As program director for Newnan’s chapter of Truth in Nature, a mentor program that teaches young boys outdoor skills, Tony Doolittle’s knack for cooking over a campfire comes in handy.

He knows his way inside a kitchen, too. As a young boy, he learned to cook from watching his mother and grandmother.

“They were both excellent cooks who could make just about anything,” said Doolittle, recalling that his grandmother even cooked squirrels.

Retired from a 27-year career with Delta, Doolittle learned to hunt as a young boy and has passed down his love for the outdoors to his own son and grandsons. He recalls camping trips to Colorado with his son. “We enjoyed hiking together in the mountains, pitching a tent, hunting and cooking food over the open campfire,” he says.

Skills he teaches boys through Truth in Nature (see Nonprofit Spotlight) include hunting and cooking what’s bagged. “There’s just something about preparing a meal over the hot coals that makes food delicious,” he says.

Doolittle and his wife Jennifer enjoy meals at home and an occasional dinner out. While he ran his own welding shop and tree cutting business in the past, his latest side gig is portraying Santa Claus at local Christmas events.

When it comes to cooking, whether indoors or outside, Tony Doolittle has a certain way of doing things. He uses venison in meals two or three times a week, substituting it for beef in chili, spaghetti, soups, stews and hamburger patties.

“Venison can easily be used in so many traditional dishes like chili or burgers,” he says. “I’ll use cooked chunks of venison to spread over rice or mashed potatoes with gravy, and I enjoy venison tenderloin as well.”

Like many proficient cooks, he doesn’t always go by the recipe.

“Sometimes, I like to make up new recipes as I go along,” he says. “I’ll use a pinch of this or a pinch of that and get creative.

Mr. Doolittle is a big fan of Mrs. Dash, his favorite seasoning, which can be used to add flavor to most anything, according to Tony.

But there’s one ingredient you won’t find in his meat dishes, and that’s Worcestershire sauce. He’d rather add chopped onion and sprinkle salt and pepper to jazz up his venison and beef.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown meat and drain. Add beans, sauce, tomatoes, seasoning mix and 1/4 of the cheese.

Spray bottom and sides of 8x8-inch baking dish with olive oil spray. Sprinkle 1 cup chips in bottom of baking dish; cover chips with meat/sauce mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven; top with sour cream or yogurt and remaining chips and cheese. Bake 4 to 5 minutes longer. Remove from oven and enjoy.

Combine all ingredients except olive oil in a bowl and mix together well. Cover bottom of frying pan with olive oil; turn stove to medium heat. Form patties with meat mixture. Cook and enjoy.

Brown onion and meat in oil. Add tomato sauce and water. Simmer for an hour. Add carrots, potatoes and more water if needed.  Add seasonings and cook until vegetables are cooked.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix bread crumbs and milk together. Add venison, egg and onion; mix thoroughly. Shape into a loaf. Place strips of bacon on top and then add ketchup. Put about 1/2 cup of water in a baking dish or pan, place the venison loaf inside, and bake for 1 hour, uncovered. To cook more quickly, put mix into muffin tins and bake 1/2 hour.

Marinate squirrels in buttermilk for at least an hour. Mix flour, salt, pepper and seasoning in a large zip-seal bag or paper bag. Remove 3 tablespoons of seasoned flour to use later to make gravy.

Remove squirrels from buttermilk and drop them in flour bag. Shake until meat is evenly coated, and place onto a cooling rack for 5-10 minutes; allow crust to settle.

Heat half an inch of cooking oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry each side of squirrel for 10 to 12 minutes with the lid on the pan to help soften it. When meat is brown and cooked through, place portions in a covered dish to keep warm while you make the gravy.

Pour oil from pan, reserving 3 tablespoons in pan. Add 3 tablespoons of seasoned flour and stir until lightly browned. Slowly add milk and continue to mix. Stir until gravy has thickened and you see tracks when you push a spoon across the pan. NCM