Mandy and Jace

Mandy and I love to cook, as you’ve no doubt noticed. But cooking 4 to 5 times a week in a relatively small town tends to mean that we go through the same few staple ingredients all the time. It’s really easy to fall into a rut of chicken and rice for every dinner, and I have definitely done that a bunch of times.

It’ll also come as no surprise that I’m a big fan of Monty Python. They’re zany, funny and a little different; but in the end they make me happy. It’s in the spirit of one of their least known stories I present:

And Now For Something Completely Different

And this time, the completely different ingredient will be veal stock. I understand some people may have some issues with veal, but I promise the second it touches your tongue, you’ll lose every last scruple. So go to that spot in your local mega-mart where you find chicken broth and grab a carton of veal stock instead. It’s totally worth it.

Confession time: gravy has been my kryptonite. It always tasted like flour or was lumpy or was too thick or too thin. Basically, I had a hard time with it and had pretty much given it up. I finally had some luck last Thanksgiving, and I think I’ve got it about figured out. Tonight we’re going to make it with veal stock and butter, but you can use a whole lot of different ingredients like chicken broth, milk, heavy cream, chocolate… It can get as weird as you want it.

A couple of quick tips:

1. If you have a round-bottomed pan, it will suit you well. A saucier was pretty much made just for this.
2. Have all your ingredients ready and within arm’s reach before the butter hits the pan, because once you get going you can’t stop.

The basis of any country gravy is what the French call a roux. It’s an equal part, by volume, of some melted fat and flour. We’re going to make a decent amount, so we’ll use two tablespoons each of butter and regular all-purpose flour. You’ll want to melt the butter over medium to medium high heat and add the flour just before the butter starts to brown.

Then whisk it all about till it’s all a whitish liquid. Then it’s time to let it cook a little while. The roux will start to darken, going from a honey blonde to a brick red and all the way to exhaust black if you don’t watch it. We’re going for my personal favorite: slightly dirty blonde.

Of course, I’m a little partial.

Now that we’ve managed to get the roux right where we want it, we have to work quickly from here on out. We’re going to add a decent amount of our stock. You can start at half a cup if you just have to measure things, but it’s really better to just slowly add a few splashes until it’s thinned out to where you like it.

The butter in the roux really won’t want to mix with the stock you add, oil and water being the racists they are. The flour just wants everyone to get along, but it’s kinda lazy so you’re going to have to whisk a lot. It will come together eventually, and if it’s still lumpy, add another splash of stock.

Did I mention this is going to be a brownish gravy? Do you not like that idea? Add some milk, or heavy cream if you’re so inclined. You’ll have to whisk it all in pretty hard, too.

Now, you have to let it bubble away for at least a minute. This is the only way to cook out that flour taste, and to me, it’s the most important step. It’s during this time that you’ll need to go get a spoon anyway. You have to taste it now; probably a good three or forty times. You can add some salt, pepper, maybe even garlic powder if it’ll work with your dish. Just make sure it tastes good.

It’s time to put it on something. Like say freshly fried chicken nuggets, some biscuits or maybe some chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes.

So, what have we learned? Gravy isn’t quite as hard as it seems–you know, after you figure it out. Hopefully we’ve illuminated some of the pitfalls I face-planted into the first few times I made gravy, so that you can avoid them: liquid roux at a pretty blonde, slowly add the stock or liquid, whisk it all together vigorously enough to combine (not vigorously enough to require extraneous cleaning), and let it boil away for a minute or so to cook out the bad.

Veal Stock Country Gravy
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
4+ fluid oz of veal stock
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a round bottomed pan over medium to medium-high heat. Whisk the flour into the butter and allow to darken just past blonde. Whisk the stock in and add more if it’s still too thick. Allow the gravy to cook for at least a minute before seasoning with salt and pepper.

I love all things pizza. It’s tasty, easy and versatile. You can make it as healthy or unhealthy as you want and as easy or difficult you want. I have found that I really enjoy making breads and doughs and so far my best has been my pizza dough.

This recipe uses my normal pizza dough recipe but I stuffed the dough with my ingredients. I chose to make a three meat calzone, with sausage, pepperoni and bacon. However, you can do so much more. Be creative!

Here is the recipe for the dough. If the whole wheat scares you just replace the whole wheat flour with white flour. It works just as well as the wheat.

Three Meat Calzone
(I didn’t put measurements because it’s up to you how much you put in)

Fresh made dough
Pepperoni
Sausage
Bacon
Mushrooms, sliced
Mozzarella cheese
Tomato sauce or pasta sauce
1 egg, beaten
Olive oil

Roll out your dough to your desired thickness and place on a greased sheet pan. Spoon your desired amount of tomato sauce or pasta sauce on half of the dough leaving a one inch border around the sides to close the calzone.

In a bowl combine your pepperoni, sausage, bacon, mushrooms and cheese together. Pour the mixture on top of the sauce .

Brush the border of the dough all the way around with the beaten egg and pull the side of the dough without anything on it up over the meat mixture.

Take a fork and press it down on the edge of the calzone to close and cut a slit on the top to let out steam. Brush the top of the calzone with the egg wash for browning.

Put in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Serve immediately.

I’m not sure why but I’ve never really been one for casseroles. I think my need for everything neatly in it’s place goes a little nuts when I see the plated dish. Everything is everywhere on the plate and there is really no way to make it look pretty. But, when it tastes like this did I’m willing to excuse the mess.
I do think next time I’m going to make this dish into King Ranch Enchiladas. Instead of layering everything I’m going to roll the meat into the tortillas then put the sauce and cheese on top. That way it will look a little better when plated.

Either way you make this though, it is really good! I used a rotisserie chicken and shredded it but you can use any chicken or beef you want. I am wanting to get to like mushrooms so I bought some to throw in but, forgot about them. It would probably be pretty good but I don’t really know. It does take quite a while to make so be sure you have plenty of time. It also freezes well. Just make sure you cover it with several pieces of foil so it doesn’t get freezer burn.

King Ranch Casserole
adapted from Homesick Texan
1 1/2 lbs chicken shredded without skin
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil or canola oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
4 tablespoons butter
1/3 an onion diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 poblano pepper, diced
1 can Ro-Tel
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup half and half
1/3 cup sour cream
3 cups of the cheese of your choice, grated
10 corn tortillas
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a skillet on medium heat combine the chicken, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons chili powder and cook for a couple of minutes to combine.
In a large saucepan on medium heat melt the butter. Add the onions, bell pepper and poblano and cook for about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic, cumin, flour, cayenne and 2 tablespoons chili powder and cook for one more minute.
Add the chicken broth and cook until thick. Pour in the half and half and Ro-Tel, cover and cook at a simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the sour cream, the rest of the lemon juice. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
Heat the tortillas for a couple of seconds in the microwave.
In a 11×7 casserole dish spoon in 1/2 cup sauce. Place a layer of tortillas on top, then add a layer of chicken half of the remaining sauce and 1 cup cheese.
Continue to layer tortillas, chicken, sauce and cheese.
Place casserole, uncovered, into the oven and cook for 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling.

11 years ago today my wonderful husband asked me to be his girlfriend. Yes, we still count our dating anniversary because we feel it is a HUGE accomplishment.  I can’t believe it’s been eleven years. I also can’t believe I am old enough to be married and have responsibilities, but that’s another post.  I think we have one of the most interesting stories around. People always ask if we know everything about each other since we have been together for so long, but honestly we continue to learn new things about each other every day.

Wow, that’s been a long time! Since it is our anniversary, but not our marriage anniversary, we aren’t really doing a big celebration. I did however, what to do something small so I decided to make his favorite banana bread.

I never liked banana bread until I made it one day to surprise Jace. From then on I really like it. But the weird thing is we don’t like it with nuts. Nope, only the bread with maybe some chocolate chips in it. As crazy as that sounds it’s really good. The great thing that I love about making breads is you can make two and wrap one up and give it to a friend or family member. So not only will your spouse love you but so will everyone else. Score all the way around! Also you can make this into killer muffins.

Anniversary Banana Bread
adapted from Fresh From The Oven

2 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
lemon zest of one lemon
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups cake flour
10 tablespoons sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter

Various possible toppings:
chopped nuts
chocolate chips

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and grease your loaf pan or muffin tin.

Mash the bananas with a fork. Combine mashed bananas and the sour cream in a bowl and stir together. Add in the eggs, lemon zest and vanilla extract.

Next, in a mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt on low speed (unless you want a mess) until it mixes together. Add in the butter and half of the banana mixture and mix together. When everything comes together increase the speed of the mixer to medium and mix for about 2 minutes. Add the remaining banana and beat well.

Pour the batter into your greased pan and bake for 40-45 minutes in a loaf pan or 20-30 minutes in muffin tins. It is ready when a toothpick comes out clean.

This recipe I got from my lovely mom. Ever since I was little I can remember loving her bread pudding. It’s so sweet and creamy and I know you’ll fall in love with it too. Any time I have leftover bread on the counter or in the freezer that I want to get rid of I make mom’s bread pudding. It is great warm or cold in the fridge and the great thing is it’s pretty hard to mess this recipe up.

You will need 10 to 12 slices of bread, 5 eggs, 4 tablespoons butter ,1 1/2 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 cups milk.

In a large bowl, tear the bread into small chunks.

Pour in the sugar

and the cinnamon. Stir together.

Pour in the eggs and mix together.

In the 8×10 pan you are going to cook the pudding in melt the butter in the oven.

Yum… butter. Roll the butter around in the pan to grease the bottom.

Pour the remaining butter into the bread mixture and stir. Careful not to burn yourself!

Pour just enough milk to the mixture to make it look almost like a cake batter. You probably won’t use the full 2 cups.

This is what it should end up looking like.

Pour the batter into the greased pan.

Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over the top and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to one hour.

…and serve!

Mom’s bread pudding

10 to 12 slices of bread

5 eggs whipped

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, tear the bread into small chunks. Pour in the sugar and the cinnamon. Stir everything together. Add the eggs and mix.

In the 8×10 pan that you are going to cook it in melt the butter in the oven. Roll the butter around to grease the pan. Pour the leftover butter into the bread mixture and stir well.

Pour just enough milk to the mixture to make it look almost like a cake batter. You probably won’t use the full 2 cups.

Pour the batter into the greased pan.

Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over the top and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour.