Tips & Tricks

Gravy 101

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Easy Gravy

Make Your Own Gravy

Making gravy for any occasion is easy once you know the not-so-secret formula.

Basic gravy is made by adding equal parts of a fat to a thickener then adding a warm liquid.

This recipe makes 2 cups of gravy.
Tools
  • Whisk
  • Liquid Measuring cup
  • Knife
  • Small pot
  • Strainer (optional)
 
Ingredients
  • FAT– butter, oil, bacon, turkey, chicken, beef, etc EQUAL PARTS TO Your Thickener
  • Thickener-Flour or cornstarch (if you use cornstarch your gravy will be light)
  • Warm Liquid – 2 cups of hot, low sodium stock (beef, turkey, chicken, etc)
Recipe
  • 3 tablespoons of beef, chicken, turkey, drippings OR butter —Melted
  • 3 tablespoons of flour stirred into the fat
  • Cook 1-2 minutes to cook the flour
  • Heat the stock
  • Whisk in hot stock gradually and bring to a boil. Whisk the whole time to prevent lumps.
  • The gravy will thicken once it comes to a boil keep stirring.
  • Turn heat to low until ready to serve.
DELISHTIPS
  • If your gravy is lumpy then pour the liquid through the strainer to remove the lumps

 

  • If your gravy isn’t as thick as you’d like, then make a paste out of a tablespoon of butter and flour in a bowl, add some gravy and whisk the butter-flour mixture until you have a really thick liquid, and then poured that into your gravy and bring to a boil again and it should thicken.

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

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What to with all the fresh zucchini in your garden or at the farmers market? This easy kid-friendly meal will chase away the what’s for dinner summer blues.., and is a healthy use for your abundance of squash.

Here’s what you’ll need for these delish Stuffed Zucchini Boats

First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees

Tools

9×13 Baking Pan

Melon Baller- or small spoon to scoop out zucchini

Delish Tip: I like to chop up some of the insides and add it to the ground turkey

 

 

Filling Ingredients

  • One pound of ground turkey (85% lean, or lean beef or shredded cooked chicken)
  • One cup of diced onion
  • One tablespoon of garlic
  • One teaspoon smoked paprika
  • One teaspoon of cumin seed
  • One teaspoon of salt and pepper
  • One teaspoon of chili powder
  • 8 oz of shredded cheese like Colby jack
  • 6-7 small zucchini cut in half
  • Chopped Green onions and fresh cilantro for garnishZucchini for boats

 

Directions

Turkey

Brown the turkey in a tablespoon of oil. Drain if oily. If it’s just juice/broth don’t bother.

Add spices and onion, cook for a few more minutes, and then set aside

ENCHILADA SAUCE

  • 3 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons flour1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder – or fresh
  • 1 teaspoon dried herbs- like oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
  • Pinch of cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 cups of chicken or vegetable broth – low sodium
  • 1 teaspoon of vinegar – any kind

Heat the oil, sauté, or “bloom” the flour and spices. Cook for about a minute.

Stir it in the tomato paste and then pour in the broth and whisk it all together

Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until mixture thickens

Adjust seasoning if you think you need to 😊

STUFF THE BOATS
Place a scoop full of sauce on the bottom of the pan and spread around.

Line up your zucchinis -Delish Tip: I sometimes find it easier to alternate them stem to tail to fit easier.

Stuff the boats with meat mixture.

Spoon a bit of sauce over each boat and top with cheese

Bake

Cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minute

Take off the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until bubbly and cheese is a little brown.

Stick a knife through zucchini and make sure it pierces easily

Garnish with green onions and cilantro

Enjoy!

Chive Blossom Vinegar

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This is a very loose “recipe”. I have a large herb garden at home and am constantly looking for ways to use them up in the spring and summer. Chive Blossoms come and go so quickly in the spring and this is a tasty and beautiful way to add their mild oniony flavor all year long. You can change the number of blossoms with white wine vinegar to what you have in your garden. The amount I listed lasts our household until the following spring.  

 

Tools

  • glass bottle
  • scissors
  • strainer

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of Chive Blossoms
  • 48 oz White Wine Vinegar**                                        

Recipe              

Cut your chive blossoms, rinse them for dirt and critters. Put them in your jar or bottle and top with White Wine Vinegar. Steep in the refrigerator for at least a week. The vinegar should turn a beautiful pink color. You can strain the vinegar after a week or two if you like but I leave the blossoms in it.

DELISH TIP 1: You need to use a “fancier”, sweeter vinegar for this. I tried it with plain white vinegar and it wasn’t as good and apple cider vinegar is too strong. 

DELISH TIP 2: This makes the BEST salad dressing. Use 2 parts  Olive oil to 1 part vinegar, add a teaspoon or 2 of dijon mustard, and a pinch of salt and pepper.