Wild Plum Jelly

 

Wild Plum Jelly

                                                                                                                  

Growing up in Texas homemade Wild Plum Jelly is a staple in the summer. The first summer on the ranch we was driving home from town when we saw a odd looking car sitting on the side of the road. We slowed down and witnessed the ultimate ode to Wild Plum Jelly. In this bright plum half car half truck bed was two couples all matching In plum shirt's with the words Plumketeer's. We could not help but stop and talk to them I mean it is not everyday you come across such a sight. They explained that they did this every year and it was a tradition to drive the back roads in the summer time when the Wild Plum's are ripe to make the most delicious jelly. So naturally me and my husband had to try it and after ten years we still pick wild plums every summer together and giggle thinking back to the day we met the Plumketeer's.
 

Rinse your Plums and remove stems.

        Bring your Plums to a full boil to remove skins & pits.

    Put plum meat back in the reserved water.

 

                                               

Ingredients

4 Cups of Wild Plum's

6 Cups of Sugar

Water to Fill Pot

Jar's that are sanitized with lid to secure. See Tips & Tricks at the end!

Directions

1. Rinse the plum's in cold water. Remove stems and any leaves,
2. Put Plum's in deep pot and add water to just cover plum's.
3. Bring Plum's to boil. Boil for ten minutes stirring constantly. When the outside of the plums burst and skin starts to peel off turn off heat and let cool.
4. Once plum's are cool. Take a slotted spoon and remove a few spoonful's of plums out on a plate. Remove pits and skin and scoop the meat into a separate bowl. Repeat until you have nothing left In your pot. Reserve water.
5. Reheat your water to Medium High. Add your plum meat back into the water. Bring to a boil and keep stirring. Slowly add your sugar. I add ½ cup at a time to be sure to let the sugar dissolve. Remember to taste to sweetness.
6. Let the water plum mixture come to a full boil for a good ten minutes. Once you fill comfortable with your consistency turn off the burner and let it cool. *Follow tips below for the best consistency.
7. Fill your jar's and store in a dark dry place. Enjoy!

*Tips and Trick's

I always feel like my consistency is not right so don't be alarmed. You may need more sugar or water depending on your batch. It is very important to keep trying your Jelly while it's cooking to test it's flavor. My full proof tip to determine if the consistency is right is to put a plate in the freezer before you start your jelly. Once you get to the point where you have added all your sugar and brought it to a full boil and feel like it's done. Pull you plate from the freezer and drop a spoonful on the frozen plate and return to the freezer for five minutes. When you check it the jelly should be thick but if it is still runny place it back on the stove and add more sugar. Stir and bring to a boil again for five minutes. This trick is a real life saver.

Slap Yo Momma Venison Empanadas

 

  I have been making these sweet little pockets of love for years now. It has been my go to dish to take really anywhere because they are insane. People will flock to you for the recipe & beg for it. I always wait till after to tell the folks its actually Venison! It is pretty funny for those who would swear to not like Venison because they will be the first ones going back for seconds or thirds. I say find a friend who swears off wild game & share em...then laugh when you divulge what's inside these babies. I am a jokester like that but today I am all sunshine and love because I am sharing this recipe with ya'll. Enjoy!

 

Level: Easy

Cook Time: Prep (40mins) Cook Time (30mins)

 

Ingredients

 Filling:
 

2 pounds ground Venison

1 package of uncooked refrigerated flour tortillas(About 36)

1 Can Mexican Corn

1 Can Green Chilies

1 Can Black Beans (Rinsed & Drained)

2 Cups of Shredded Cheese

1 Heaping Tsp of each Cumin, Garlic Powder, Chili Powder & S & P  (Season to taste here, I usually use a lil more)



 Sauce:
 

1 Large Container or Sour Cream

1 Large Can of Chipotle In Adobe (Find with Canned

   peppers)

2 TSP of Red Pepper Flakes (I like it hot...optional)

 Empanada Love Juice:
 

1 Stick of Butter

1 Package of Sazon Mexican Seasoning
 

 Here's how to make them:
 

Pre-heat oven to 375*

 

 Prep! I loath prepping but I love eating so it must be done.

Start by cooking your ground Venison in a big dutch oven or any big pan will do. Once your meat is browned add your seasonings (Cumin, Chili Pepper, Garlic Powder & S&P). Throw in about 1/2 Cup of Water, and pop a lid on, lower the heat. Let the meat simmer about eight minutes or so.

 

Once the meat is done add the cans of corn, green chilies, and black beans. Simmer uncovered until they marry together in a nice happy mixture. Your kitchen should be smelling like taco night. Take a taste and check that your seasonings are on point to your liking. Turn off the heat and add the cheese. Stir and set aside to cool.

 

Now let's make the dipping sauce. I realize some might be tempted to skip the sauce but let me reassure you DO NOT SKIP THE SAUCE!!! It is magic!

 

Combine the Sour Cream and Chipotle in a food processor or blender. I recommend the food processor but it will work in the blender. Mix to combine. I always toss in Red pepper flakes but whatever floats your boat. After combined pour into a closed container and pop it in the fridge to chill.

 

Get a small sauce pan and add the stick of butter. Then add the entire package of Sazon. Turn on low heat and let the butter melt. Stirring occasionally. Turn off & set aside once melted.

 

Now grab a tortilla pan or if your don't have one a frying pan. Spray the pan and turn on medium low. Pop in a uncooked tortilla one at a time. You do not want to fully cook and do not leave them. This has to be your main focus or you will burn them. Just heat both sides for 40 seconds or so. After you have heated them set them aside.

 

Let's build these boys. I am usually starving at this point so be patient we are in the home stretch.

 

Make a assembly line. I use you a big cutting board and line the ingredient's in the front of it. Put your tortillas in the front, then your meat mixture, then your pan of empanada love sauce. Get a brush for the love sauce to brush  your tortillas. Grab a parchment lined & greased cookie sheet and set close to your assembly line. Take one tortilla, using a brush paint some love sauce on one side of the tortilla paint the edges only to seal. Add one heaping tsp. of meat to the middle of the tortilla. Fold and seal with a fork crimping the edges. Your love sauce will act as a glue. Then slap it on your cookie sheet and start over with the next tortilla. I know this prep sounds like a lot of work. It really is but I promise its worth it and once you get in a groove it goes fast.

 

 

 Ready for the oven!

Once you have finished. Take your brush and brush em real good with the Empanada Love Sauce. Then pop them in the oven. It usually takes me three pans depending on the size.

 

Bake at 375* For About 30 mins or until crispy. It is important to check them every 15 mins or so and I always brush them again during the baking process.

 

Pull them out, let them cool and slap them with some love sauce.... then try and not eat them all. They are so good!

 

 

 

 

Delicious & Insanely Yummy Grilled Bacon Wrapped Venison Backstrap

 

 

Bacon Wrapped Venison Backstrap

Cooking Time 15 minutes

Prep Time 20 minutes

Level Easy Easy

 

 

Ingredients:

 

= Backstrap Tenderloins if not precut simply cut into two inch slices only cut enough to stuff. It should look like a open book. 

= One package of thick sliced bacon (I use my own wild hog or Wrights)

= One package of Cream Cheese Softened

= Some good quality sliced cheese about an inch thick or shredded whatever floats your boat

= Two Peppers thinly sliced ( I used Jalapenos with seeds still in but I like it HOT) 

= Tooth Picks for securing wraps.

 

 

 

For the marinade Combine In a large Ziploc Baggie:

                 = 2 heaping tablespoons of apricot jelly

                 = 3 Tablespoons of Oil ( I used EVOO)

                 = Generous Helping of Salt and Pepper

                 = 2 Cloves Grated Garlic or Garlic Salt

                 = Half a can of Dr. Pepper or Soda of your choice

                 = Splash of Soy Sauce

                 = Two or Three Sprigs of fresh Rosemary Chopped

                 = Two tsps. of butter

 

Directions:

 

1. Pre-Heat your Grill (Can be done in Oven as well).
2. Combine all of the marinade ingredients to a Ziploc bag. Place your Backstrap Tenderloin pieces in the mixture. Seal & toss the bag around to coat the meat. Place in refrigerator for at least 24hrs.
3. Gather up your cheese, peppers, and bacon. Make an assembly line. Have all your indgredents ready to wrap your Tenderloins.
4. Remove Backstrap from Ziploc careful to not spill your marinade juices. Reserve for cooking.
5. One at a time, open Tenderlion and fill with cheese and peppers. Fold Tenderlion and wrap tightly with bacon.
6. Place a tooth pick thru the center to secure bacon.
7. Set aside in pan and finish the rest.
8. On the grill cook directly on the rack. Watch closely and flip every 6 mins to ensure bacon gets crisp on all sides. I randomly poor teaspoons of the remaining marinade over the lil nuggets of heaven. If cooking in the oven, Preheat to 450* and bake on a foil lined pan for 20-25 mins depending on desired level of done you like.

     9.  ENJOY!

 

 

 

This recipe is amazing. I make it all the time. It will surely please those that never had Venison or Skeptical about it. There is something so beautiful about harvesting your food and it is even better with this SHOW STOPPER Recipe! Hope ya'll enjoy!

Back to the basics.....

 

Howdy Friends! This is my very first Blog so please be kind. =)
Growing up in Texas I had the privilege of being taught the importance of the outdoors. I shot my first Riffle at age 9, a 22-250 Remington. It was not to long following that I got my first Duck. I still remember the feeling I got when my mom fried up my Duck in her Fry Daddy. It was the best food I had ever eaten. I remember how proud I felt & I knew from that moment the outdoors and I would always share a faithful relationship.  Now watching my first son's eye's light up when he watches me fry up his first Duck, I can not help but wonder if that same fire is igniting in him. When hunter's tell other's it is not a hobby it's a lifestyle. This could not be any more true. For me including, there is a certain simplicity that I feel in the woods. The quietness that echo's from mother nature that sings to my soul. When you find this it makes it very difficult to do anything but get more of that feeling. It creeps on you at times and settles in the deep chambers of your heart at which no one could possible remove. It becomes instinctive to bring other's into this world. Your mind becomes one track, how can I do this for a living, how can grow as a hunter, how can I manage my hunting environment to produce a greater population.  It begins as a whisper & grows into a fire that is not easily extinguished. Hunting is a lifestyle. We celebrate our season's and grow from one to the next. How we can be persecuted for taking our own meat is beyond me. The majority of America has  forgotten how their ancestors paved the way so they could sit around and judge hunter's for taking there own foods when they are here because of the very reason they degrade us hunter's for. In the beginning America was founded & survived with a Gun & Bow in hand. We can not apologize for wanting to get back to the basic's of our heritage. Especially in a time that is has been so vastly forgotten by most. Where America think's it okay to buy your steak from the local Walmart that come's from feed lots & is often slaughtered with blunt force trauma to the head. While us hunter's watch our food, careful to obey laws to protect our Wildlife. We consider if they are old enough, producer's or cull. We realize that to mange we must conserve. This anger of Hunter's in our country will only make us grow. It will only make us stronger. We realize now more than ever our Great America need's us now. That the basic's of our liberties must be protected. In this instance of my son watching his mom fry up his very first duck. I can only hope that if I am doing everything right he will watch his first son or daughter's eye's as he fry's up their first duck.