CHEESE-SOUR CREAM FONDUE

6 slices bacon 

1/4 cup minced onion 

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 pound sharp process American cheese, shredded (4 cups)

2 cups dairy sour cream

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

In saucepan fry bacon till crisp; drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. Crumble bacon; set aside. Cook onions in reserved drippings till tender but not brown. Stir in flour. Add remaining ingredients. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, till cheese is melted.

Pour into fondue pot. Top with bacon. Place over fondue burner. Spear dipper with fondue fork; dip into fondue. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Suggested dippers: Hard rolls, rye bread, mushrooms.

Venison Jerky

Cut lean strips of venison into pieces 1 to 1 and ½  inches thick and about 5 inches long. Any cut can be used but tender meat gives a better product. The loin, round, and flank are often used.

Make a brine of 1 pound salt to 1 gallon of water, store in granite canner, stone crock, or plastic bucket. Add meat. Weight the meat so the liquid covers the surface and allow to stand at least 12 hours.

Drain well and place on trays for  smoker. Transfer to smokehouse. Dry out and flavor with warm, not hot, smoke for 5-15 days, depending on the size of the pieces to be dried.

Use any non-resinous wood like maple, ash, or apple. When completely dry, store the meat in airtight containers. Jerky keeps indefinitely if all the fat has been removed before brining.

Apple Cider Pie

Pastry for a double crust pie
3 lb. Golden Delicious apples peeled, cored, cut into 3/4-inch slices, and then halved
2/3 cup apple cider
1/2 to 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar to taste
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
3 Tbs. cornstarch
Make the filling In a large  pot, mix the apples, all but 2 Tbs. of the cider, the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often, until the sugar has dissolved and the apples are evenly coated. Mix the cornstarch and remaining 2 Tbs. cider into a paste; add this to the apples. Stirring constantly, boil until the liquid is thickened and clear, about 1 minute. (you're not cooking the apples, just thickening the juices). Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Remove from the heat and let cool.

eat the oven to 425°F. Prepare a double pie crust in a 9-inch pie pan and fill the shell. then cover with second crust. Cut at least three vent holes. Bake on the middle rack until the crust is golden and the apples are tender when pierced with a knife, about 55 minutes. If the top starts browning too quickly, tent the pie with foil. Placing a cookie sheet on rack below pie will help keep spills contained.

Cream Cheese Potatoes

8-9 potatoes, cooked and then cubed

1 (8 ounce) pkg of cream cheese room temperature
1 cup milk
1 stick of butter
Small Finely chopped onion

Whip potatoes with butter and milk in mixer. Then add cream cheese and beat. Add Onion,(sometimes I use garlic, somedays this is left out) Salt and Pepper to taste. Beat together and put in buttered casserole dish. (Occasionally I put a cup or so of sour cream in it at this point) Sprinkle with paprika. Bake in oven at 350 degrees until cooked throughout.

Easy to make these the day before and  then do the baking an hour before serving.