Gravy

4 tbsp flour
4 tbsp butter
2 cups broth (warmed in microwave)

salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
1-2 cups drippings from the bird or roast beef (optional)

Melt butter and add flour. Cook for a minute and then slowly whisk in the broth. Warming the broth helps prevent lumps. Add the drippings if using and suggestions below. Bring the gravy to a simmer and add salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken or turkey gravy use chicken broth and add:

• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder 
• 1/2 tsp onion powder 
• 1/2 tsp paprika 

Beef gravy use beef broth + 1-2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Bourbon Maple Bacon Stuffing

½ pound bacon, diced
½ cup butter
1 onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp dried rosemary
2 tsp dried thyme
1 large loaf of sourdough, cut into cubes
4 eggs, slightly beaten
½ cup of bourbon
½ cup chicken stock
¼ cup maple syrup
Optional: cranberries, toasted chopped pecans


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cook bacon, reserve fat. Using the same pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the onions, celery and garlic. Cook until onions are soft and transparent. Stir the bacon, some of the bacon fat, thyme and rosemary.
Place the bread cubes into a large mixing bowl. Stir in and bacon onion mixture and toss to mix evenly. Combine the the eggs, bourbon, chicken stock and maple syrup and mix into the bread cubes. Spoon the stuffing mixture into the prepared baking dish, and pat down slightly. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.


Inspired from: http://www.ctvnews.ca/mobile/lifestyle/maple-and-stout-brined-turkey-with-bourbon-maple-bacon-stuffing-1.2700575

Perogies

5 c purity flour
2 large eggs
1 tbsp oil
2 c water (maybe 1/2 cup more)
Combine and knead ingredients a long time...maybe 1/2 an hour adding more water if needed. Cover and let sit 1/2 hour. Flour the counter and cut a piece of dough (cover the remaining dough.


Roll out. Use a glass to cut out each perogy. Add filling (potato mixture). Use water on your fingers to moisten edges and pinch sides together. Place on floured towel and cover with a towel. Turn them over. Freeze on a cookie sheet that is floured.


Filling
Boil potatoes did done. Drain. Add 3/4 to 1 pound of grated old cheddar cheese. Put lid on and let cheese melt about 15 to 20 minutes. Mash.


When ready to eat, boil perogies til they float. Quick fry with onions. Serve with sour cream, crisp bacon...


From the recipe of Jen and Linda

Mango Salsa

2 ripe mangos, diced
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 tsp grated lime zest
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tbsp chopped green onions
1 tsp grated ginger
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp chopped jalapeño (or to taste)
salt & pepper to taste


Combine all ingredients. Makes about 2 cups.

Teriyaki Sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 cup water
1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced

1 tsp sesame oil
2 tablespoons honey

1 tsp Siracha sauce (to taste)

In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 1/2 cup water; set aside. In a small saucepan heat soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, honey, oil, hot sauce and 1/2 cup water. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in cornstarch mixture until thickened.

Serve with salmon, basmati rice and broccoli. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

Buttermilk Cornbread

½ cup butter
2/3 cup white sugar
2 egg
1 cup buttermilk
½ tsp baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
Melt butter and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into greased 8 inch square pan. Bake at 375 F for 30-40 minutes.

Same recipe posted here: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/76594/grandmothers-buttermilk-cornbread/

Hot German Potato Salad

6-8 medium potatoes
1 teaspoon salt (for boiling potatoes)
10 slices cooked crisp bacon, crumbled
2 tbsp. butter
1/3 cup white vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic (about 3 large cloves)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley


Place potatoes and salt in a large covered pot. Boil potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender when stabbed with a fork. Drain water and cool slightly. Slice into 1/2 inch slices. Set aside.

Melt butter in large skillet. Stir the minced garlic into the mixture and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until garlic starts to turn a light golden. Remove from heat and slowly and carefully add vinegar, sugar, Dijon, salt, and pepper. Place pot back on burner, bring mixture to a simmer, and stir for a couple of minutes. Remove pot from heat and toss in the sliced potatoes, gently mixing until potatoes have absorbed all of the liquid. Sprinkle with cooked bacon pieces and chopped parsley. Serve hot or warm.
Inspired from my own recipe and this one with Dijon mustard: http://www.fivehearthome.com/2014/05/19/german-potato-salad/

Pretzels with Beer Cheese Dip

1 tsp sugar
1 cup lukewarm water plus 2 to 3 TBSP extra water if needed for dough
2 packages active dry yeast
3 tbsp butter, softened
2 tsp salt
4 cups all-purpose flour
Coarse salt for sprinkling


Soda Bath
½ cup baking soda
8 cups water

Add the 2 packages of yeast and 1 tsp sugar to the 1 cup warm water. Let sit 5 minutes. In the bowl of your mixer, add 4 cups of flour and the 2 tsp salt. Pour the yeast mixture and softened butter into the flour and attach dough hook. Mix on medium speed until the dough starts to hold together. You may need to add a few more tablespoons of water. Once the dough has taken shape, mix on medium speed 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the dough from the hook and leave dough in the bowl. Cover the bowl with a towel and put somewhere warm for 45 to 60 minutes. It should be about double in size.

Cut the dough into approximately 10 pieces, give or take one or two, depending on how big you want them. Roll each dough ball into a 20 inch long rope (approximately). You will want to roll the strip of dough while moving your hands slowly apart from each other to stretch the rope out. Be careful you don’t break it. Form each dough rope into a pretzel shape and place on a cooking sheet covered with parchment paper. Cover and let rise for another 30-60 minutes.

To make your bath solution: Place water in a large pot, making sure not to fill more than ¾ of the way full. When the water is boiling, add the ½ cup baking soda slowly. It will bubble and fizz but will settle down. One by one, using a slotted spoon, drop your pretzel dough into the water bath. Let it boil for 10 seconds on each side. Remove with slotted spoon and place back onto parchment paper. Sprinkle with salt. When all pretzels are done, bake them in a 400 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until they are lightly browned.

Beer Cheese Dip
3 tbsp butter
4 tbsp flour
½ cup milk
¾ cup beer (the darker the beer, the stronger the beer flavor)
12 ounces shredded sharp cheddar
½ tbsp steak sauce (or Worcestershire)
1 tsp dry mustard
salt and pepper to taste
In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter. Add flour and mix until combined. Whisk in milk and beer and cook over medium heat until slightly thickened. Add the steak sauce and dry mustard, stirring to combine. Slowly add a bit of shredded cheese at a time, stirring well to melt. Continue until all the cheese is added and melted. Salt and pepper to taste.


Inspired from: http://www.turningclockback.com/2014/10/homemade-pretzels-with-beer-cheese.html

Scalloped Potatoes & Ham

6-8 medium russet potatoes
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

2 tablespoons flour
1 cup skim milk + 1 cup 5% cream (or use 2 cups homo milk)
pinch of cayenne
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp dry mustard
2 cups shredded old cheddar cheese
¾ pound ham sliced thin
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Using a mandolin or sharp knife, slice potatoes to ⅛ inch thick. Hold in a bowl of cold water. In a medium pot, melt butter and add onions, salt, pepper,  parsley and thyme. Sauté for about three minutes or until onions are starting to become translucent. Lower heat to medium, add flour and stir. Cook for about three more minutes or until raw flour smell is gone.

Mix milk, cream, cayenne, Worcestershire, nutmeg and mustard powder. Warm in microwave (this helps reduce lumps). Slowly add to pan, whisking til slightly thickened. Add the shredded cheddar cheese. Stir over medium heat until cheese melts into sauce then remove from heat.

Spray a 9 x 13 casserole dish with pan spray. Start by ladling a small amount of sauce into the bottom of the pan. Layer one quarter of the potatoes over the sauce, covering the bottom. Cover that with one third of the ham. Next cover with one third of the remaining sauce and another quarter of potatoes. Repeat layers by next adding ham, sauce, and potato, ending with sauce. Sprinkle the top with the parmesan cheese.

Bake uncovered for one hour and 15 minutes at 350 degrees, or until potatoes are tender. Let the casserole set for ten minutes, cut and serve.

Original Recipe slightly changed from: http://www.afamilyfeast.com/scalloped-ham-potato-casserole/

Baked Beans

1 lb dried white beans
1 tsp baking soda
1 med onion, chopped
½ tsp salt (to taste)
ground pepper
2 tsp dry mustard
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
½ cup molasses
1 bay leaf
2 cups hot water
6 slices crisp bacon (optional)

Cover beans with cold water and soak overnight. (or bring beans and water to boil; boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour.) Drain beans. Cover beans with fresh water. Add baking soda and heat to boiling. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse. Combine all ingredients in bean pot (or slow cooker). Cover and bake at 250o for 6-7 hours or until beans are tender and sauce is rich red brown. Add liquid periodically if necessary. I usually add 1-2 cups over the cooking period.

Roasted Greek Potatoes

Click to go to recipe link.

Yorkshire Pudding

4 eggs—must be room temperature 

All-Purpose Flour

Skim milk (or half regular milk, half water)

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 450F.

Measure 4 eggs (mine comes to 200 ml).

Add exactly same measure skim milk and flour (mine was 200 ml milk, 200 ml flour).

Combine in a small blender, add salt and whiz til smooth. Or whisk vigorously.

Use a really old tattered 12 cup muffin pan—this is secret!

Grease each cup with canola, ensuring the sides gets greased (I used less than 1/2 tsp canola oil spray).

Preheat greased pan for 5-10 minutes at 450. Remove pan from oven. It will be smokey. Immediately fill cups with batter and quickly put back in oven for 5 minutes. They should start to puff. Then reduce heat every 5 minutes (425-400-375F).

Keep at 375F until crispy (about 5-10 minutes more) then turn off heat.

Leave in oven with door ajar for 10 minutes so they don't deflate.

Serve with loads of butter and gravy as desired.

Secrets to Success

*All ingredients must be at room temperature before mixing or they won’t puff. 

*Batter can sit for some time but stir before pouring.

*The three ingredients have the same measure as the eggs. So if your 4 eggs measure 250ml, use 250ml milk and 250ml flour. It’s all 1:1:1.

*Never open the oven door. Treat it like a soufflé. Don’t yell or jump up and down with excitement.

*Use an old muffin tin, probably your mother has an old one in the back of the cupboard. The recipe will work with the nonstick pans but they may not rise as high.

*Let sit in oven for 10 minutes and they shouldn’t deflate.

*I’ve read that using skim milk or watered down milk adds to the rise as the water releases steam when in the oven. True or Not true, I do not know.

Swiss Fried Potatoes (Rosti)

2 lbs. potatoes
3 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. salt
1 lg. onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp. milk

Potatoes must be cooked at least 1 day before hand. Rosti must not be stirred, otherwise they will not form a crust. Boil the unpeeled potatoes until semi-tender the day before preparation. Peel; grate coarsely and salt. Heat butter in a large skillet. Saute onion until translucent; add potatoes and mix. Flatten with pancake turner to form a cake; cover, cook about 15 minutes until heated through. (Do not stir, but occasionally shake pan. Reshape, if necessary.) Should be moist; if not, sprinkle with additional cooking oil. Flip. Uncover, cook 15 minutes more. Turn out onto a platter, golden crust side up. Serves 6 to 8.

A number of additional ingredients are often added, such as bacon, onions, cheese, apples or fresh herbs—rosemary, thyme. Potatoes: yellow-fleshed potatoes, such as Yukon Gold (low water content) or Sweet-potato. Let your imagination run wild!

Buttermilk Cornbread

¼ pound butter
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
½ tsp baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt

Melt butter and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cormeal, flour and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into greased 8 inch square pan. Back at 375 F for 30-40 minutes.

Note: My son makes this all the time. He found the recipe on the web and won't change a thing! I would love to add grated cheese and maybe some jalepeno peppers but only when he isn't around.

Spicy Thai Noodles

angel hair pasta (spagettini)
1 cup shredded napa cabbage
1 large carrot, julienned
½ small green bell pepper, julienned
½ small red bell pepper, julienned
1 handful snow peas or sugar snap peas
1 bunch fresh green onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 tbsp red curry paste (in can or jar)
¼-½ cup chicken broth
1 tsp hot chili paste (or to taste)
Garnish: 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Cook pasta as directed. Stir fry veges with garlic and ginger. Add curry, broth and chili paste. Cook for 2 minutes. Add noodles. Garnish and serve.
 
Note: Some curry paste is mild and some spicy. Green curry paste is usually milder than the red. You may wish to use green curry paste and eliminate the hot chili paste for a milder dish.

Easy Scalloped Potatoes

6 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can milk
1 onion thinly sliced
shredded cheese (as much or as little as you like)

Whisk together soup and milk. Spray the bottom of an 8 x 11 casserole dish (lasagna pan works well) with Pam. Spread a few spoonfuls of the soup mixture in the bottom then a layer 1/3 of the potatoes, onions, soup mixture and cheese in layers. Bake at 375 F for 45-60 minutes (until potatoes are soft) and top is lightly browned.

Hashbrown Potato Casserole

¼ cup melted butter (optional)
1 can cream of potato soup
12 oz grated cheddar cheese
1 cup low fat sour cream
1 small onion, finely chopped
salt & pepper to taste
32 oz frozen hashbrowns (do not thaw)

Topping:
¼ cup butter (or just use PAM spray)
½ cup crushed corn flakes (or whole wheat bread crumbs)

Combine first six ingredients in large bowl. Add hashbrowns and mix gently. Spread in an 8 x 11 pan sprayed with PAM or two smaller casseroles. Combine topping mixture and sprinkle on top. Bake at 350F for 45-60 minutes. Can easily be frozen (Do not cook before freezing). To reduce amount of butter, do not add to potato mixture and spray crushed corn flake topping with PAM.