Biscuits and Gravy

My Gpa loves biscuits and gravy! In fact, he now has serious health problems partly because of it. The doctor has even had to limit his biscuits and gravy consumption. But, after making this delectable dish for over 50+ my Grandma has become one mean biscuit and gravy makin' machine.

I've rarely eaten a bad biscuit. So, simplicity is best. Buy the Grands biscuits if you like or feel free to make them from a Bisquick box, either way I think they're great. The real magic is in the gravy :)

Biscuits and Gravy:

serving: up to you

 

ingredients:

milk

flour

bacon

pepper

salt

directions:

Start by cooking bacon in a skillet. Once bacon has been cooked crispy set aside on a plate lined with napkins. Allow to cool and then roughly chop.

 

 

Leave grease in the pan and set to medium heat, add about a 1/4 cup of milk and whisk continuously. While whisking attempt to scrap all those bacon morsels off the bottom of the pan.

 

Once milk has become and brownish color and looks like it's thickening take a spoonful of flour and sprinkle over the milk mixture, continuing to whisk (if you don't have a whisk my grandmother always used a fork). Continue adding flour one spoonful at a time until you've contributed 3-4 spoonfuls. Stir and allow to thicken.

 

 

Sprinkle in some pepper and salt (personally I don't add salt because I think the bacon is salty enough). Once it begins to thicken like gravy add some more milk, 1/4-1/2 cup is fine. Milk may seem to boil when added to mixture. This is normal. Keep stirring.

 

 

You want to continue alternating milk and flour until you have the desired amount of gravy. Make sure you give each step time to brown. By this I mean allow milk to brown on the bottom of the pan for a few seconds and then whisk or turn heat up higher so that it bubbles and cooks quickly. The browning is what allows for the great flavor.

 

 

 

Now, turn off heat and add bacon to mixture. Stir and serve with biscuits, but don't forget the butter, jam and honey.

 

 

My challenge is for you to try biscuits and gravy with jam. My favorite is blackberry. It's so good. Just like Gpa has it!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

It's such a disappointment when you labor in the kitchen making chocolate chip cookies and they come out like hard, brown, chocolate chunk Frisbees. Here's a fool proof recipe for chocolate chip cookies that won't leave you down, depressed, and defeated, face first in leftover cookie batter.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

serves: 7 dozen 2 inch cookies

 

ingredients:

2 3/4 cups of flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

1 cup butter, softened (not melted)

3/4 cups of granulated sugar

3/4 cups of packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon of vanilla

2 cups of chocolate chips (this usually means 1 bag)

optional:

1 cup of chopped walnuts (I split the dough in half and added 1/4 cups to one half for variety)

directions:

 

Preheat oven to 375 F

In a small bowl add flour, baking soda, salt. Now, set aside.

In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugars. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until smooth.

 

 

Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture until combined. Stir in chips...

 

 

 and walnuts (if desired)

 

 

Roll into small balls and lay on a cookies sheet, spaced apart. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Mine took exactly 9 minutes.

 

 

Cool then enjoy!

 

 

*If you would like to save some cookies for later pull out some wax paper and a one gallon bag. Roll the cookie dough into logs on the wax paper (short enough to fit into the one gallon bag). On the outside of the bag write the contents, cook temp and time needed to cook. Throw the bag in the freezer for later. When you're ready for another snack cut the logs like you would store bought cookies an enjoy! (This was a great idea passed down from a friend of a friend)

 

This recipe was adapted from the one on the Ghiradelli's Chocolate Chip bag

Honey-Lime Grilled Chicken

Mom's coming over for dinner. I have chicken defrosting, but what to make. A quick 30 seconds on the web brings me to this goody. Honey? Yes! Lime? Great! Barbecue? Amen!

 

Honey-Lime Grilled Chicken

Serves: 4

 

4 chicken breasts
1/3 cup lime juice

(original recipe says 1/2 cup of lime but it made the chicken too tangy)
1/3 cup oil
3 Tbsp honey
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp black pepper

 

Combine lime juice, oil, honey, thyme, rosemary, garlic and pepper. Pour it over chickens in a Ziploc bag. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Grill until done and juices run clear.

 

 

 

Recipe adapted from Steph at Plain Chicken

BLUE CHEESE STEAK SANDWICHES

BLUE CHEESE (LEFTOVER) STEAK SANDWICHES:

Servings: 2 People

ciabatta bread

1-2 leftover steaks (sliced)

spinach (can also use arugula)

olive oil

1 red bell pepper

1/4 sweet white onion

blue cheese

mayonnaise

pepper & salt

Heat up the BBQ. Make sure it's not searing hot because you don't want charcoal sandwiches.

Cut onion 1/4 inch thick slices. Cut bell pepper into 1/4 inch strips. Put onion and bell pepper in a bowl. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with pepper and salt. Then, toss.

 

 

Grill onions and bell peppers, with lid on. Grill for approximately 5 minutes on each side, or until LIGHTLY charred and tender.

 

 

Cut Ciabatta bread ( I used one from Target and it was fabulous). Brush each surface with olive oil. Grill with cut side down for 1-2 minutes or until crispy (keep and eye on these suckers, they can blacken fast)

 

 

 

Spread Blue Cheese on the bottom of the cut sides. Then top with baby spinach, bell peppers, steak and onion. Spread mayo on the top half and press lightly press to the bottom half on op of onion. Then, ENJOY!!

 

 

These were fabulous! My husband LOVED them! If you got a hungry meat eating man at home. Cook a nice steak dinner one night and follow up the next with this recipe. It's sure not to disappoint. To see the original recipe, go HERE!

PESTO STUFFED PORK CHOPS

PESTO STUFFED PORK CHOPS

4 pork chops
5 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tsp Basil (I use the kind in the can because it last longer)
1 clove Garlic (chopped)
2 Tablespoon Pecorno Romano cheese (heaping)
3 Tablespoons of Feta cheese
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

1 Teaspoon of pepper
1/2 Pepper flakes
2 Tablespoon of Balsamic Vinegar
1 Teaspoon dried Oregano

1/4 Teaspoon ground Thyme
1 Clove Garlic (chopped)

Preheat oven to 375F

Mix together oil, basil, garlic, cheese, pepper and salt until smooth (Some may want to use a food processor or blender) The first time I tried this recipe I added two slices of herb bread to the mixture, which caused them to be too dry. Leave the bread on the side.

 

 

Cut pork while half frozen (So much easier this way). Split mixture into 4 even portion and stuff into pork chops. The place in a shallow baking pan.

 

Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl and use as a rub on both sides of the pork chops.

 

 

Bake chops until the centers are hot. This took about 40 minutes. Remove from over and brush with 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and then return to oven for an additional 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

 

 

 

*I served mine with broccoli which was a nice complimenting flavor.

 

Fab reviews at allrecipes !

WHITE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

My husband's grandma is a phenomenal cook. Nothing is fat free! So if you're on a diet, run fast, and don't look back. Her late husband Nolan was always so appreciative of her labor's in the kitchen. After the first bite of each meal he would comment "barley edible". Note my sarcasm. He was a grouchy son-of-a-gun.

This is a close second to one of my favorite dishes she makes...

WHITE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

 

12 flour tortillas (or 8 if you want large ones)

8 ounces cream cheese

1 teaspoon ground cumin

4  chicken breast

2 cloves of garlic

drizzle of olive oil

 1 can cream of chicken and mushroom soup

1 can of green chilies

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

1/2 cup milk

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped 

1 cup pepper jack cheese

 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Few tablespoons of chopped almonds (toast in the oven)

Chipotle Tabasco Sauce (or another fav)

 

Put 1 tbsp of olive oil in pan. Saute 2 gloves of garlic for 30 seconds, add onion and cook until soft. Add cubed chicken. Next, add a generous amount of chipotle Tabasco sauce. Cook until chicken is cooked through.

 

 

Wrap tortillas in platic bag or frezzer bag (leave open). Microwave for 1 minute or until softened. They will be hot!! Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the cream cheese and cumin until smooth. Stir in chicken and add green chilies.

 

 

In another bowl, combine the soup, sour cream, jalapenos and milk. Stir 2 tablespoons soup mixture into chicken mixture. Place 1/3 cup of chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla; roll up. Place seam side down in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with remaining soup mixture. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until heated through. Uncover; sprinkle with cheeses and then with roasted almonds. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Yield: 6 servings.

 

 

In the case you are on a diet. Feel free to substitute cream cheese, soup, sour cream and cheese for low-fat. Try it and love it! I'd love to hear your feedback!

MUSH STUFF

My father started living on his own at the young age of 14. His parents were divorced when he was 3 and after a particularly nasty custody battle he had had enough. He settled in an old ranch house his grandmother had. Dad had a hardy diet of Corn Flakes for breakfast...lunch...and for dinner. It's no wonder he got mononucleosis. So grandma Viola took it upon herself to make this young man a recipe book and also to buy him an ol' cast iron dutch oven (which I believe is the same one he still uses today). This is a twist on an old recipe he used to make for us kids out of that dutch oven.

Let's just say it's definitely a step up from Corn Flakes.

MUSH STUFF

6 eggs

3-4 sliced of bread cubed ( I like to use old baguettes)

1/4 red onion chopped (sauteed in bacon or sausage grease for a few seconds)

5-6 slices of bacon chopped or sausage or BOTH :)

few ounces of cubed or grated cheese (mozzarella, cheddar or pepper jack)

Pepper to taste

* I don't like to add salt because the meat adds enough.

 

 

Let all items sit and bowl for a few minutes. This allows the bread to soak up all the flavored goodness.

 

If you're using a dutch oven, toss ingredients in, put on medium heat an let sit with the lid on. It should only take 15 minutes or so. Test with a fork to make sure cooked.

 

 

If you're like me and have no dutch oven and a hungry husband who wakes up before the sun comes up use a cupcake tin. In the morning it makes for a nice little snack that can be popped in the microwave and WHAM-BAM you have one happy papa bear.

 

 

 

Cook in Oven at 350F for 20 minutes or until tops are brown.

Margherita Pizza (with a twist)

We have tomatoes coming out of our ears. Tomatoes of every kind. We have Roma, early girls, cherry tomatoes, black cherry, yellow cherry, beef steak. Don't even get me started on the zucchini. Did I mention neither my husband nor I like zucchini. We learned this after we let them grow to be the size of baseball bats because neither of us wanted to pick them, let alone eat them. Hahah!

This is a fabulous recipe for getting rid tomatoes if you have a plentiful stash.

INGREDIENTS:
2 teaspoons of active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour divided
2 tsp sea salt
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes (all kinds makes for lots of color)
2 cloves of garlic
1 cup light packed basil (or you can find the jar kind that keeps longer, but cut amount to 1/4 ;)
2/3 pound of fresh mozzarella (I like the kind that's packed with oil, see pic)
1 tsp dried oregano

1. In a medium bowl whisk 1 cup of room temperature water w/ yeast and let stand 15 minutes.

2. Use dough hooks and mix 2 cups of flour, 2 tsp of salt, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and yeast mixture. Then add remaining 1/2 cup of flour and mix about 30 minutes until smooth and elastic. I personally through all ingredients in the bread mixture and let it do it's magic :)

3. Meanwhile, make tomato sauce. In a medium sauce pan heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat, add garlic and simmer for a few seconds. Stir in chopped tomatoes and allow to simmer for 25 minutes. Set aside to cool.

 

4. Blend remaining olive oil and basil leaves. Stir 1 tablespoon of basil oil mixture into tomato sauce w/ a pinch of salt.

5. Divide dough in four and roll into 4 tight balls. Place on a flour sheet and allow to rise for 1 hour. If you would like to make one large pizza like mine just make one ball.

 

5. Roll our 4 individual pizzas with dough. Bake dough 3-6 minutes @ 400F on a hot stone (stoneware from Pampered Chef in my fav). Remove from oven add tomato sauce, sprinkle basil sauce everywhere and all mozzarella cheese and return to oven for 2-5 minutes or until cheese has melted. Take out sprinkle with salt and enjoy.
* One pizza will need a beginning cook time of about 10 or so and 15 minutes after toppings have been applied.

I even had leftover sauce which I will be using to make Chicken Parmesan tonight :)

Morning Muffs

There are mornings when my husband has to be at work at 5am. That means I wake up at 4:15 (way before the rooster crows)!!! The typical morning routine consists of making daddy's lunch, breakfast and feeding the baby. So, to make my mornings a little easier I came up with (and a little altering from allrecipes) this super quick, easy, scrumptious breakfast muffin your manly man is sure to love :) Trust me! My husband is a power fighting (electrician), bear hunting, bass fishing, carhart wearing son of a gun and he LOVES THESE!

MORNING MUFFS

 

1 Jumbo Buttermilk Biscuits Can (cut each biscuit in 1/2)

*I buy a few and throw some in the freezer then defrost the night before

4-5 slices of mozzarella cheese and cut into small cubes

6 pieces of crumbed cooked bacon

6 eggs mixed in measuring cup (easier to poor this way)

add some pepper and milk to egg mixture

 

1. Use bacon grease to grease the inside of the cupcake tin

2. Start by taking the 1/2 biscuits and bringing corners together to make a small circle and place one at the bottom of each cupcake space.

3. Add cheese and bacon to each.

4. Pour egg, milk, pepper mixture into each space. I fill mine to the top which causes the Morning Muffs to flow over the brim when cooked.

 

Cook at 375F for 20-25 Min or until brown.

Let cool or you'll burn your face off.

 

*I used pepper jack, cheddar and sausage this morning.

 Mix and match.

You can't go wrong with this one.

To store I put them in a large freezer bag in the fridge so i can nuke them each morning.