Duck Chilli (could easily be beef)

So I have been making up recipes to use up the duck meat that my husband has brought home from hunting.  This one came out great and could easily be turned into something for steak, ground beef or goose.  Enjoy this chunky, medium spicy chilli.

Duck Chilli

6 duck breasts (approximately)
Milk (enough to cover all the duck breasts completely)
4 Tbsp butter
6 celery stalks
half red bell pepper
1 whole green bell pepper
1 sweet yellow onion
1 can red kidney beans (and the liquid it comes in)
1 can white navy beans (and the liquid it comes in)
1/2 C green chiles
1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 1./2 tsp smoked paprika (sorry forgot to tell you this the first time)
1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 large can crushed tomatoes (I use Contadina)

1 bottle beer (I used 90 Shilling)
Clean the duck breasts and place the in a container.  Fill the container with milk until the duck breasts (or goose) are completely covered.  Leave the meat in the milk in the refrigerator for at least 2 hrs.  I kept them in the milk for over 4 hours.

Chop all the veggies and toss in a frying pan with a few tablespoons of butter on Medium heat until the onions are clear.

Toss the beans in the crockpot along with the green chiles.  Add the veggies you just cooked on top of those beans.  Now toss the garlic and a lil more butter and the spices in the frying pan and cook for a few minutes then toss that on top of the beans and veggies.  Add the can of crushed tomatoes at this time too.

Now turn the heat up a little on the frying pan and rinse the meat off.  Now brown up the meat.  If using duck make sure to cook it pretty rare.  Once you have browned the meat, cut it up into small bits almost like ground beef.  Toss the chopped meat in the mix and top it with the bottle of beer.  Mix it all up and cook on low for about 6 hrs or more.   Top it with sour cream and sharp cheddar cheese. 

Blackberry-Lemon Cheescake Squares

I am not sure where I found this recipe, but I love it.  I always thought cheesecake was hard until I made this one.  I especially enjoy the shortbread bottom instead of the usual graham cracker crust.

Blackberry-Lemon Cheesecake Squares

for crust:
    1 C all purpose flour
    1/4 C sugar
    1/2 C butter, softened (I used unsalted and add a tiny bit of salt to the recipe)

for filling:
    8 oz cream cheese, softened
    2 eggs (comes out better if you let these sit out while the crust is cooking)
    3/4 cup sugar
    2 tsp vanilla extract
    2 tsp fresh lemon juice (if you don't have it use 3 tsp lemon juice and no zest)
    1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
    1/3 cup sour cream
    2 cups blackberries



Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a medium size bowl, combine flour, sugar and butter with a fork or pastry cutter until crumbly.  Press into an 8 inch square pan.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

In a large mixer bowl, beat softened cream cheese until smooth.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing until incorporated.  Add sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and zest, beat about 2 minutes.  Mix in sour cream.  Fold in 2 cups blackberries.

Pour over crust and bake 40-45 minutes or until center is set.

Cool for 30 minutes and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.  Cut into squares or just dig in :-)