Fall Recipes: Venison Shepherd’s Pie, Buttermilk Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Easy Baked Apples

WEB EXCLUSIVE: Easy Fall Baked Apples

Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Easy Fall Baked Apples

2/3 cup old-fashioned oats

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup butter, softened

6 large red apples (like Honeycrisp)

1. Preheat over to 375˚F. Fill a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with just enough water to cover bottom of dish.

2. Combine oats, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and vanilla in a bowl. Add butter, and use a fork to cut in butter, stirring until mixture is crumbly.

3. Using an apple corer or melon baller, remove apple cores, leaving about 1/2-inch at the bottom to hold filling.

4. Divide filling among apples; place apples in prepared dish, and cover with aluminum foil.

5. Bake apples 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking 15 to 20 minutes longer or until apple skins are wrinkled and filling is lightly browned.

Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Prep: 20 min. Bake: 35-40 min. Stand: 10 min. Yield: 6 servings

Upside-Down Venison Shepherd’s Pie

You may substitute lean ground beef for venison.

Venison Shepherd’s Pie, Buttermilk Mashed Sweet Potatoes

1 1/2 pounds ground venison

2 carrots, peeled and diced

1 (8-ounce) package sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup fresh or frozen English peas

1 (.87-ounce) package low-sodium brown gravy mix

1 (14.5-ounce) can low-sodium beef broth

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 (8-count) package frozen garlic Texas toast

Buttermilk Mashed Sweet Potatoes (see recipe below)

1. Cook venison, carrots, mushrooms in a large skillet over medium heat, 8 minutes or until venison is browned and crumbly; drain.

2. Return to heat and stir in peas, gravy mix, broth and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes or until thickened.

3. Bake Texas toast according to package directions.

4. Arrange Texas toast on each plate. Spoon Buttermilk Mashed Sweet Potatoes over toast; spoon venison mixture over potatoes.

Prep: 20 min. Cook: 15 min. Yield: 6 servings

Buttermilk Mashed Sweet Potatoes

2 pounds sweet potatoes

1/4 cup buttermilk

2 Tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Pierce sweet potatoes several times with tines of a fork.

2. Place in a large microwave-safe bowl or on a large microwave-safe plate; cover with damp paper towels. Microwave on HIGH 10 to 12 minutes or until tender, turning every 5 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes.

3. Peel and add potatoes to a large bowl. Add buttermilk, butter and salt; mash sweet potatoes with a potato masher or a handheld mixer until smooth.

Prep: 12 min. Stand: 15 min. Mix: 5 min. Yield: 6 servings