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.
Ingredients:
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.
Tips: Try adding a cup of ricotta cheese in the center for a bit of a different taste and texture.