Country Gravy

 

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp flour
• 2 cups milk, whole or 2% *you must use milk with a higher fat content
• kosher salt to taste * I use 1/2 tsp kosher salt (not regular table salt…see notes) this is the amount I like… start with less and add to taste if you are worried about it being too salty
• 1/2 tsp black pepper *more to taste

Instructions

• In a small saucepan, over medium heat, melt your butter and add your flour. Whisk together.
• Let the flour and butter cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Whisk in milk, whisking until smooth. It will start to thicken.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve immediately.
• This gravy will thicken as it cools. For reheating just heat over medium-low heat. Add milk as needed if the gravy is too thick when reheating.

Recipe adapted from https://thebutcherswife.blog/easy-white-country-gravy/

Mini Cheesecake Bites (Annie's Eats) Will do my edits and change pictures soon. Saving for easier access

INGREDIENTS 

• 
  
• For the Crust
• 
  
• 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tbsp. sugar

For the raspberry swirl:

• 6 oz. fresh raspberries
• 2 tbsp. sugar

For the filling:

2 lbs. cream cheese, at room temperature

• 1½ cups sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature

DIRECTIONS

• 01

  Preheat the oven to 325˚ F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar.  Stir together with a fork until well blended and all the dry ingredients are moistened.  Press 1 tablespoon of the mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner.  (I like to use a small drinking glass to easily and evenly press the crumbs down.  One of Andrew’s sippy cups works wonderfully.) Bake until just set, 5 minutes.  Transfer to a cooling rack.

  

• 02

  To make the raspberry puree, combine the raspberries and sugar in a blender or food processor.  Process until smooth, then pour through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds.

• 03

  To make the cheesecake, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer until fluffy.  Blend in the sugar until smooth.  Mix in the salt and vanilla.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

• 04

  To assemble, spoon 3 tablespoons of the cheesecake batter over the crust in each cupcake liner.  Dot a ½ teaspoon of the raspberry puree in a few dots over the cheesecake filling.  Use a toothpick or a wooden skewer to lightly swirl and create a marbled effect.

  

  

  

• 05

  Bake until the filling is set, about 22 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking.  (They will look quite puffed initially but will return to normal quickly.)  Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool to room temperature.  Transfer to the refrigerator and let chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

  

Light Brioche Roll

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons warm milk
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 2 ½ tablespoons sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3 cups bread flour
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 2 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

• PREPARATION

• In a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup warm water, the milk, yeast and sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 5 min. Meanwhile, beat 1 egg. After the mixture has foamed, add the egg and stirl gently.
• In a seperate bowl, whisk flour with salt. Add butter and cut into flour with butter knives, or rub into flour between your fingers, making crumbs. Pour dry ingredients into mixing bowl and set mixer on a lower setting. Mix for 8-10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
• Put lid or plastic wrap over bowl and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide dough into 8 equal parts. Gently roll each into a ball and arrange 2 to 3 inches apart on a baking sheet. Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towl and let buns rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours.
• Set a large shallow pan of water on oven floor. Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in center of oven. Beat remaining egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush some on top of the buns. Bake, turning sheet halfway through baking, until tops are golden brown, about 14 min. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• Recipe adapted from cooking.nytimes.com

Mama Modica’s Authentic Italian Pasta Sauce

2 (24-32 oz.) cans tomato puree (with _ can water)

2 large cans tomato paste (with 2 cans water)

1/2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. garlic powder

Olive Oil

Meat balls (3 lbs.) and/or Italian sausave (2 Lbs.), browned

salt and pepper

In a large saucepan, combine the tomato puree, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, garlic powder, 1 tsp. olive oil, meat balls (and/or sausage) and 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper.  Bring to boil, lower flame to simmer.  Simmer for about 6 hours in order to give all ingredients a chance to develop full flavor.

Thank you to our Dear Friend Mam Modica for sharing this recipe with us!!! 27 years later we are still making Pasta every Christmas. 

BBQ Sauce

Ketchup

Mustard

Molasses

Corn Syrup

Taco seasoning

Red hot

Honey

Pepper

Garlic salt

Parsley

Lemon

Brown sugar

Corn Startch

Caramel Popcorn

1 1/2 cup popcorn

2 cups of brown sugar     

1cup butter   

1cup corn syrup             

 1can sweet & condensed milk                   

Boil. Add sweet & condensed milk.

 Boil again. Add to popped popcorn.

Sweet Chicken

Ketchup

Yellow Mustard

Light corn syrup

Dark corn syrup

Honey

Basil

Pinch of crushed red pepper

Frank’s red hot

Molasses

Garlic salt - pinch

Lemon juice

Thicken with corn starch/water