Turkey Gravy

From: I took this recipe of an imitation KFC gravy, omitted the pepper, went for it.  It was scrumptious!

Ingredients:

1 cup drippings
4 Tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup of chicken stock (or substitute water and chicken bullion)

How to: 

Combine all the ingredients in a small pot or skillet.  Whisk together until smooth.  Turn on medium high heat.  Whisk as it heats up and thickens.  Remove from heat just before it reaches the thickness you desire.  It will continue to thicken as it cools.

Apple Jam

From: I put this recipe together using a few things from several online recipes that I found.  It took several tries to get it just right, but it's a great one!

Ingredients:

4 cups of FINELY chopped apples (no need to remove the peel)
1.5 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1 tbsp butter
1 box (1 3/4 oz) dry pectin OR 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
2 cups sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed

How to:  

Measure apples in a measuring cup.  Now add in the same measuring cup water to fill up to the 4 cup line (with the apples in it).  Pour this into a large pot on high heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat some and continue to boil for 5 to 10 minutes until the apples are cooked.  Use a potato masher to mash and stir.

Add lemon juice, spices and butter.  IF you are using pectin, add that at this time too.  If you are using arrowroot powder, do not.  Bring back to a boil (you may have never lost the boil).

Add sugars.  Bring back to a full rolling boil and stir constantly.

IF you are using arrowroot, remove the pot from heat and allow it to COMPLETELY COOL.  It must be cool enough for you to comfortably stick your finger into.  If you do not allow it to cool, the arrowroot will form small hard chunks in your otherwise liquid jam instead of helping the entire thing to gel.  Once it is comfortably cool, add the arrowroot powder and mix WELL.  Now put it back on medium high heat and bring to a boil.  It will start to thicken.

IF you are using pectin, continue boiling for one minute.

Now allow it to cool enough so that you can spoon the jam into jars, allowing 1/4 inch headspace in each jar.  Tightly screw on lids.

If you plan on storing your jam at room temperature, now it's time for the water bath.  If you plan on refrigerating the jam within 24 hours and/or eating it right away, you can skip the water bath.  Place the jars in a clean deep pot.  Add water up to the bottom of the lid of the jars, but so that it does not submerge them.  Place over high heat.  Bring to a high boil.  Boil for 10 to 15 minutes.  Using a jar grabber or thick rubber gloves, remove the jars from the boiling water and allow to cool at room temperature.  Once they've cooled, the jam inside will be even more thick and it's ready to store.

Congratulations!  You've just made home made jam.

Side Notes:  Pectin is more common, but more expensive.  If you are making several dozen jars of jam, this can be pricey, and arrowroot powder is the way to go.  If not, pectin might be your better choice.  Pectin can be found at Walmart near the canning supplies.  Arrowroot powder is a starchy powder and can be found at your local natural foods market (like Sunflower Market or Whole Foods) in the baking section.

This recipe makes approximately three or four 16-oz jars (depending on your choice of thickening agent) of jam.

Spaghetti Sauce Homemade

From: My Mom used to make the most killer lasagna when we were growing up.  She got it from a family friend.  One day I realized that the meat sauce in that lasagna would also make an amazing spaghetti sauce and it just happened that it was really easy too.  I never did find another meat sauce that compares to this one!

Ingredients:

1 lb of ground beef
1/2 onion chopped finely
16 oz can tomato sauce
12 oz can tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp basil
2 tsp dried parsley flakes
2 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp pepper

How to: 

Brown the meat and onions in a skillet.  Then add the tomato sauce and tomato paste and water. Mix well and then lower heat to a simmer.  Add the spices and continue to simmer on low eat until you're ready to eat. Makes enough for a 1 to 1.5 lbs pasta.

Side Notes:  

The original recipe calls for two cups of water but I like my sauce super thick and chunky, so I omitted a lot of the water.

Fetuccini Alfredo

From:  Our Williams-Sonoma Pasta cookbook. 

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream

5 tablespoons of unsalted butter (or regular, if it's cheaper and you don't care like me)

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or the cheap canned stuff, again if you don't care like me)

salt and freshly ground (or not) pepper

freshly grated nutmeg (or the not-so-fresh kind)

1 lb homemade tagliatelle or purchased fresh fettuccine (Who are we kidding?  I buy the box off the grocery store shelf.)

alternative proportions for more sauce (heavy whipping cream is often sold in 15 oz containers):

16 oz of heavy whipping cream

7 Tbsp of unsalted butter

8 Tbsp of Parmesan cheese (for the sauce) 

How To:  

Start by cooking the pasta.  Generously salt the boiling water before adding the pasta.  

While cooking the pasta, in a large saucepan over high heat, bring the cream and butter to a boil.  Reduce to low heat and simmer for 1 minute.  Add 6 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and whisk over low heat until smooth, about 1 minute longer.  Remove from heat.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Be careful not to add too much salt, as the Parmesan cheese is salty.  Add a generous pinch of nutmeg.  

When the pasta is ready, drain it and place it in shallow bowl.  Pour the sauce over the top and sprinkle 6 more tablespoons of the cheese.  Toss well.  Serve immediately and pass the remaining cheese at the table.  

Side Notes:  

This dish should be eaten all in one sitting, as it does not warm well the next day... however if you find yourself with leftovers anyway, don't throw them out.  First re-warm the noodles.  Add a splash of milk to help prevent drying of the pasta.  Then add more Parmesan cheese to taste.  Not as good as fresh, but not bad at all.  

Makes the amount shown in the picture above.  That serving dish is similar to a 9x13 baking pan in size.