Venison Ziti
Ground venison lends itself to incredibly varied uses - meat pies, burgers, soups, meatloaf, and lots of ethnic dishes. In fact, you can use it in most dishes we normally associate with ground beef. Here's a traditional Italian dish which, when served with a salad and bread, makes a fine meal.
1 pound ground venison
1/4-1/2 pound bulk venison sausage
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 1/2 cups meatless spaghetti sauce
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
16 ounces ziti, cooked and drained
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté ground venison, sausage, onions and garlic for six to eight minutes until venison is browned. Stir in spaghetti sauce, chicken broth, oregano and parsley. Reduce heat; simmer 10-15 minutes. Stir one cup of sauce into cooked ziti. Spoon half the ziti mixture into 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups mozzarella and 1/2 Parmesan cheese. Top with two cups sauce, then remaining ziti mixture and sauce. Cover and bake in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake uncovered 10 minutes longer or until heated through, cheese has melted and ziti is bubbly.
TIP: Try adding a cup of ricotta cheese in the center for a bit of a different taste and texture.
