dip to a simmer and add salt and pepper mix to taste. this will vary depending on the type   
    and amount of cheese you use.

serve with tortilla chips!!
you can also thicken this with a bit of bread crumbs and use as a stuffing for veal or pork chops, would even be a great stuffing for chicken breast too!!
ENJOY!!

MONKEY MUFFINS!!!

Banana Muffins with a island touch.

Butter and flour muffin pan, this recipe makes 6 big muffins.
Preheat oven to 350 

Mash together:
2 over ripe bananas
2 eggs
1/2 stick soft butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 TBS molasses

Mix into the mash:
1 1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp Allspice ( its a must for the island flavor Mon!)
1/2 tsp kosher salt


Spoon batter into muffin pan,
sprinkle each muffin with a course sugar, like sugar in the raw
and bake 350 for 30 minutes. tooth pick should come out clean when inserted
into center of the biggest muffin.