Sausage Gravy

This is a recipe that I created by combining what I loved about the gravy at Wheatfield's bakery in Lawrence KS, with a method of making gravy that I learned from Chef Lance White.  The seasoning is totally a shake here and a shake there, so you will have to play around with what you like.

You will use 1 stick of butter for every pound of sausage.  Melt the butter then add about 1 carrot finely chopped or grated and 1/2 onion finely chopped.  Saute for a few minutes.  Then add sausage and brown.  While it is browning (or when you remember) add a shake of oregano, black pepper, thyme, and red pepper flakes.  You may also want to add salt depending on the sausage you are using.  We like it a bit spicy but you can season as you want.

Once the sausage is browned you will add flour to make a roux.  The key to a roux is to have equal parts fat and flour so depending on how much butter you used and how fatty your sausage is you will have to play around with this.  Cook the roux for a bit. Then slowly add chicken stock (about 2 cups per 1lb of sausage)  As this comes to a boil it will thicken, then you can add a little more.  You will also do the same with the milk until you have the thickness and consistency they way you like it.  It will tend to be a thick gravy.

Black bean salsa aka pregnancy salsa

2 cans black beans rinsed and drained
1 can of corn drained
1 can of rotel mostly drained
1/2 onion finely chopped
1 Tbs oil
Splash of vinegar
 Mix together and refrigerate
 Adjust oil and vinegar as needed

Knock off of Qdoba mexican gumbo

Here is a knock off I found.  We added rice and black beans to our individual bowls.  You could also add chicken very easily!


Tortilla Soup – Makes 6 Cups

Ingredients
1 T          Vegetable oil                                                                      
½ C         Red onion, minced                                                            
½ C         Poblano pepper, diced into ½” pieces                                          
3 C          Vegetable or chicken broth                                            
2 ea        Corn tortillas                                                                      
1 T          Fresh garlic, minced                                                        
2 tsp       Jalapenos, seeds and ribs removed                            
½ tsp      Ground cumin                                                    
1 tsp       Ground chili powder                                                          
2 C          Fire roasted tomatoes, diced                                        
½ C         Tomatoes, crushed                                                          
2 tsp       Kosher salt, or to taste                                                    

In a 2 quart sauce pot over medium heat add oil, onions, and poblanos and cook for 5 minutes.
Add garlic, jalapeno, cumin and chili powder and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
In blender, place broth and tortillas, and puree until just about smooth.
Add blended mixture to pot along with fire roasted tomatoes and crushed tomatoes, bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes on medium-low heat.
Season to taste and serve with garnish.

Carnitas

3 pounds boneless pork shoulder or pork butt, cut into 2-inch cubes

2 T Olive Oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon Ancho chile powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Whisk above together and coat meat.
Saute in Instant Pot to brown the meat

Add:
1 1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup lime juice
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

Close and lock lid. Manual 35 minutes NPR.

Remove meat, shred on foil covered baking sheet and drizzle with some of the juice.  Put under broiler for 10 minutes (or until browned to your liking)


For stove-top
Place the pork in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot. Add the orange juice, lime juice, garlic, cumin, salt and enough water to just barely cover the meat. Bring the pot to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for two hours. Don’t touch the meat.

After two hours, increase the heat to medium-high and while occasionally stirring and turning the pieces, continue to cook for about 45 minutes, or until all of the liquid has evaporated, leaving only the rendered pork fat. Let it sizzle in this fat long enough to brown at the edges, turning pieces gently (they’ll be eager to fall apart), only as needed.

When pork has browned on both sides, it’s ready. Adjust seasonings to taste and serve on warmed tortillas with fixings.

Aunt Betty's Blu'Bana Bread

Here is the Blu'Bana Bread recipe that I promised.  I made some substitutions from the original and will note those and my tips too!  It was wonderful!

1 pt fresh or frozen Blueberries
4 cups Flour, divided (I used whole wheat flour)
1 cup softened Butter (I used 1/2 C butter and 1/2 C unrefined coconut oil if you do this make sure that your blueberries and bananas are thawed and room temperature or the coconut oil will harden and you will have to heat the batter to get it to combine!)
2 cups Sugar
4 Eggs
5 ripe Bananas, mashed
2 teaspoons Vanilla
1 Tablespoon Allspice
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt

Grease and flour 2 9x5 loaf pans.
Toss Blueberries with 2 T. flour and set aside
In large mixing bowl, with electric mixer at medium speed, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
Add eggs, bananas and vanilla; beat at low speed until blended.
Add all the dry ingrediants and mix
Fold in Blueberries
Pour batter into pans
Bake 55-60 minutes until center comes clean at 325 degrees
Cool 10 minutes
Remove from pans and cool at least 20 minutes to serve warm.

Baked Chicken with Chipped Beef

Here is one of the recipes from my Grandma Wade's recipe box!  It was amazing!

4 chicken breasts
4 slices of bacon
4 oz package of chipped beef
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream

Wrap each chicken breast with 1 slice of bacon
Cover bottom of flat greased pan with chipped beef
mix soup and sour cream and pour over the top
Bake uncovered at 300 degrees for 2 hours
Can be made ahead and refrigerated

The next few months...

Well, as you can see I am slow to update this already and with the holidays and a new baby due in the next 6 weeks I won't make any promises, but I can tell you this.  I normally get my recipes from the internet and then tweak as needed however I recently have been given my Grandmother Wade's recipe boxes.  Today I was just doing a bit of looking through them and found some "must try" recipes...like "Really good casserole"  which calls for a "moderate oven".  It sounds like we will be on a food adventure!  I am going to take some time and try out as many as I can.  I am excited about the Blu' Banana Bread which is blueberry and bananas!  One thing that I find really neat is that my Grandmother wrote on each card who she got the recipe from.  Today I found a recipe that she got from my Grandma VanderLugt!  So I invite you to come back often and check for updates.  I will also try and let you know via Facebook if a new recipe has been posted.