Southern Sausage Gravy

This gravy was taught to my dad by his grandmother when he was a little boy. He loved being in the kitchen with Ma. She was a dumpling of a woman who was ready to make anything you wanted to eat if she thought you were hungry. She taught me that dessert could be eaten whenever since why should you wait until the end when you would be too stuffed to eat it then!

Ingredients:

1 pound bulk pork sausage

4 tablespoons butter*

8 tablespoons all-purpose flour

8 cups whole milk

3 teaspoons salt*

3 teaspoons pepper*

1 teaspoon Crushed red pepper*

Directions:

In a fry pan break up the sausage. Fry on medium until the sausage is no longer pink and is in bite size chunks. Take care not to burn the sausage with too high of heat. Take the sausage out of the pan and place on a plate that has paper towels on it to drain. Pour off most of the sausage grease. Leaving about a tablespoon of grease in the pan. Now add the butter. When the butter is melted stir in the all-purpose flour. Cook this mixture until it is a golden brown. Add the milk slowly using a wire whisk to beat it into the flour mixture and to keep lumps from forming. Once the mixture starts to thicken add the last three ingredients. Then add the drained sausage.

Makes 8 cups.

*Notes:

We use real butter and not margarine. Also we have just used the sausage grease with no butter.

The salt, pepper and crushed red peppers are to your tastes. Everyone has their own preferred taste level so do it to yours.

This will keep up to a week in the fridge or can be frozen for a month. We never freeze it since it does not last long with everyone wanting it for breakfast.

Apple Pie Spice and Cinnamon Sugar Mixture

Apple Pie Spice

Ingredients:

8 tablespoons cinnamon, ground
12 teaspoons nutmeg, ground
8 teaspoon allspice, ground
2 teaspoons cloves, ground
1 teaspoons cardamon, ground

Directions:
Mix together all ingredients. Store in an air-tight container.

How to use:
Use in any recipe calling for apple pie spice and use as directed by the recipe.






Cinnamon Sugar Mixture

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon, ground*

Directions:
Mix together all ingredients and keep in an air-tight container.

How to use:
Use in any recipe calling for cinnamon sugar and use as directed by the recipe. You can also sprinkle onto hot buttered toast or cooked hot oatmeal.

Dump Cake Inspired Spiced Apple Crisp

I made this the other night because I wanted something sweet and did not feel like standing in the kitchen any longer. It had been a long day already. So I developed this as I went along using the dump cake method! Sometimes the best desserts come from being worn out. I knew this was a keeper when my dad ate 2/3rds of it by himself! We have to hide desserts around here or you will never get any!

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
2 (21 ounce each) cans of apple pie filling
1/4 teaspoon apple pie spice*
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1 box spice cake mix*
3/4 cup of butter, sliced up and quartered
2 teaspoons cinnamon sugar mixture*
1/2 cup pecans, chopped+


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F (175 to 180C or Gas mark 4).

Spray the bottom of a 13x9" baking pan with the cooking spray. Pour in both cans of the apple pie filling. Sprinkle the apple pie filling over the top of the filling. Do the same with the vanilla extract. Mix together.

Sprinkle the pie filling mixture with the dry cake mix. Making sure t o cover all of the apple pie filling. Then dot with the butter making sure to evenly place it. 

Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the cake mix and then sprinkle with the nuts. 

Bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until the cake is brown and the filling is bubbly along the sides.

Serves 8 to 12 depending on who is dishing up!


*Notes:

In the UK you can use the Spiced Ginger Cake Mix if you cannot find the Spice Cake Mix.

Apple pie spice recipe is on the next post along with the cinnamon sugar mixture.

You can use walnuts as a substitute.

 

Chicken & Gravy Over Puff Pastry Shells

Ingredients:

4 skinless boneless chicken breast, thawed*

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tablespoon Creole seasoning

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1/4 cup (60 ml or 2 fl oz) white cooking wine

2 packages chicken gravy mix

2 1/2 cups (620ml or 20 fl oz)chicken broth

1 can peas and carrots, canned, drained

    12 to 24 puff pastry shells*

 Directions:

Heat oven to 400F (Gas Mark 6 or 204C). 

Bake puff pastry shells according to package directions. 

Meanwhile heat extra virgin olive oil in a fry pan over medium heat. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with 1/2 of Creole seasoning. Place seasoned side down into olive oil. Sprinkle the other ½ of Creole seasoning onto the chicken. Cook seven minutes on each side or until meat is done. Place meat on a plate and set aside. 

Pour the white cooking wine in pan and add the garlic. In a bowl mix the gravy mix and chicken broth. When the cooking wine has reduced to a paste like consistency add the gravy mixture. Cook until thickened. Add in drained peas and carrots. Chop the chicken into bite size or smaller pieces. Add chicken to gravy mixture. Cook until heated through.   

Put puff pastry shell on plate and pour the chicken mixture into the puff pastry.

Makes 4 servings

*Notes:




If you are using store bought puff pastry shells they are small so I would make 4 or more for each person depending on their appetite. If you are making them yourself from puff pastry sheets which is what I end up doing then you can make them as big as you want.

You can substitute boneless skinless chicken thighs or even turkey if you would like.

My Families Chocolate Chip Cookies With Pecans

These are the cookies I grew up baking from the time I was three years old. My mom and Mimi (my maternal grandma) used black or regular walnuts and my (Southern paternal grandma) Grandma Barner always used pecans. So many memories are wrapped up in these cookies for me especially making them with my son when he was little. Hope you make memories with your loved ones with these cookies.

 Ingredients:

    2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

    1 teaspoon baking soda

    1 teaspoon salt

    1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

    3/4 cup granulated sugar

    3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    2 large eggs*

    2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) chocolate chips

    1 cup chopped pecans*

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, dark brown sugar and vanilla extract in large bowl until thoroughly mixed. 

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. 

Drop by rounded tablespoon onto parchment paper lined baking sheets 2” apart.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Servings: I usually get 2 ½ dozen cookies or more depending on how much of the raw dough I eat while making them!

*Notes:

I always crack the eggs into a separate bowl and then put into the bowl with the rest of the ingredients. The reason why I do this is because it makes it easier to get a piece of shell out if it ends up in the bowl then in a bowl filled with other ingredients.

I use pecans because they are very prominent where I live however any nut you like can be substituted.