Something New: Biscuits & Gravy

It's finally time for the B&G side to have their day in the kitchen. I was happy to see such a passionate response last week when the question of Chicken Noodles vs. Biscuits & Gravy came up. I may have to put recipes to a vote sometime again soon. I am always happy to have input on the content here.

As for this recipe, I tried to make it as simple as possible. Making gravy can be tricky, but the key is getting the flour to milk ratio right so that your gravy thickens properly. And that golden ratio? 2 Tbsp flour for every 1 cup of milk (2 percent or soy). If you're using skim milk, however, the ratio will change. You may need an extra half to whole tablespoon of flour. And yes, this recipe works great with soy milk. Just adjust the vanilla amount based on your soy milk flavor.

Happy cooking!

ps- Although this recipe is quite delicious (and so easy) with canned biscuits, I'm working to find a great from-scratch buttermilk biscuit recipe. I haven't found it yet, so if you have one, I'd love for you to send it my way!

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Biscuits & Gravy

Ingredients

1 lb country-style ground sausage

2 cups milk

4 Tbsp flour

¼ tsp vanilla extract (seriously)

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 can buttermilk biscuits (8 count)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven and begin cooking the biscuits according to package directions.

2. Form half a pound of the sausage into ¼-½ inch thick patties (about 4-5 patties).

3. In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown the sausage patties until cooked through. Remove to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

4. In the same skillet, brown the rest of the sausage as ground sausage.

5. When the ground sausage is browned through, carefully drain excess grease, leaving about a Tbsp of grease in the skillet.

6. Add flour to the skillet and stir to coat sausage. Then mix in milk, salt, pepper and vanilla.

7. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until the gravy has thickened.

8. Split biscuits (which you remembered to take out of the oven!) in half and top with sausage patties. Smother in gravy and enjoy.

Sausage cooked and coated in flour.

Thickened gravy waiting to smother a biscuit.

Happy cooking!

Something New: Baked Steak

Day Two of the Five Days of Food. Actually, now that I think of it, all this talk of food is the perfect preface for next week: Thanksgiving! I'm so excited to go home and get a full 5 days with my family. I haven't seen them in almost 6 months, and I'm so happy to break that streak.

Plus, I can't wait for turkey with cranberry sauce. Cranberry sauce is the best part of Thanksgiving (food), hands down.

But this isn't about cranberry sauce, this is about another fantastic dish. One with gravy and tender beef and minimal effort. The only downside is that your house will smell like deliciousness for five hours and you'll have to eat half a pound of goldfish crackers to stave off the drooling hunger until your steak is done.

Just saying. Happy cooking!

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Baked Steak

Ingredients

2 lbs round steak

1 can cream of chicken soup (10 oz)

1 can cream of mushroom soup (10 oz)

1 packet Lipton Onion Soup Mix

⅓ cup water

**You will also need aluminum foil**

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

2. Cut the steak into serving size pieces and place in a 9x13 pan.

3. Mix together other ingredients and pour over top of the steak to cover.

4. Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake in the oven for 5 hours.

5. Serve and enjoy.

Serving size steak.

Covering the steak with the gravy ingredients.

Don't forget this step!!

Not photogenic, but definitely tastygenic. Happy cooking!

Something Old: French Dip Sandwiches

Welcome again to Monday, food friends!

I had a great weekend with friends. Lots of eating, baking, dancing (kinda), and watching new shows. Even had a girly sleepover. All kinds of fun things.

Unfortunately, Chase has been out of town and will continue to be out of town for a couple of days. When I was searching around the old posts for S.O. recipe, I realized that this would be the perfect thing for me to make for my solo Sunday dinner. Simple, cheap, and most importantly, easy to make for one. Granted, it's also easy to make for 2 or 6 or 10, but so few recipes are single-eater friendly.

Never fear. French Dips are here!

Happy cooking!

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French Dip Sandwiches January 2, 2010

Simplest warm sandwich in the world.

This sandwich was included in sets of recipes from both my mom and grandma, so I knew it had some history and had to be good. And indeed it was! Chase and I made it one week when we were both stressed and needed something warm, tasty, and simple. Perfect sandwich for all of those things.

ps- Pick your favorite kind of bread or roll for this, but I really like it on something with a nice chewy crust to add great texture.

Ingredients

Deli-sliced roast beef (about 4-5 slices per sandwich)

1 package McCormick's Au Jus Gravy mix

Provolone cheese

Bread of your choice

Directions

1. On the stovetop, prepare Au Jus Gravy mix according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, slice and toast your bread.

3. Once Au Jus is prepared, place roast beef slices one at a time into the gravy until they are heated through (they will look crinkly).

4. Place heated beef on one slice of bread and top with a slice of cheese. Place in toaster oven or under broiler to melt cheese.

5. Serve finished sandwich with a cup of Au Jus.

My favorite crusty bread.

Making the Au Jus (swirl).

Almost ready for eating, and perfect with a side of apples.

Happy cooking!

Something Old: Orange Pork Chops, Two Ways

Welcome to Monday, food friends! I've had a refreshing couple of weekends, and I'm ready to share recipes again at full force.

Last weekend Chase and I celebrated our two year anniversary, going to Columbus Fish Market, spending hours at the amazing Columbus zoo, seeing friends, sleeping in, and making Orange Pork Chops!

We love this recipe. It's straightforward, the ingredients are few and easy to find, and it gives me another reason to eat mashed potatoes.

There are two ways to make this recipe. The original way makes a delicious gooey glaze for the pork chops. The second way, our variation, makes an orange gravy for the chops. As a mashed potato fiend (half the time I choose my entrée at restaurants based on the presence of mashers as a side), I always go for the gravy. But both variations are great, and both are found below!

Have a great week! Happy cooking!

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Orange Pork Chops January 2, 2010

This recipe is an absolute favorite for me and Chase. I think I’ve made it 3 times in the last 3 weeks!

I even made it for my family of picky eaters. Caitlin, who doesn’t like pork chops, ate a whole chop herself. And Dad, who doesn’t like marmalade, went back for seconds. Success!

Even better, there are two delicious ways to make this recipe: with orange glaze or with orange gravy. The recipe is easy to half or double depending on the crowd you’re cooking for, and the leftovers are fantastic. Either way you make it, these pork chops are delicious. But if you want my vote, you can’t beat the gravy!

Ingredients (Glaze / Gravy)

4 pork chops

1 Tbsp olive oil

½ cup orange juice / 1 cup orange juice

2 Tbsp brown sugar / 4 Tbsp brown sugar

2 Tbsp orange marmalade / 4 Tbsp orange marmalade

1 Tbsp vinegar / 2 Tbsp vinegar

1-2 Tbsp flour (gravy only)

salt and pepper to taste

Directions (Orange Glaze)

1. In a large skillet, brown pork chops on both sides in hot oil (about 3-4 minutes per side). Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper.

2. Meanwhile in a medium mixing bowl, combine orange juice, brown sugar, marmalade and vinegar.

3. After the pork chops have browned on both sides, pour the glaze mixture over the pork chops in the skillet. Cover and simmer for 35 to 45 minutes, until the pork chops are tender and glazed.

4. Remove pork chops to a warm platter. Spoon glaze over chops and serve.

Directions (Orange Gravy)

1. In a large skillet, brown pork chops on both sides in hot oil (about 3-4 minutes per side). Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper.

2. Meanwhile in a medium mixing bowl, combine orange juice, brown sugar, marmalade and vinegar.

3. After the pork chops have browned on both sides, pour the glaze mixture over the pork chops in the skillet. Cover and simmer for 35 to 45 minutes, until the pork chops are tender and glazed.

4. When chops are done cooking, remove from skillet. Add about 1 tablespoon of sifted flour into the liquid in the skillet. Whisk to combine. Let the liquid continue to simmer for another 1-5 minutes, until it reaches a gravy consistency.

5. Serve over rice or with mashed potatoes.

The ingredients.

Beautiful browning chops.

Chops bubbling away in orange glaze.

Chops in the beginnings of gravy.

Glorious glazed chops. Don't have a pic of the final gravy, but I promise it's just

as gorgeous and delicious! Happy cooking!