WHITE GRAVY

4 tbs (or half stick) butter
1-2 tbs oil (vegetable, bacon, sausage)
4-5 tbs flour
2 c milk
1/4 c water
salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter and oil in saucepan, sprinkle in flour and whisk until mixed. While whisking let cook a couple seconds before adding milk. This will eliminate in "flour" taste in the gravy. Next slowly add in milk and water  whisking all the while. Keep adding milk/water until thoroughly mixed. Add salt and pepper. Take off heat when almost to the thickness you want.
*Gravy will thicken up as it sits off heat. Taking it off the heat a bit early will keep it from getting too thick.

This gravy works well over biscuits, mashed potatoes, fried potatoes, hash browns, chicken fried steak, etc.

FRIED BISCUITS

FRIED BISCUITS




INGREDIENTS:
1 tube refrigerated biscuit dough (not flaky version)
Sugar
Oil

Heat oil to 370' either in a deep fryer or stove top.
Once oil is up to temp drop in your biscuit dough right outta the can. Continue flipping until golden brown.
Drain on paper towel and lightly roll in sugar.
Best when eaten immediatly.

* My mom has asked me to try these every single time we go out for Chinese. I never have because I was always loading up on my favorite mocha cake and tapicoa pudding.
She suggested I make them at home and I got hooked. Know you'll probably eat 4 before you realize what you did ;) I'll never hear the end from my mom about if I would have only tried them sooner. haha

GERMAN PANCAKES

GERMAN PANCAKES

German Pancakes
as seen at allrecipes
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Buttermilk Syrup
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

confectioners' sugar

Place the eggs, milk, flour and salt in a blender; cover and process until smooth. Pour the butter into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish; add the batter. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees F (375' Convec.) for 20 minutes.


Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the first five syrup ingredients; bring to a boil. Boil for 7 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Dust pancake with confectioners' sugar; serve immediately with the syrup.

*I never made the buttermilk syrup I just used regular maple syrup.
The texture was similar to a bread pudding but tasted like a custard.

KING CAKE RING

I can only aspire to make one this pretty and delish. When I first saw it I thought is that REALLY sugar cookies wrapped around it! AWESOME! The jelly strips were so good. The bread was moist and this version wasn't as sweet as the usual mardi gras King Cake you find.

MAPLE CINNAMON ROLLS

MAPLE CINNAMON ROLLS

Recipe: Cinnamon Rolls
Prep Time: 2 Hours | Cook Time: 30 Minutes | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 8

Ingredients
1 quart Whole Milk
1 cup Vegetable Oil
1 cup Sugar
2 packages Active Dry Yeast, 0.25 Ounce Packets
8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
Plenty Of Melted Butter
2 cups Sugar
Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon
_____
MAPLE FROSTING:
1 bag Powdered Sugar
2 teaspoons Maple Flavoring
1/2 cup Milk
1/4 cup Melted Butter
1/4 cup Brewed Coffee
1/8 teaspoon Salt

Preparation Instructions
For the dough, heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil. Set aside and cool to warm. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute.
Add 8 cups of the flour. Stir until just combined, then cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the remaining 1 cup flour. Stir thoroughly to combine. Use the dough right away, or place in a mixing bowl and refrigerate for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl. (Note: dough is easier to work with if it’s been chilled for at least an hour or so beforehand.)
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
To assemble the rolls, remove half the dough from the pan/bowl. On a floured baking surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 x 10 inches. The dough should be rolled very thin.
To make the filling, pour 3/4 cup to 1 cup of the melted butter over the surface of the dough. Use your fingers to spread the butter evenly. Generously sprinkle half of the ground cinnamon and 1 cup of the sugar over the butter. Don’t be afraid to drizzle on more butter or more sugar! Gooey is the goal.
Now, beginning at the end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly towards you. Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll tight. Don’t worry if the filling oozes as you work; that just means the rolls are going to be divine. When you reach the end, pinch the seam together and flip the roll so that the seam is face down. When you’re finished, you’ll wind up with one long buttery, cinnamony, sugary, gooey log.
Slip a cutting board underneath the roll and with a sharp knife, make 1/2-inch slices. One “log “will produce 20 to 25 rolls. Pour a couple of teaspoons of melted butter into disposable foil cake pans and swirl to coat. Place the sliced rolls in the pans, being careful not to overcrowd. (Each pan will hold 7 to 9 rolls.)
Repeat the rolling/sugar/butter process with the other half of the dough and more pans. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover all the pans with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise on the countertop for at least 20 minutes before baking. Remove the towel and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t allow the rolls to become overly brown.
While the rolls are baking, make the maple icing: In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, butter, coffee, and salt. Splash in the maple flavoring. Whisk until very smooth. Taste and add in more maple, sugar, butter, or other ingredients as needed until the icing reaches the desired consistency. The icing should be somewhat thick but still very pourable.
Remove pans from the oven. Immediately drizzle icing over the top. Be sure to get it all around the edges and over the top. As they sit, the rolls will absorb some of the icing’s moisture and flavor. They only get better with time… not that they last for more than a few seconds. Make them for a friend today! It’ll seal the relationship for life. I promise.

*I was so excited to try this recipe because it seemed like everyone had great results. I also took Ree's hint to make half a batch of orange marmalade rolls as well. I didn't have good results with the marmalade. As the rolls baked the marmalade melted and seeped out of the rolls and spread out in the bottom of the pan burning to a black goo. I had to cut the tops of the rolls off before pouring icing on them. They were good but not worth making again and soaking a baking pan for days to get the black off.
I loved the maple icing. Think maple donut icing and that's the flavor you'll get. I found that this recipe of cinnamon rolls didn't rise like my "ultimate cinnamon rolls" recipe. Possibly because this calls for several more cups of flour to yeast ratio. They also seemed dry, possibly because I baked them too long trying to achieve the light golden brown color. Even dowsing them in icing didn't soften up the rolls. I think if I used the "ultimate cinnamon rolls" recipe and made half with cream cheese icing and half with maple it would be a winner for everyone. It was quite fun eating one of the Pioneer Womans cinnamon rolls while watching her make the cinnamon rolls on her new Christmas special on the food network.

HOW TO POACH AN EGG

HOW TO POACH AN EGG
http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/08/how-to-poach-an-egg-smitten-kitchen-style/


I've loved poached eggs ever since I was little and got egg mcmuffins from mcdonalds. My mom once got me an egg poacher you could use in the microwave that worked incredibly well until it disappeared? haha I was recently watching the cooking channel and as I watched a new show the host was poaching an egg in water on the stove. I was like ooo I gotta try that. I also googled it to make sure I remembered correctly and came upon this site complete with step by step pictures. I made my first of many poached eggs today and they turned out great! I served it over toast just like the site. My mom even came by and said, "Is that a raw egg in there [water]? I mean how'd you keep it from falling apart?" I replied, "Yup it's raw and it stayed together cause I put it in the middle of a whirlpool." She was confused. haha

COUNTRY APPLY DUMPLINGS

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/country-apple-dumplings/detail.aspx


Ingredients

2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
2 (10 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent roll dough
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle Mountain Dew ™
Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Cut each apple into 8 wedges and set aside. Separate the crescent roll dough into triangles. Roll each apple wedge in crescent roll dough starting at the smallest end. Pinch to seal and place in the baking dish.
Melt butter in a small saucepan and stir in the sugar and cinnamon. Pour over the apple dumplings. Pour Mountain Dew™ over the dumplings.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.
Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 333 | Total Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 31mg

PANCAKES

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/good-old-fashioned-pancakes/Detail.aspx

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.
Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 158 | Total Fat: 5.9g | Cholesterol: 41mg



It kills me how people go in and mutilate a perfectly good recipe. Then you have bad reviews and more mutilations. I read these reviews and decided I'd make the recipe just as it calls and I recommend not changing a thing (except maybe adding 1/2 tsp of vanilla to your egg mixture). I DO recommend sifting the flour, twice. That makes for a fluffier pancake. Let your egg and milk set at room tempurature and use unsalted butter. Beat your egg, add the melted butter and beat lightly until blended, then lightly beat in your milk (careful not to overbeat your egg). Add to your dry mixture. Your result is a fluffy, delicious, good old fashion pancake. This is one is a keeper!

BISCUITS

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/jps-big-daddy-biscuits/Detail.aspx


Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 cup milk
Directions

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, and knead 15 to 20 times. 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.
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges begin to brown.
Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 282 | Total Fat: 12.6g | Cholesterol: 3mg

BANANA CRUMB MUFFINS

BANANA CRUMB MUFFINS

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter
Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.
In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.



*These tasted really good but the kids loved the muffin tops better than the whole muffin. I agree that the crumble topping really makes these muffins excellent. I think I'll start making these instead of the banana bread I've previously made with over ripe bananas. The only thing I changed/added was that I added about 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg to the banana batter.

BANANA BREAD

1/2 c. butter
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
2-3 ripe bananas
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Glaze:

1/4 cup liquid coffeemate vanilla rum flavor
1/4 powdered sugar

Cream butter and sugar with electric mixer on low speed. Add eggs one at a time. Mix well. Add bananas and mix well. Add cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla. Add flour and soda. Mix well, stir in pecans. Bake at 350' for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Pour on glaze when right out of the oven. Yield 1 loaf.

*I found this recipe in a church fundraiser cookbook my mom bought me a couple years ago. It's by far the best and simplest banana bread recipe I've ever made and it's a for sure hit. I did twist it up to make it my own by adding vanilla, spices and my own glaze. It turned out to be the best part of this bread. Who'd have ever thought coffeemate would make sucha great icing. It glazes the top and puts a shiny yummy finish on top.

SPINACH BACON QUICHE

SPINACH BACON QUICHE



Ingredients
6 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Salt and pepper
2 cups chopped fresh baby spinach, packed
1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1 (9-inch) refrigerated pie crust, fitted to a 9-inch glass pie plate
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine the eggs, cream, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender. Layer the spinach, bacon, and cheese in the bottom of the pie crust, then pour the egg mixture on top. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until the egg mixture is set. Cut into 8 wedges.

* This recipe I totally stole from Paula Deen. I was watching her one morning on the foodnetwork and had always wanted to try a "quiche". We all love this and it's so simple to make. So yummy and fattening. haha

Substitutions:

heavy cream for milk
swiss cheese for shredded cheese

I never have heavy cream or swiss cheese on hand so I always substitute a splash of milk instead of heavy cream and a couple handfuls of shredded cheese (any flavor) for the swiss cheese. It's always turned out just fine for me with the substitutions. If you don't like spinach you can always use something else. That's why there are a ton of different quiche recipes out there.