Gravy

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

My mom made gravy.  Gravy with fried chicken especially. 

Biscuits and Gravy

Once the chicken was done, mom would add 1/4 cup flour to the oil in the frying pan.  Stir the flour in the grease until it is brown.  It will brown nicely, stir constantly so it will not burn.  Once the flour has browned to the color you like, add 1 cup water all at once and stir constantly.  (If you add the water bit by bit, your gravy will get lumpy.)  As the gravy thickens, add 1 cup milk, stirring constantly.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Ahhhh – this stuff is good.

If you want to make sausage gravy, just start browning sausage and then make gravy from the drippings.  Serve with Baking Powder biscuits, fried potatoes and scrambled eggs for a hearty breakfast buffet. 

Fried Potatoes, Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

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Fisherman Jimmy’s Fried Fish

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

When my husband and I first got together, a fisherman Jimmy lived in the apartment below.  He would be gone for days at a time, and then would announce his arrival home by leaving fresh fish or lobster in our sink.  Wonderful to come home to.  Often, Jimmy would join us for dinner and volunteer to cook.

Perfectly Crusted Fried Fish

I still love his recipe for fried fish. 

Eggs beaten with a little water

Crumbled up saltine crackers, no bigger than 1/4 of an inch.

Take fish filets and pat them dry, dredge in the egg and then the cracker mixture.  Cook in a medium hot pan of oil.  The crust that develops is excellent.  Be sure to only turn once.  Sprinkle with a dash of salt while still hot.  Your filets should take no more than about 4 minutes per side.  If you are cooking a few, you can put them in the oven to keep them warm.  Serve with a healthy salad.

For your tarter sauce: combine Best Foods mayonnaise and hot dog relish. Equal portions of each and stir.

Tarter Sauce and Cocktail Sauce

For cocktail sauce:  1/4 cup Ketsup and 1-2 tablespoons of horseradish.

Fried Pacific Rockfish

Fried Pacific Rockfish

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Eggs, Onions and Hot Links

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

Beat eggs

Slice onions

Slice hot links

Grated Cheddar Cheese

In a frying pan, saute the onions and hot links slices, add beaten eggs, cover with lid and reduce heat to low for 3-4 minutes or until eggs are set.  Salt and Pepper, sprinkle with cheese of your liking.

Eggs, Onions and Hot Links

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7-Minute Frosting made with Jello

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

My husband is an auction crazed person.  Last week he came home with 3 boxes of cookbooks.  This is from JOYS OF JELLO. Probably from the later ’50s early ’60s judging by the pictures.  The paperback booklet isn’t date but was published by General Foods.

2 egg whites

1 1/4 cup sugar

1 package of jello (3 oz – any flavor)

Dash of salt

1/2 cup water

2 tsp corn syrup

Combine all ingredients in double broiler and beat until mixed for about 1 minute.  Beat for 7 minutes over boiling water until stiff peaks form.  Remove from boiling water and use immediately. 

Makes about 7 cups of frosting enough to frost 3 eight inch layer cake, or 30 cupcakes.

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Roast Chicken with Rosemary and Orange Marmalade

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

Ingredients
•2 whole 2-pound chickens
•¼ teaspoon salt
•¼ teaspoon pepper
•3 tablespoons olive oil
•2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
•6 tablespoons Grand Marnier (or Wild Turkey with 1 T marmalade)
•3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
•2 tablespoons brandy
•2 tablespoons butter
•4 tablespoons Chicken Stock
1/4 cup Orange marmalade
Directions
Split the chickens into halves. Cut out the backbones and remove the breastbones and ribs with your fingers and a paring knife. Blend the salt and pepper, and season the chickens inside and out.

Preheat the oven to 500° F.

Place the chickens skin-side down in a hot, dry 14” ovenproof skillet and brown 5 minutes. Turn the chickens and brown 5 minutes longer, then add the olive oil. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and roast the chickens 30 minutes, turning them occasionally. Remove from the oven, drain off all fat, and add the remaining ingredients to the pan. Place over high flame and cook 2 minutes, frequently basting and occasionally turning the chickens. Transfer the birds to serving plates and spoon the pan sauce over them. Glaze the chicken with the marmalade about 10 minutes before removing from oven.

You can use just about any jam as a glaze/marinade on savory items.

I like plum, apricot, orange and cherry best for chicken. A sweet/tart marmalade is nice on salmon.

Give it a try.
If you want to just do dinner for two try the following:

2 Chicken Breasts
Jam/Jelly spread over the meat. Bake at 400 degrees about 35 minutes until done.

Use leftovers on salad the next day for lunch.

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Chewy Cranberry Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

If you haven’t figured it out by now, oatmeal cookies are may favorite.
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
8 ounces unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
6 ounces dried cranberries (1 1/3 c.)
5 ounces chopped pecans (about 1 c.)

1/2 cup white chocolate chips or chunks (optional)

Directions
1 Oven to 350 degrees F.
2 (if baking right away).
3 Line sheet pans with parchment.
4 Mix the dry ingredients together, then stir in the oats.
5 Set aside.
6 Beat the butter and both sugars together until light and fluffy.
7 Add the eggs, then scrape down the bowl; add the honey and vanilla and beat until blended.
8 Add the flour mixture in two additions, beating each until well combined.
9 Stir in the cranberries and pecans.
10 At this point, you can either bake, or freeze.
11 To freeze, just scrape the dough onto plastic wrap, roll into a log, wrap tightly, and freeze until ready to bake.
12 Then just take them out of the freezer, let sit for about 15 minutes, then slice into 3/16″ thick slices and bake as directed.
13 To bake immediately: drop by tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart on parchment lined sheet pans.
14 Bake until the centers of the cookies are soft and no longer look wet; about 9-11 minutes.
15 Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool.
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Chicken Salad Sandwiches with Apples

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

All my kids love chicken salad sandwiches.  They did when they were small one and even in their twenties.  The perfect quick meal. 

2 big cans chicken white meat in water

1 onion finely diced

2 apples finely diced

2 stalks of celery finely diced

1 tsp corriander

1 tsp black pepper

2 T of lemon juice

1/2 cup Best Foods Mayonnaise

Chopped it all up!

Finely dice everything, sprinkle lemon juice over the apples to prevent from turning brown.  Break the chunks of meat into small pieces.  Mix all together. Season. 

Serve on croissants for a treat with sliced cranberry sauce. 

So good!

Hmmm good.

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Apples and Blueberry Syrup

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

Make your spouse feel like he is on vacation. Serve him this breakfast on a weekend, and he will adore you.

Apples and Blueberry Maple Syrup

Peel and slice 2 Red Delicious Apples

1/2 Cup Chardonnay

1/2 Cup Maple Syrup

Simmer apples in Chardonnay until fork tender.  Add Maple Syrup, warm.  Lastly add fresh blueberries.

Pancakes, bacon, apples and blueberry syrup

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New York Steaks

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

New York Steaks

I use a cast iron skillet and heat it on the stovetop.  Turn the oven on to 400 degrees and let it warm up. 

Rinse the steaks in water and dry on a paper towel.  Season with salt and pepper – lots.  Coat the bottom of the skillet with canola oil.

Add the steaks just as the oil starts to smoke.  I usually can fit two steaks in a pan. Do not overload the pan, since you want to sear the outside.  After about 4 minutes, turn the steaks and let sear another 4 minutes.   Now, place the frying pan into the oven and let them continue to cook until they are just the way you like them.   When you remove from the oven, let them sit for 10 minutes so the juices can distribute back into the meat.

NY Steak with Tomato Marmalade

Rare:  126  Medium Rare:  136  Well:  140 

Serve each person a steak, or split a steak by slicing it and serving it fanned out on the plate for smaller eaters.

NY Steak with Tomato Onion Marmalade

Serve with Tomato Onion Marmalade.

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Zucchini Bread

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

3 eggs well beaten

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 tsp vanilla

1 cup oil

2 cups shredded zucchini

3 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

3 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup chopped walnuts

Beat egg until light and fluffy. Add sugar, vanilla, oil, blend well. Stire in grated zucchini.  Sift flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and creamed mixture, fold in nuts.  Turn into greased and floured loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour.

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