We had a pound of fresh, ground venison (not to mention the extra 30+lbs of various cuts in the freezer) and I wanted to use it. We had recently visited Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan and had some amazing Pork Apple Pie with the most delicious crust at the Eagle Tavern. I haven't been able to get that crust out of my head since then. So when I realized I had to make something similar, pot pie was the first thing in my head. I got the crust recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction. I also adapted her Double Crust Chicken Pot Pie recipe for the ingredients I have, mainly venison. I highly recommend looking at her recipe and instructions, she has very detailed pictures. This is only a review of her recipes. 

This is a two part post. The first part will be the crust, and the second part will be the filler. The Pot Pie Filler ingredients and directions are adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction. The crust is direct from her site. She also uses this crust for pie. I have been using the pie crust from PickYourOwn.org, but I always like trying new things. 

Crust Ingredients:

• 2 and 1/2 cups (315g) all-purpose flour
• 1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 6 Tablespoons (90g) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
• 3/4 cup (154g) vegetable shortening, chilled
• 1/2 cup (120ml) ice water

Crust Directions:

1. Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Add the butter and shortening.
2. Using a pastry cutter (the one I own) or two forks, cut the butter and shortening into the mixture until it resembles coarse meal (pea-sized bits with a few larger bits of fat is OK). A pastry cutter makes this step very easy and quick.
3. Measure 1/2 cup (120ml) of water in a cup. Add ice. Stir it around. From that, measure 1/2 cup (120ml) of water-- since the ice has melted a bit. Drizzle the cold water in, 1 Tablespoon (15ml) at a time, and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon after every Tablespoon (15ml) added. Do not add any more water than you need to. Stop adding water when the dough begins to form large clumps. I always use between 1/3 cup (75ml) and 1/2 cup (120ml) of water.
4. Transfer the pie dough to a floured work surface. The dough should come together easily and should not feel overly sticky. Using floured hands, fold the dough into itself until the flour is fully incorporated into the fats. Form it into a ball. Divide dough in half. Flatten each half into 1-inch thick discs using your hands.
5. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (and up to 5 days).
6. When rolling out the chilled pie dough discs to use in your pie, always use gentle force with your rolling pin. Start from the center of the disc and work your way out in all directions, turning the dough with your hands as you go.

Pot Pie Filler Ingredients:

• 1 recipe homemade pie crust
• 1-2lbs ground venison
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 minced garlic bulb
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• Salt to taste
• Black Pepper to taste
• Basil to taste
• Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
• 1 and 3/4 cups beef broth (homemade if possible)
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 1 cup frozen peas

Pot Pie Filler Directions:

1. Prepare the pie crust as directed above and according to Sally
2. In a large skillet, cook the butter, onions, and garlic over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook until the onions are translucent and the butter is lightly browning. Whisk in the flour, seasonings, beef broth, and milk. Cook and whisk until no flour lumps remain, then simmer over medium-low heat until thick.
3. Preheat oven to 425F degrees.
4. Sally says, "After the pie dough has chilled: On a floured work surface, roll out 1 half of the chilled pie dough. Turn the pie crust dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. With a small and sharp knife, trim the extra overhang of dough and discard. Place the vension mixture on top. Top with frozen peas. Pour gravy over top. Roll out 2nd half of pie crust dough just as you did the first. Cover the pie with the 2nd crust and trim the extra overhang off the sides. Seal the edges by crimping with a fork or your fingers. With a small and sharp knife, slice a few small slits in the top crust for steam to escape."
5. Bake for 32 - 38 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

hNotes:
I recommend an apron. I always forget to put mine until until I wipe flour all over my jeans. 

In her original recipe, Sally does not recommend using milk because it may make the gravy type filling to be too thin. I didn't have half and half or heavy cream, though I imagine they would add to the richness tremendously, I used whole milk. We don't normally have milk at all because regular milk and I are not friends. A small amount cooked in something usually doesn't bother me. Anyway, it was what I had and the gravy stuff thickened up nicely. I imagine using skim would be like using water...

I don't measure my seasonings. I use the hand measuring method, which is not accurate, but it's close. You basically just have to learn what a tablespoon looks like in the palm of your hand. Same with the teaspoon. That's why I don't have precise measurements listed. If you think it needs more salt after you've tasted it, add salt. Same with pepper and any other seasoning. 

I didn't make my crust thin enough, so the balance of the pies was more toward the crusty side. 

​I don't have a lot of the proper tools for things like this, but it was easy enough to improvise. I don't have a rolling pin, so I used a glass with flat sides. I don't have a pastry cutter, but the forks worked well enough. 

I didn't have unsalted butter for the crust, so I used salted. 

Review:
Well, this was basically amazing. The filling was just... I couldn't stop eating it. The pies may be a little empty because I kept snacking on the filling. 

The crust was too thick, but that's my own fault. It's still not quite the flavor I was going for, but it's richer smoother than the crust I have been using. 

The directions were easy to follow, and there was plenty of time in between parts of this recipe so that I could do other things. I am a multi-tasker, so that is a big perk for me. 
​
I will definitely make this again... and again. 

Total Score:
4.5

I'm not even going to build the suspense. SUCCESS!!

I got this recipe from a friend, and I gave it a go. Super easy, gluten free, and totally tasty!

Ingredients:
2 tbsp Butter
2 c. Corn Meal
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Salt
1 tbsp. Honey
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 Egg
1 c. Buttermilk or Sour Cream

Directions:

• Preheat your shortening in your pan (I use cast iron so I do this in the oven). 
• Preheat oven to 400°F
• Mix ingredients together well.
• Take the preheated shortening and add it to the mix. Stir. 
  
• Pour the batter in the pan (if you're using cast iron, it should sizzle as the batter hits the pan)
• Bake for 25-35 minutes. 

Notes:
I let it go too long. I always manage to burn the bottom, and even the top looks a little too dark. The cornbread was dry, and I think it's because it baked too long. It didn't really affect the flavor, and no I know better for next time. This turned out so much better than Cornbread and Cornbread: Part 2. 

Review:
I will most definitely be using this recipe again. It turned out really well. I would give this attempt a 4 but the recipe a 5. TC says the same. So, to take that all into account, I'm going to give it a...

Total Score:
4.5

I love the name of this. I don't even want to tell you what these are for fear of you calling them by a different name. That's not very fair though, so these are potato dumplings.

I received a copy of "The Best of 'The Farmer's Wife' Cookbook" for Christmas. "The Farmer's Wife" was a monthly magazine in Minnesota that ran between 1893 and 1939. People could write in and ask questions (about anything) and give advice. So, the book is a collection of recipes that were printed. 

This one is from February of 1928.

I tried to find a good recipe that was gluten-free and no cream or acidic things. Cloob fit the bill. Let me premise this post by saying that I was so very disappointed by the results of this recipe.... I'll tell you why later. 

I got to make this in a different kitchen. It's something I love and hate. I love trying out different appliances and utensils, but I hate it because I find out that I really need that one cast iron pan sitting on the stove at home looking sorely neglected. 

Smaller version of the recipe in the book:




Ingredients:
4 medium Potatoes, Cooked and Mashed
4 medium Potatoes, Grated 
1 Egg, Beaten
Pinch of Salt
1 tbsp Milk

Directions:

• Mix ingredients together
• Knead until stiff like bread
• Wet hands with water and knead ball with a small piece of pork fat in the center.
• Boil in pork or chicken broth for 1 hour. 
• Drain and serve with butter. 

Let me just tell you right now, that sounds like such a waste of broth. So, I decided to use the broth and make a soup.

My version of the recipe in the book:


Ingredients:
4 medium Potatoes, Cooked and Mashed
4 medium Potatoes, Grated 
1 Egg, Beaten
Pinch of Salt
1 tbsp Milk
1 lb Ground Venison
Seasonings (salt and pepper... lots of pepper). 
Turkey Stock
5ish c. Flour

("Back the truck up... did you just say 5 cups of flour? I thought you were gluten-free!" Calm down, folks. I'll cover this in the notes.)

Directions:

• Thaw stock if necessary. 
• Peel potatoes.
• Chop, boil and mash 4 potatoes.
• Grate 4 potatoes.
• Beat 1 egg.
• Mix potatoes together, add beaten egg and milk. 
• Add 4 cups of flour and mix really well.
• Put doughier potato mix onto a clean surface to knead. 
• As you knead, add more flour as necessary. When your dough is "stiff like bread", wash your hands and don't dry them.
• With wet hands, roll small (golf ball sized) balls out of the dough. 
• Wet hands as necessary. 
• Cook venison in a skillet.
• Boil the stock.
• Add dumplings and meat and boil for one hour (remember what I said about boiling on the right temperature?)
• Serve

Notes:
If you serve this straight from the stove, it will be the temperature of the sun, and it won't cool down for about 20 minutes. [VE]

Okay, okay, the flour thing. The original recipe doesn't list flour as an ingredient. This is probably because the original recipe is from 1928. After I mixed the eggs and milk in with the potatoes, I thought, "This is really liquidy. There is no way I can knead this to make a dough." We brainstormed (side note, I'm a little surprised that "brainstormed is accepted by spell check) different ways to make it thicker without using flour. Then it hit me. "Knead stiff like bread". I've made bread before. I've made scones before. I have kneaded things before. What is one thing you use when you knead? If you don't know the answer, don't be ashamed. It's flour. The flour keeps the dough from sticking to things while at the same time it dries out the dough a little bit and allows it to maintain a shape (like with scones being triangular). This is a major woe for the gluten-free community. GF flours are pretty expensive when compared to all purpose flour. I used 5 cups of APF... or more! I don't even think I have that much of any GF flour. I also do not like over using cornstarch, the grainy feeling when the cornstarch and dough get on your hands and you go to wash them makes my skin crawl. So, I originally thought this recipe was gluten free, and I was so disappointed to find out that it was so drastically on the opposite end of that spectrum. I still ate some. Side note: I feel terrible. Ugh. 

This actually took a while to make (a couple hours total), so I don't think I'll be doing it again for a while... or at least until I can find a good GF option.

The mess factor. I feel like I am still trying to get the wet, sticky potatoes off my fingers. 

Review:
This tasted delicious. The venison was really good, and the soup was rich and filling. I think it would be an excellent soup for a cold winter day. The smaller recipe I used was enough to feed four of use and not even get to the middle of the pot. It makes a lot. I think the broth would have been good with some vegetables cooked in it. All in all, I would give it a 4, though I want to give it a 1 for deception. TC gave it a 4, and our lovely hosts both gave it a 5. 

Total Score:
4.5

We had Baked Bananas: Part 2 for dessert, and I learned some new things. That post will be updated. 

That title is a little misleading. We had a vegetarian meal. We got the Tofurkey brand kielbasa sausages. The sauerkraut I made myself (it was a little weak... next time I'll let it ferment longer). The real, fun part of this was the fact that it was all cooked over a campfire. 

Ingredients:
4 Tofurkey Kielbasa sausages, sliced. 
12 oz. Sauerkraut
2 handfuls of Spinach
1 Apple, cored and chopped
1 Cast Iron Dutch Oven

Directions:

• Cut the sausage into slices
• Put the sauerkraut at the bottom of the Dutch oven.
• Mix the spinach in with the sauerkraut
• Put the apple and sausage on top of the mix. 
• In the hot coals of a campfire, arrange the coals in a circle with none in the middle
• Place the Dutch oven on top of those (coals in the center of the circle would cause whatever you are cooking to burn)
• Cover, and place coals on the lid of the Dutch oven. 
• Check occasionally, we had ours in for about 30 minutes (everything could have been eaten raw, so we just needed it to heat up)

Notes:
TC's cousin, who is a vegetarian, came over for dinner last night and I just tossed a bunch of stuff in a pot and ran with it. I knew that pork and apples complemented each other. Since the Tofurkey kielbasa was flavored like a regular kielbasa, I assumed apples would go well with it. I was right. 

I think we put too many coals on the top. Not sure why I say that, Nothing bad happened. It was our first time using the Dutch oven on an open fire. Don't judge me for my outdoor cooking mistakes, I'll learn eventually. If you see me doing something horribly wrong, let me know what I did and how I can fix it. Thanks!

After dinner we used the apple filling recipe from the Apple/Pear Crisp recipe and wrapped up some apples in tinfoil (like what TC's family calls a "Hobo Dinner", a previously prepared meal wrapped in tinfoil that is cooked on the coals of a fire). We cooked them for about 40 minutes. They turned out well, but we missed the "crisp" part of the crisp recipe. So, as baked apples, they were good. 

The juice from the sauerkraut may have saved us. Without it, I think everything would have burned. A good note, make sure you have a little liquid. 

Review:
There is no recipe to review because I made it up as I went along, but what we ended up with was very good. TC and I gave it a 5. TC's cousin had never had sauerkraut or tofurkey dogs. He was bombarded by the new things and gave it a 4. I think an excellent first impression. 

Total Score:
4.5

I don't love zucchini. I like it well enough, but I won't generally ask for it. As a patty, I figured it would be pretty tasty. I still think it would be pretty tasty. I botched the recipe, not too horribly, but enough to make a difference. So, this is the recipe I intended to make. 

Ingredients:
2 c. Grated Zucchini
2 Eggs, Beaten
1/4 c. Chopped Onion
1/2 c. All Purpose Flour*
1/2 c. Shredded Mozzarella
Salt to Taste
Oil for the Pan

Directions:

• In a medium bowl (I used my 4 cup measuring cup), combine zucchini, eggs, onion, flour, cheese, and salt
• Stir well enough to evenly coat everything.
• Heat oil or butter in a skillet over a medium-high heat. 
• Drop zucchini mixture by heaping tablespoonfuls. Flatten out a little bit. 
• Cook on both sides until golden brown. 

Notes:
*We used sorghum flour, but I've read that instant potato flakes also work. They both would make an excellent gluten-free alternative. I really wanted to use chickpea flour because I love the way it tastes, but we are still out. 


As you can tell from the pictures, my stove is not clean. That's because the zucchini did not like to stay in one place while it was being grated. It kinda flew everywhere. That was kinda annoying. 

So, I made a bunch of these, and then I realized that I had forgotten the cheese. I managed to get the cheese in the last few, but they would have been better if I had gotten the cheese in sooner. 

One grated zucchini = 1 cup grated zucchini

I hate recipes like this one where it says "Salt to taste". There are two raw eggs mixed in there, I don't think I'll be tasting that. So, you basically have to cook a patty to tell if it needs more salt. 

Review:
I'll say this, they were much better with the cheese. For the ones that did not have cheese, I made a soy sauce and rice vinegar dip with garlic powder and white pepper. It was most excellent. The cheesy ones were good, but overall, I would say they were a little bland. I would give them a 3.5. TC really liked them, but he said they needed salt. Agreed. He gave them a 5. 

Total Score:
4.5 (technically it is 4.25, and I decided to round up)

For my first venture into fresh fruit crepe fillings, I used a pineapple that I had sitting around on the counter. I really like pineapple, but TC and high-acid foods don't agree. You should hear the arguments. 

Side Note: You can tell a pineapple is ripe if you smell it. Does it smell like pineapple? It's ready to eat. Do you not smell anything? It's not ready. 

Ingredients:
1 Fresh Pineapple
2 tsp cornstarch (optional, if you are GF make sure your cornstarch is also gluten free.)
Honey or sugar (optional)

Directions:

• Chop the pineapple into cube like shapes. 
• Sneak a piece. Mmmmm....
• Heat the pineapple in a pot or sauce pan at a medium heat (my stove was at about a 4 or 5)
• As the pineapple heats, it will become softer and the juices will seep out of it, and it will be most excellent. As the pineapple softens, I like to mash as much of is as I can to make it easier to eat on crepes.
• If the liquid around the pineapple is too watery, and you want it to thicken, add a little cornstarch. This is very important. When you add cornstarch, take a little bit of warm water and mix the cornstarch in until there are no more clumps, then pour that into the pineapple. I always forget to do that step and I always end up with clumps. Blech. 
• Taste as you go. Does it need sweetener? Add some. Is it soft enough? Stab it and find out. 
• When it is done to your liking, remove from heat and serve. We use pyrex storage containers so we can serve in the same container as we store it. Less dishes that way. 

Notes:
I highly recommend also making the coconut whipped cream and serving it on top of the pineapple. So good. 

You can use canned pineapple. If you do so, don't drain the liquid. Just pour the whole thing in the pot. The sweetness of the pineapple will be dependent on if the syrup in the can was light or heavy (light is less sweet, heavy is more sweet). You will probably need the cornstarch for sure if you use canned pineapple. 

Review:
Loved this. Just thinking about it makes me want to make it again. No pineapple for me right now, I get to try this out with pears next. I hope it will be as good, if not better, than this pineapple one was. I give it a 5. TC didn't get to try it because of the acids. TC's cousin gave it a 4, I believe. 

Total Score: 
4.5

I love crepes. This may have something to do with my Norwegian heritage, I'm not sure. I just love crepes. Do you know what I love the most about crepes? They are super easy and they don't take very long. Do you know what I hate about crepes? Actually, the only thing I don't like about making crepes is that I make them in cast iron and the pan is heavy when I go to swirl the batter around. Worth it. 

Ingredients:
5 Eggs
3/4 c. Flour*
2 tbps Honey
Pinch of salt 
Oil or Butter for the pan. 

Directions:

• In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. 
• Beat in the flour, honey, vanilla, and salt to form a thin batter
• Heat oil or butter in a pan (the crepe should end up being the size of an average pancake, so choose a pan according to that size)
• Scoop about 1/4 c of batter into the pan and swirl the pan around to cause the batter to spread out farther (I'll post a video soon).
• Once the top is set, but still a little wet, flip the crepe. 
• Count to 10 (I like to do a little dance move for every second that passes... there will be no video of this) and then the crepe is done! Set it on a plate and try not to eat it right away.

Notes:
*We used almond flour instead of all purpose flour. The problem I have with almond flour is that it is really easy to go overboard on the serving size. One serving size is about an ounce. Since there are 16 oz in a cup... that's 12 servings for these crepes. It should make about that many crepes depending on the size of the crepe. 

The original recipe I had called for a 1/2 cup of flour. I decided that the crepes tasted too eggy so I added more flour to the second batch and thought those were tastier. 

Review:
I liked the second batch I made, which is the recipe I have posted. TC liked the first batch better, and he thought the second batch was too sweet. I beg to differ. To each his own, I say. I would like to tell you the mess factor here, but I have a hard time remembering. I would like to think that my kitchen was spotless when I went to make this and that I wiped off the scoop after every time I used it. Chances are, there was almond flour and batter all over the counter. There is always butter all over my counter. I don't know how that keeps happening. I might need a butter dish. Anyway, the mess isn't difficult to clean up. With the filling, I give it a 5. With the filling, TC gives it a 4. 

Total Score:
4.5



 

I'll warn you in advance, this one is a lot of work. I mean, it's easier to buy a GF crust at the store and make that. I know from experience. I made a box crust tonight, and it was easier. 

That being said, I like the cauliflower crust better because I prefer to use fresh ingredients. Don't judge me for using a box crust tonight and I won't judge you for judging me. 

Ingredients:
1 Small Head of Cauliflower
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Dried Italian Seasonings (totally up to you: basil, oregano, mix and match etc)
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 c. Shredded Parmesan
1/4 c. Shredded Mozzarella
1 Egg

Pizza Cheese and Toppings

Directions: 

• Place baking sheet in oven and preheat to 450°F
• Oil a piece of parchment paper
• Wash and dry cauliflower
• Remove stems
• Pulse in a food processor for 30 sec. or until crumbly
• Put in a bowl and cover
• Microwave for 4 minutes
• Dump cauliflower onto a cheese cloth, tea towel, or flour sack and let cool
• Wring out the liquid in the cauliflower (I got a lot of liquid left over, somewhere around a cup of liquid, it was crazy)
• Dump into a bowl and add seasonings, egg, and cheese
• Get your hands in that bowl and mix (take off any rings first [VE])
• Once it gets a nice doughy consistency, form it into a crust, you don't want it to be too thick or too thin (helpful, I know) I would say you want it to be about 1/4 of an inch or so.
• Pat it down thoroughly
• Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown (if your oven window is like mine, you will think that it is always golden brown. It's easy to tell once you open the oven.)
• Top your crust like a pizza and bake for another 5-7 minutes
• If you like your cheese to be a little browned on the top, after your baking time is done, crank your oven up to broil and wait a couple minutes (keep a close eye on it) until the cheese bubbles start to brown

Notes: 
I originally got the recipe from The Lucky Penny blog.

If you use a larger head of cauliflower, add an extra egg white. 

On the other hand, if your cauliflower head doesn't yield 3 cups, add 1 tbsp almond flour. 

We made ours without sauce to accommodate TC's low-acid adventures. We topped ours with artichoke hearts and mushrooms. 

We also do not have a food processor. We have a Ninja Blender, but it was not adequate for the job. I kept having to scrape the sides of the blender, and with the blades like that, it was a hassle. 

I am trying to move towards being off the electrical grid, so I avoid using my microwave. When I first made this, I microwaved the cauliflower, but I think I would have to steam it next time. So much effort!

Review:
The crust was good, but bland. I think if we had chose more flavorful toppings, it would have had a stronger flavor. I was amazed that the crust actually held together. It was just like a regular pizza. Also, I think with sauce, it would have been more flavorful. As it is, the artichokes saved our pizza. I would give it a 4 because of the amount of effort required. TC says, "I liked it and would like to have it again." He gives it a 5, but then again, he didn't put as much effort into the making of the crust. 

Total Score:
4.5


I actually have a picture for this one! Here is the finished product! It's not pretty or plated, but it was tasty!

TC loves stew. All stew. I'm not so sold on the idea. I really like the brothy, soupy things and stew is just so... stewy. 

So far, I'm pretty pleased with my beef stew recipe. 

Ingredients: 
2-4 lbs. Cubed Beef (depending on how much you like beef)
1 Bag of Potatoes (5lbs)
1/2 lb. Carrots
1 Onion, diced
1 lb Button Mushrooms
1/2 Head of Cabbage
Water or Broth
Seasonings
Sour Cream (Optional)

Directions:

• Coarsely chop ingredients
• Mix in a stock pot
• Cover with water or broth
• Bring to a boil
• Skim off froth (optional)
• Reduce heat and simmer for 2-6 hours
• Serve with a dollop of sour cream on the top. 

Notes:
Season sparingly, like turkey stock, the seasonings will intensify over time while being stored. The first time I made it, I made it as salty as I wanted it that day. Now when I thaw some out from our frozen jars, it is super salty. The sour cream is a good balancer for things like that. 

Review:
We both really like this recipe, but I would much rather have fried or stir fried cabbage than boiled cabbage. I love the broth I get from this stew, and I always save some in a jar so I can have extra broth when we heat our frozen jars up. With the sour cream on the top I give it a 5. Without the sour cream, I give it a 4. TC says, "I like it. It's good." He gives the fresh stew a 5 and the reheated stew a 4. 

Total Score:
4.5