Top 5 Recipes To Get You In The Mood For Halloween
With all the election craziness and general stress going on in the world these days, it can be easy to forget about the holidays. A little festivity could be just what the doctor ordered to take your mind off everything, and holidays make cooking that much more fun. For people who don’t cook often, it’s the time of year where they have the motivation to create something yummy in the kitchen. Does the cooking help create the air of festivity, or does the holiday excitement encourage the cooking? It seems like this relationship goes both ways. You don’t have to wait until Thanksgiving or Christmas to start cooking up some holiday cheer - there’s plenty of seasonal recipes for Halloween that will have you feeling warm and cozy. Pair these meals with a spooky movie and a fuzzy blanket for best results.
- Homemade Calzones With Ground Bison
- Southwestern Style Wild Boar Chili
- Chilly Weather Bison Stew With Beer And Bone Broth
- Instant Pot Taco Soup With Ground Elk
- Halloween “Mummy” Pigs In A Blanket With Bison Hot Dogs
1. Homemade Calzones With Ground Bison
If you love homemade pizza, making homemade calzones should be next on your list. These delicious pockets of cheesy, meaty goodness will be a huge hit. You can make your own pizza dough if you prefer. Personally, I find that the freshly made versions at many grocery stores or pizza places are usually really good. Don’t forget the marinara sauce for dipping! These would be amazing with any of our ground meats. I chose bison this time, but any variety would be fantastic.
Ingredients:
- 2 fresh pizza dough circles
- 3 tablespoons bison tallow, divided (2 tablespoons need to be melted)
- 2 pounds ground bison
- 2 cans whole tomatoes, drained
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 16 oz shredded Italian blend cheese
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon water
- Marinara sauce for serving
Instructions:
- Place 2 large baking sheets in the oven before preheating to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Leave the baking sheets in while the oven heats up.
- Lightly flour a surface to place the pizza dough on. Cover the dough with plastic wrap. Leave covered for approximately 20 minutes.
- Heat one tablespoon of bison tallow in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground bison to the skillet and cook just until brown. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat into crumbles as it cooks. Take care not to overcook the bison meat.
- Stir the tomatoes into the meat, crushing them with the spoon as you do so. Add the minced garlic, basil, parsley, oregano, sea salt and freshly ground pepper to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Take the skillet off the heat and set aside.
- Slice each pizza dough round into 4 pieces. Roll each section into its own circle, using a lightly floured surface to work on.
- Spread the meat mixture equally inside each calzone. Add ½ cup shredded cheese on top of each.
- Make an egg wash by whisking together the egg and water. Brush around the edges of each circle of dough, then fold over in half, pressing the edges together with your fingers or a fork. Brush the tops of the calzones with 2 tablespoons of melted bison tallow.
- Place the calzones on 2 sheets of parchment paper. Carefully pull the hot pans out of the oven so they’re accessible. Carefully place the sheets of parchment paper with the unbaked calzone on each baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 18-20 minutes, until they’re golden brown. Swap the positions of the pans halfway through baking so they spend equal time on the top rack.
- Let the calzones rest for five minutes before serving. Enjoy immediately with marinara sauce for dipping.
2. Southwestern Style Wild Boar Chili
There’s something so wildly satisfying about really great chili. If you’ve never tried our ground wild boar meat, now is the time because it really shines in this complexly flavored chili recipe. If this meal doesn’t make you feel like curling up with a cozy blanket, I don’t know what will. The bison bone broth and tallow make this chili rich and meaty, and the unsweetened baking chocolate is a secret ingredient that fills out the base of the flavor profile. The spices hit all the right notes - this recipe is easily my new favorite. I highly suggest making a big batch because everyone will be coming back for seconds!
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons bison tallow
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons ground oregano
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon chipotle powder
- 2 tablespoons ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 onions, chopped
- ½ jalapeno, finely chopped
- 3 pounds ground wild boar
- Two 28oz cans organic crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups bison bone broth
- 2 tablespoons masa harina
- 1 teaspoon coconut sugar
- 1 square of unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
- Sour cream, chopped cilantro, lime wedges and shredded cheese for serving
Instructions:
- Heat the bison tallow in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add all of the powdered spices and dried oregano. Stir until the spices are activated and infusing into the tallow - they’ll become very fragrant. This should take approximately 1 minute.
- Add the garlic and onions to the pot. Stir to combine. Add in the jalapeno and cook for approximately 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the ground wild boar meat and cook until lightly browned. Then, add in the crushed tomatoes, bison bone broth, masa harina, coconut sugar and chopped baking chocolate. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for approximately 45 minutes.
- Serve with dollops of sour cream, chopped cilantro and shredded cheese as desired. Enjoy!
3. Chilly Weather Bison Stew With Beer And Bone Broth
Now that the weather’s changing, I’m obsessed with cooking anything that makes me feel cozy and warm. There’s few things more autumnal than a hearty stew, and this one turns out well seasoned, flavorful and just the right thickness. Add one of your favorite beers for extra deliciousness. Our bison stew meat is something my freezer is always stocked with. Now that it’s getting chilly, we’ve been having trouble keeping it in stock. Everyone wants to make stew on these crisp October evenings! Serve with some local, freshly baked bread (homemade is even better) for a perfect meal.
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon bison tallow
- 2 pounds bison stew meat cubes
- 1 whole onion, diced
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 bottle or can of good beer
- 4 cups bison bone broth
- 2 cups water, + more as needed
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoons coconut sugar
- 4 parsnips, chopped
- 4 potatoes, cut into large chunks
- Minced parsley for garnish
Instructions:
- Heat the avocado oil and bison tallow in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sear the stew meat cubes on all sides, setting aside on a separate plate. Cut the seared chunks into desired size.
- Place the onions into the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender and fragrant. Add the garlic in and cook for approximately one minute.
- Add the beer and bison bone broth to the pot. Stir to combine, then add in the Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, paprika, and coconut sugar. Season as desired with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Add the seared bison stew meat cubes back into the pot. Give it a stir, cover and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours. As the stew cooks, it should thicken some. If it becomes thicker than you desire, simply add water as needed.
- Add the parsnips and potatoes to the pot. Cook for approximately 30 more minutes, adding more water as needed. Season to taste.
- Serve garnished with parsley if desired. Delicious soaked up with some good crusty bread.
4. Instant Pot Taco Soup With Ground Elk
There’s few things easier than making a delicious soup in the Instant Pot. This taco soup is so delicious and the perfect variation on chili, one of my cold weather favorites. It’s like a fiesta in your mouth, and our ground elk meat makes it even better. It’s got such amazing flavor and tenderness, you definitely won’t be disappointed. However, you could easily make this with any of our ground selections. Our ground bison, lamb, beef, wild boar, or any of our Primal or Keto blends would all be great options.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 ½ pounds ground elk meat
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 medium to large onion, chopped
- 3 large cloves of garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning of choice
- 1 package of ranch dressing mix
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 cups bison bone broth
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 can tomato sauce
- 1 can hatch green chiles
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese
- Tortilla strips for garnish, if desired
- Sour cream, chopped cilantro and avocado slices for serving
Instructions:
- Turn on the “Sauté” function for the Instant Pot and heat up the avocado oil. When it’s hot, add in the ground elk. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to brown.
- Add the chopped onion to the Instant Pot. Cook for approximately 1-2 minutes.
- Add the garlic, ranch dressing packet and taco seasoning to the pot. Cook for another minute or two.
- Add both types of beans, bison bone broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and hatch green chiles to the pot. Stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom and combining. Turn off the Sauté function.
- Turn on the pressure cook function and select “High Pressure”. Set the timer for 20 minutes.
- When the soup has finished cooking, release the steam. When the lid releases, stir in the frozen corn and shredded cheese. Ensure that the frozen corn is warmed all the way through. Taste and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper as desired.
- Serve and enjoy. Add tortilla strips, sour cream, cilantro and avocado slices as desired.
5. Halloween “Mummy” Pigs In A Blanket With Bison Hot Dogs
And last but certainly not least… Halloween pigs in a blanket. With trick-or-treating currently getting canceled for many Americans this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, many families are looking for ways to celebrate Halloween at home with their kids. A Halloween themed dinner can really make things feel festive and these pigs in a blanket are easy and fun to make. You could always make your own biscuit dough if you prefer, but using canned really takes me back to my childhood and makes this recipe incredibly simple to prepare. My personal favorite is the canned croissants or crescent roll dough. The hardest part is probably opening the pressurized can. Does anyone else get nervous doing that? But after all, it’s Halloween, so a little scare will only add to the fun.
Ingredients:
- 8 bison hot dogs
- 1 can of crescent rolls or approximately 8 oz of homemade biscuit dough
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons water
- Mustard
- Ketchup
- Hot sauce and any other desired toppings for serving
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a baking sheet - lining with parchment paper is recommended.
- Unroll the canned crescent dough, or prepared biscuit dough. Cut the dough into the thinnest strips possible for mummy wrapping.
- Use a paper towel to gently pat the hot dogs dry. This will make a better surface for adhering the “mummy wraps”.
- Wrap the strips of dough around the hot dogs to look like a mummy’s bandages. Criss cross them and leave one end open for the “face”. Place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Make an egg wash by whisking together the egg with the two tablespoons of water.
- Brush the egg wash onto the dough “bandages”.
- Bake for approximately 12-15 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown.
- Use ketchup and mustard to make eyes on the faces of the mummies. Serve immediately with desired condiments and enjoy!
