Try-it Tuesdays Gravy for Biscuits

I wanted to share this recipe (which I also found on the internet) to go along with the Biscuit recipe that I posted earlier. It's delicious.

½ pound ground breakfast sausage.
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 cups cold milk
Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté the sausage until it is cooked and has released as much of its fat as possible. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and DON'T drain the grease. You’ll need it to make the roux. (I said this was delicious, not health food). You should have about 2 tablespoons of rendered pork fat. Add the butter and melt it. Then add the flour a little at a time over medium heat, constantly whisking. Cook for about 2-3 minutes. Now start adding the cold milk a little at a time, constantly whisking. Toward the end of the milk add the sausage back in. When you reach the desired consistency add salt and pepper to taste. Cut the biscuits in half, pour the gravy over them, and enjoy!

A few tips. The perfect roux has equal amounts of fat and flour. If for some reason your sausage renders noticeably less or more than two tablespoons of fat, adjust the amount of flour accordingly. If you end up making more roux you will need more milk so have extra on hand. Make sure the roux is cooked on no more than medium heat. You don't want to burn or brown the roux, just cook out the floury taste. Four things are necessary to assure a smooth, lump-free gravy. You have to constantly whisk the roux and the gravy throughout the process. You should add cold milk to the hot roux. You should incorporate the milk a little at a time. And finally, keep the heat at no more than medium. You can adjust the consistency however you like, but a thick creamy gravy is the target viscosity.

Monday Gratitudes

This week I am grateful for fishing. Okay, okay..
Fishing is fun— just ask any of my children who now thoroughly enjoy it!
I found out that fishing is not just about fish and being bored to tears— during our little excursions (2 weekends in a row) we enjoyed our family and friends, being outdoors and we also learned some new skills.
My wonderful hubby bought each child their own rod and reel and some fresh worms. I know -sounds appetizing.
Well we really didn't think that the kids would even get a bite let alone catch a fish but much to our surprise each of them caught at least 5 or 6. They had so much fun. My older kids have really learned to cast well and I was amazed at how my younger two were able to sit so quietly and wait for a bite. Impressive.
It looks as though we will probably go fishing for an hour or two every Saturday until the bad weather hits. If anyone is in the area or has time to kill, you are more than welcome to join us. The more the merrier.

I am also grateful that our wonderful friends let us fish in their pond -which is about a block away. It's nice being so close to a wonderful fishing spot.

Try-it Tuesdays Biscuits

I had to share this wonderful recipe with you. This Sunday was the first time in my life that I've made real Biscuits and gravy. It was delicious. The biscuits were moist and fluffy. The gravy was heavenly although loaded with fat. Yummy. As a kid I never had this. My parents never really cooked typical American food except for pizza and tacos (are those really American?). So here goes.

JP's Big Daddy Biscuits
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 cup milk
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually stir in milk until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. Turn out onto a floured surface. Pat or roll dough out to 1 inch thick. Cut biscuits with a large cutter or juice glass dipped in flour. Repeat until all dough is used. Brush off the excess flour, and place biscuits onto an ungreased baking sheet (silpats worked beautifully). Bake for 13 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges begin to brown.
I found this on allrecipes.com. I did not knead the dough as it says in the recipe -they turned out great. I also doubled the recipe. Leftover biscuits are wonderful with fresh jam or honey.

Monday Gratitudes

Wow, another week has gone by so fast.
On Saturday we worked so long and hard in the yard trying to remove a pretty big chicken coop that had caved in.
We wanted to do yard work on Friday but the weather wouldn't cooperate and just kept right on raining. I think the riverbeds are over capacity. Let hope the fields don't turn into a mini lake again. On to my Gratitudes.

-I'm grateful that I'm able to work in the yard even when my body is a little sluggish at times.

-I'm grateful for the pear tree in our yard. I've been dehydrating batches of them since Saturday and you know - they actually taste pretty good. Even my kids enjoy them. So I'm stocking up for the winter. We'll see how long they last.

-I'm grateful that it stopped raining. My basement flooded (this is normal) and now it can dry out again. We have a lot of work to do on this house.

-I'm grateful to be alive and kicking.

Stick Family

I found this funny stick family through Sherilyn's blog.

Try-it Tuesdays Sugar Cookies

Okay, Okay....I know that there are a lot of sugar cookie recipes out there but I think I have found the best one. This is also one that I really never share, I know-terrible of me but today is a great day and you are lucky that sharing is a good thing. jj.

Best Ever Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
4 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
4 ½ to 5 ½ cups sifted flour (tip-for great cookies sift 3-4 times)

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Add sour cream and vanilla. Then add dry ingredients. If dough is sticky, add more flour. Chill for one hour (overnight works best). Roll out into your favorite shapes and Bake at 350˚ on an un-greased cookie sheet for 8 minutes. Tip-I always use my Silpat for cookies. Decorate with your favorite frosting, fun non-pareils, or sanding sugars. Get the kids involved and have fun!

Monday Gratitudes

This past week my hubby took vacation to study for yet another Board Exam (they are never ending) but he was also able to take a few study breaks to help get some things done around the house and help out a few of our neighbors.
So this week I am thankful for my sweetheart.

-I'm thankful that he was able to hang all the blinds in our house and take down all the terrible hardware that was left on each window.

-I'm thankful that we could go to the gym and workout together. This was the first time that we have worked out together in a gym. Okay, okay.. while he was pumping weights I would either be jogging or working on my abs. But for the most part we were together.

-I'm thankful that he was able to take off the wheel of our lawn mower to fix a flat.

-I'm thankful that he was able to tackle another section of our yard.

-I'm thankful that he was able to spray the breakfast nook and the boys bedroom with primer. That makes painting so much easier for me.

-I'm thankful for the ribbon holder he built for me. This was built while we were in Cleveland, but every time I walk into my craft room it's one of the first things I see and am still so thankful to have a place for my ribbon stash.

-When my kids are wild in the chapel, while we are in church -I'm thankful that he is the one to take them out and discipline them. Lately this seldom happens, but I know that he will always help me.

Thank You Dear - you are truly the best and my sweetheart.

Try-it Tuesdays Rootbeer Cookies

This is such a fun recipe and you can easily substitute the flavoring with anything that you have on hand.
My kids really love it.

Root Beer Cookies

1 c. sugar
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. butter
1/2 c. buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tsp. root beer extract
1 tsp. vanilla
4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets unless you have silpats. In large mixing bowl, combine sugars, butter, buttermilk, eggs, root beer extract, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Add flour, soda, and salt. Beat at slow speed until soft dough forms. Drop by heaping tsp. 2" apart onto cookie sheets. Cool completely. Then spread frosting onto each cookie.

Frosting
1 c. powdered sugar
1 tbls. half and half
2 tsp. softened butter
1 tsp. root beer extract

Eventful Labor Day

We had a wonderful 3 day weekend filled with painting, swimming, more painting, parades, church talks and yet more painting. I'm trying to get the boys room finished as soon as I can so they don't have to sleep on the floor anymore. On the floor? Yes of course on a mattress placed on the floor.
Labor Day was great.
My shadow sees me and starts a beeline toward me.

We went with some friends to a very small town to watch a pretty long parade. The kids really enjoyed getting tons of candy. Here are some before and after pictures. Okay keep in mind that it was 92 degrees hot!

In the last picture you can see that my shadow has had enough and does not want to have his picture taken. He just wants to go home. Can't blame him.

Out of all the parades that I've attended the last 10 years or so, I would have to say that the Upper Arlington parade in Columbus Ohio was truly the best. Real American! Like you would see in a movie. Everyone participated. Even the onlookers clapped and waved their American flags.
What was your favorite parade? Why?