Recipes: Entrees

Bison or Beef Meatballs

Ready in 60 minutes
Serves 30 people 2oz meatballs (4 per person)

Nutrition Highlight

Bison provides a high amount of protein, which is essential for bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood. It also serves as a crucial component of enzymes, hormones, and vitamins.

Ingredients
 

• 5 # bison or beef
• 5 cup carrots small dice
• 5 cup onion small dice
• 5 cup celery small dice
• 10 cloves of garlic minced
• 2.5 cup cooked wild rice
• 2.5 cup hominy
• 2.5 T sage
• 2.5 T salt
• 1 ¼ cup craisins rough chopped
• 1 ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 ¼ cup cedar or pine rough chopped

Preparation
 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix all the ingredients well in a large bowl.
3. Place parchment paper onto a sheet pan.
4. Using a 2-ounce portions scoop (#16), scoop out and shape meatballs.
5. Bake in the oven for 45 min or until internal temp is 155 degrees.
6. Serve, enjoy.

Tips
 

Serve with your favorite sauce. Try the chimichurri sauce. Great way to include veggies in a comfortable way-- meatballs. Use lean beef if you can’t find bison. The wild rice can be pureed to help bind the meatballs together. No egg or dairy here.

Bison Meatloaf

Ready in 90 minutes
Serves 60 people, 5 oz slices each

Nutrition Highlight

Bison is an excellent protein and iron source; iron helps transport oxygen from the lungs throughout the body.

Ingredients
 

• 20 pounds ground Bison
• 10 medium onions, small dice
• 20 large eggs
• 1 c minced garlic
• 3 cups parsley chopped fine
• 7 c breadcrumbs
• 3 ½ c milk
• 4 T salt
• 2 T paprika
• Glaze:
  • 7 ½ c ketchup
  • ¼ c vinegar
  • 2 ½ c brown sugar
  • 3 T garlic powder
  • 1 ½ T onion powder
  • 1 T salt
  • 1 T pepper

Preparation
 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl combine all meatloaf ingredients and mix well.
3. Place into greased or parchment paper lined loaf pans.
4. Bake for 45 minutes.
5. Mix all Glaze ingredients and spread on meatloaf.
6. Bake for an additional 15 minutes.
7. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and allow it to rest for 15 minutes. Slice, serve and enjoy.

Tips
 

Meatloaf can also be shaped by hand and placed on a sheet pan to bake. Can use lean beef. Experiment with flavored low sodium crackers to give your meatloaf a different flavor.

Cedar Braised Bison

Ready in 13 hours (nutrition label does not include cedar)
Serves 80 People

Nutrition Highlight

Bison meat is high in protein and low in fat compared to other types of red meat.

Ingredients
 

• 50 pounds of Bison Chuck Roast
• 10 Onions - thinly sliced.
• 12 Carrots - coarsely chopped.
• 12 Celery Stalks - coarsely chopped.
• 8 bay leaves
• 15 Garlic Cloves
• 8 oz of cedar leaves (green)
• ½ cup of Maple Syrup

Preparation
 

1. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees.
2. In a large hotel pan, pans or large pot, or pots, heat them to medium/high.
3. Lightly Pepper and Salt the outside of the bison roast. Put some oil in the pan and brown each side of the bison.
4. Pour some water into the pan until it covers about half of the roast. Add in the garlic, cedar, maple syrup, and bay leaves.
5. Cover with parchment paper and double wrap with aluminum foil.
6. Bake low and slow for 12 hours. Serve, Enjoy.

Tips
 

Can cook and leave low and slow overnight. Can make it in slow cookers. Can use tri-tip, shoulder roast, or neck roasts in substitution for chuck. Plan ahead for this recipe because of the cook time. Can use a lean cut of beef.

Corn Crusted Fish Filets

Ready in 60 minutes
Serves 50 people at 4-5 oz of fish filet each

Nutrition Highlight

Fish is an excellent source of healthy fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for heart and brain health.

Ingredients
 

• 50 filets 4-5 ounces each of fish (walleye, whitefish, trout) of choice
• 2-pound bag of cornmeal (can use yellow or blue)
• 1 cup of salt
• ½ cup of pepper

Preparation
 

1. Mix together the salt, pepper, and cornmeal in a large hotel pan.
2. Pat dry each filet and coat them in the cornmeal.
3. Lightly oil a large pan, cast iron, or gridle top.
4. Sear each fish until brown on both sides.
5. Fish should be flakey, or temp of 145. Serve, enjoy.

Tips
 

Can bread the fish ahead of time and keep them at a cool pace until ready to cook. Can add less salt or no salt. Can use Mrs. Dash, which is a no sodium seasoning. Bread the fish in a full hotel pan. Pairs great with wild rice.

Cornbread Beef and Bean Casserole

Ready in 30 minutes
Serves 16 people

Nutrition Highlight

A one-cup serving of black beans provides about 14 g of fiber, about ½ of an adult’s daily requirement for fiber.

Ingredients
 

• 4 lbs. lean Ground beef, or Bison or Ground turkey
• 1 C Yellow onion, diced
• 2 t Salt
• 2 t Chili Powder
• 1 t Black Pepper
• 1 t Cumin
• 1 t Garlic Powder
• 2 C Frozen Corn Kernels
• 3 C Salsa, store bought or homemade
• 2- 15 oz can of beans, (white, black, pinto or chili beans) rinsed and drained
• 4 c Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• Cornbread Topping
  • 1 C Cornmeal (Yellow or Blue)
  • 3 C Flour
  • ⅔ C Sugar
  • 2 T Baking powder
  • 1 t Salt
  • ⅔ C Vegetable Oil
  • 4 Eggs
  • 2 ½ C Milk or Buttermilk

Preparation
 

1. Preheat the oven to 375 Degrees. Lightly grease two 9x13 pans and set aside.
2. In a large frying pan or soup kettle set over medium heat, brown the ground meat, onion, and seasonings. When the meat is fully cooked, drain the grease from the pan.
3. Stir in the corn, salsa, and the beans. Spread the mixture into the prepared pans and set aside.
4. For the cornbread, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center and add the oil, eggs, and milk. Whisk together until just combined. For fluffy cornbread, do not over mix.
5. Sprinkle the cheese over the beef mixture. Pour the cornbread batter over the top and spread evenly all the way to the edges of the pan.
6. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the cornbread is baked through. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean and the top should spring back when pressed lightly. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Tips
 

This recipe is easily customizable for the personal tastes of your guests. In addition to the meats suggested, you can vary the protein type, such as by using pulled chicken or pork. The beans and cheese can also be swapped for any type of beans you like. Want it spicy? Try adding some diced peppers to the browning meat in step 2. In this recipe salsa adds a majority of the casserole’s flavor so be sure to use one you love!

Meaty Bison Meatballs

Ready in 90 minutes
Serves 50 people, three 2 0z Meatballs per person

Nutrition Highlight

Bison is high in zinc and selenium. These two minerals work together to support skin and immune system function. 

Ingredients
 

• 20 pounds of Ground Beef/Bison/Ground Chuck/Ground Venison
• 5 Quarts Breadcrumbs
• 20 eggs
• 3 Onions, small dice or grated.
• ½ c Garlic, minced
• 2 c Parsley; finely chopped.
• 2 c Cilantro; finely chopped.
• ¼ c Oregano
• 3 T Salt
• 3 T Black Pepper

Preparation
 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheets with Parchment paper or spray with release spray. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly.
3. Using a 2 oz portion scoop, scoop meatball mixture and roll into balls. Place finished meatballs onto prepared baking sheets, allowing ¼ “space between each meatball.
4. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature of meatballs is 165 degrees. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Tips
 

This recipe is easy to create a “Greek-influenced” meal. Serve on Pita Bread with Tzatziki Sauce, Tomatoes and Onions for a Greek Gyro inspired sandwich or as an appetizer with Tzatziki Sauce. Bison can be substituted for the lean ground beef or venison.

Stuffed Pumpkin

Ready in 90 minutes
Serves 10-12 people
 

Nutrition Highlight

Pumpkins are rich in Potassium, which can help regulate blood pressure, lowering the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Ingredients
 

• 1 small Pumpkin (or a large winter squash)
• 1 pound of Wild rice, cooked in stock (vegetable, chicken or beef)
• 1 Pound of cooked ground bison/turkey/venison/beef
• 1c Carrots, cooked.
• 1 c Dried Cranberries
• 1 c of Seeds (Pumpkin, Squash or Sunflower)
• 3 T Sage
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Vegetable oil to brush the pumpkin.

Preparation
 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut the lid off the pumpkin and scoop out the insides (seeds). Brush the inside and outside of the pumpkin with oil. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients for the filling. Season to taste.
4. Place mixture inside of the pumpkin. Pour water or stock inside of the pumpkin about ⅛ of the way up.
5. Place pumpkin on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour or until the pumpkin is fork tender.

Tips
 

If using a large pumpkin, wrap with foil before baking and unwrap during the last 30 minutes of the baking time.

Summer Squash Pasta Bake

Ready in 60 minutes
Serves 50

Nutrition Highlight

Summer squash is a powerhouse of nutrients, including Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Vitamin B6. Remember, most of the nutrients are in the skin of the squash, so you should never peel your squash.

Ingredients
 

• 1 pound of pasta such as Rotini or Shells
• 8 pounds zucchini or yellow squash
• 8-10 Qtrs. of water
• 4 c plain low-fat yogurt or low-fat sour cream
• 1 onion, small dice
• 6 carrots, shredded.
• 2 stalks of celery, small dice
• ¼ c parsley or celery leaf, finely chopped
• 1 T poultry seasoning
• ¼ c breadcrumbs/cracker crumbs/French Fried Onions or Parmesan Cheese

Preparation
 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large soup kettle bring water to a rolling boil. Boil pasta until nearly done (about 8 minutes.) Scoop out of water and rinse in cold water to stop cooking. Reserve cooking water for squash.
3. Cut ends off squash. Cut each squash into 3-4 pieces. Drop into boiling water from cooking pasta, lower heat and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Drain squash. Return to pot and add carrots, celery, onions, and parsley. Mash until mostly smooth.
5. Mix in yogurt or sour cream and stir into squash. Add pasta. Divide mixture into two hotel pans or two 9x13” pans. Top with breadcrumbs, bake 35 minutes or until bubbly.

Wild Rice Chicken Bake

Ready in 20 minutes
Serves 8 people

Nutrition Highlight

Eating a variety of colorful foods ensures that you get a wide array of nutrients. Generally, the darker the color, the more nutrients it contains.

Ingredients
 

• 6 Chicken Breasts (cut into cubes if desired)
• 4 c Wild Rice or Brown Rice, cooked.
• 2 c Low Sodium Chicken gravy, thinned.
• ½ c Low Fat Milk
• 1 c Celery, small dice
• 1 c Carrot, small dice
• 1 c Onion, small dice
• 2 T Parsley, chopped.
• 1 t Paprika
• 1 t Sage

Preparation
 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bake chicken on a sheet pan covered in foil for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees. Set aside.
3. In a large pot, sweat the onions, carrots, and celery. Combine the thinned gravy, milk, and seasonings. Set aside.
4. In a greased casserole dish place the cooked wild rice. Arrange the breasts on top of the rice. Spoon the gravy mixture over the top of the chicken breasts.
5. Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncover, and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Tips
 

Try adding a bag of your favorite frozen vegetable blend or fresh or frozen spinach to the casserole for added color and nutrition!