Southern Style Biscuits and Gravy

Biscuit Ingredients:

• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 1/4 cup all vegetable shortening, butter or lard
• 1 cup buttermilk, or whole milk

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. In mixing bowl, cut the shortening into the self-rising flour with a pastry blender or fork or your fingertips until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Blend in buttermilk with fork just until the dough comes together. The dough will be sticky.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently by folding the dough 8 to 10 times.
Press into circle that's 1 inch thick.
Cut out biscuits with 2-inch cutter, being sure to push straight down through the dough. Do not twist the cutter until the dough has been cut all the way through.
Place the biscuits on baking sheet so that they barely touch. Gather up the scrap dough, press it into a circle, working it as little as possible and continue cutting until all dough has been used.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Sausage Gravy Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh sausage
• 3 TBS shortening, or bacon drippings
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Preparation:
In a large heavy skillet, brown the sausage breaking it up with a spatula over medium high heat. Do NOT drain.
Add the shortening, flour, salt and pepper.
Cook stirring constantly until flour begins to brown.
Slowly add milk while continuing to stir.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for one minute sitrring occasionally. As the gravy cools it will thicken so if you want thinner gravy, add a little more milk.
Cut the biscuits in half and pur the gravy over the biscuits.
If you want just a plain milk gravy recipe, form the sausage into patties and brown. Remove them from the skillet to use to make sausage biscuits and continue the recipe the same way.

Boss Hog Vegetarian Chili

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 1 TBS olive oil


• 1/2 medium onion, chopped


• 2 bay leaves


• 1 tsp ground cumin


• 2 TBS dried oregano


• 1 TBS salt


• 2 stalks celery, chopped


• 2 green bell peppers, chopped


• 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped


• 3 cloves garlic, chopped


• 2 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chile peppers, drained


• 2 (12 ounce) packages vegetarian burger crumbles (or if you prefer meat- ground turkey, browned)


• 3 (28 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, crushed


• 1/4 cup chili powder


• 1 TBS ground black pepper


• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained


• 1 (15 ounce can garbanzo beans, drained


• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans


• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn

Preparation:

1. heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sitr in the onion, and seasno with bay leaves, cumin, oregano, and salt. Cook and stir until onion is tender, then mix in the celery, green bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, garlic, and green chile peppers. When vegetables are heated through, mix in the vegetarian burger crumbles (or browned turkey meat). Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer 5 minutes.

2. Mix the tomatoes into the pot. Season chili with chili powder and pepper. Stir in the kidney beans, garbanzo beans, and black beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 45 minutes. Stir in the corn, and continue cooking 5 minutes before serving.


342 calories per service 7.7 g of fat

Slow Cooked Tacos

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs beef shoulder or chuck roast


• kosher salt


• freshly ground black pepper


• extra-virgin olive oil


• 2 cloves garlic, smashed


• 1 large onion, sliced


• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes


• 1 tbs ancho chile powder


• 1 tbs cayenne pepper


• 1 tbs ground cumin


• 3 bay leaves


• vegetable oil (for deep frying)


• 6 fresh medium corn tortillas


• kosher salt


• 3 cups finely shreded white cabbage

Preparation:

Season all sides of the beef with a fair amount of salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over moderately high heat. Add the garlic and the beef to the pot, browning the meat on all sides, taking the time to get a nice crust on the outside. Transfer to crock pot. Add the onion and allow to lightly brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, plus 1 tomato can of water, spices, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and add enough water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer with a lid for 3 hours until the meat is fork tender. Let meat cool in the liquid. Shred meat and set aside.


Heat a large pot of oil over medium heat. When oil reaches 350 degrees F, fry the corn tortillas 1 at a time. Place the tortilla in the oil and wait about 30 seconds. Then use the handle of a wooden spoon to press down into the center of the tortilla and fold it in the middle. Hold down for a few seconds waiting for the tortilla to form into taco shell and then drain on paper towels. Season with salt.

To assemble the tacos:
Lay some shredded cabbage as a base. Top with some shredded beef. Serve alongside Guacamole and salsa. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.
leaves.

Thanksgiving Turkey..."The Perfect Turkey"

Ingredients:

• 1 (18 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed


• 2 cups kosher salt


• 1/2 cup butter, melted


• 2 large onions, peeled and chopped


• 4 carrots, peeled and chopped


• 4 stalks celery, chopped


• 2 sprigs fresh thyme


• 1 bay leaf


• 1 cup dry white wine

Preparation:


Rub the turkey inside and out with the kosher salt. Place the bird in a large stock pot, and cover with cold water. Place in the refrigerator, and allow the turkey to soak in the salt and water mixture 12 hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Thoroughly rinse the turkey, and discard the brine mixture.

Brush the turkey with 1/2 the melted butter. Place breast side down on a roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan. Stuff the turkey cavity with 1 onion, 1/2 the carrots, 1/2 the celery, 1 sprig of thyme, and the bay leaf. Scatter the remaining vegetables and thyme around the bottom of the roasting pan, and cover with the white wine.

Roast uncovered 3 1/2 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (85 degrees C). Carefully turn the turkey breast side up about 2/3 through the roasting time, and brush with the remaining butter. Allow the bird to stand about 30 minutes before carving.

Cheesy Shrimp & Asparagus

Ingredients:

• 1 lb cooked shrimp thawed
• a small bunch of asparagus, cut in small pieces
• 2 TBS butter
• 2 TBS flour
• 2 cups warm milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
• pasta of your choice

Preparation:
Use a 2 quart micro pitcher. Melt 2 tablespoons butter on full power for 1 minute. Add flour, stir well. Micro cook 30 seconds at full power. Add warm milk. Cook sauce 1 1/2 minutes at full power. Stir well, repeat another 1 1/2 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened and bubbly. Add seasonings and cheese. Mix until cheese is completely blended. Add thawed, rinsed and drained shrimp, and add asparagus. Cook pasta as directed. Pour Cheesy Shrimp & Asparagus Sauce over pasta. Serve

Sweet Soy Pork

This recipe was submitted by our friends at Be In Love Designs. Considering their unique taste in their Custom Cut Invitations, we are excited to try this recipe.

This is a quick and easy recipe, learned as a kid. Really, almost no need to measure!

Ingredients:

• 2-4 Pork Chops


• Low Sodium Soy Sauce


• 4-8 TBS of Apricot Preserves


• Minced Dried Chives (to taste)


• 1-2 TBS Minced Garlic (use the preminced in olive oil pepper to taste)

Preparation:

In a casserole dish with lid (or foil), place peppered pork chops inside and fill with soy sauce about half way of the meat's thickness. Sprinkle with garlic and chives. Cover and cook in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, turning over pork chops once halfway through.

Then place 2 TBS of apricot preserves on top of each pork chop. Cook uncovered for an additional 5-8 minutes, or until preserves begin to melt. This dish is best served over rice.
Thanks Be In Love Designs! Remember to Share Your Recipes With Betty Here .

Betty's Perfect Manhattan

A Perfect Manhattan may possibly be the best alcoholic drink created, but finding someone to make "Betty's Perfect Manhattan" is hard to come by. The requirements for Betty's Perfect Manhattan is 1. Must be served on the rocks 2. Must, I'll repeat, MUST be served in an old fashioned glass or lowball glass AND 3. Must be shaken not stirred. Drink with caution, 1 perfect manhattan made right will do the trick, 2 you may be in trouble.
Serving Size 2 cocktails
Ingredients

• 4 shots Johnny Walker Red (or in this economy Canadian Club will do the trick)
• 1 shot Dry Vermouth
• 1 shot Sweet Vermouth
• ice
• cherry juice
• cherries

Preparation:
Put 4 shots blended whiskey, Johnny Walker Red , 1 shot Dry Vermouth, 1 shot Sweet Vermouth in a shaker filled with ice. Add a few teaspoons of cherry juice. Shake. Pour into 2 lowball glasses filled with ice. Top with cherry. Enjoy responsibly.

Brie Cheese Fondue

Serve with Ideas
Use fresh baguette slices or chunks of flavorful artisan breads, lightly blanched vegetables, fruit (fresh figs and green apples are our favorites), cooked and sliced flavored sausages or chicken, and an array of relishes, jellies (pepper jelly rocks with this), mustards, olives, hot peppers, capers, cornichons, and spreads- whatever you have on hand.

4 servings

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup sherry
• 1 lb Brie cheese, rind removed and cubed
• 1 TBS cornstarch
• 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• salt and white pepper to taste

Preparation:

Rub the garlic all over the inside of your fondue pot, leaving the crushed pieces in the bottom. You can also make fondue in a regular sauce pan and transfer to the fondue pot, but why get two pans all crazy cheesy? Add the white wine and sherry to the pot and heat over medium-low heat.

Toss the cheese cubes in cornstarch to coat. When the wine is hot, add the cheese. Stir slowly with a wooden spoon at first and then use a whisk. Stir constantly to keep it from scorching on the bottom of the pot. When the cheese has melted, remove it from the heat and grate in a little nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The fondue should be smooth and coat a wooden spoon. If it seems to runny, add more cheese. If it is too thick, add a splash more wine --sparingly.
Prepare your fondue pot base and keep fondue warm over low heat. Get out the good linen napkins and set the table. This is a meal to be proud of!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Be Mine

24 servings

• 16 ounces milk chocolate chips
• 2 TBS shortening
• 1 lb frsh strawberries with leaves

Preparation:
Insert toothpicks into the tops of the strawberries.
In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and shortening, stirring occasionally until smooth. Holding them by the toothpicks, dip the strawberries into the chocolate mixture.
Turn the strawberries upside down and insert the toothpick into Styrofoam for the chocolate to cool.

Rockin Oysters Rockefeller

16 servings

• 48 fresh unopened oysters
• 1 1/2 cups beer
• 2 cloves garlic
• seasoned salt to taste
• 7 black peppercorns
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 (10oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• 8 ounces fonitna cheese, shredded
• 8 ounce mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 TBS fine bread crumbs

Preparation:
Clean oysters, and place in a large stockpot. Pour in beer and enough water to cover oysters; add 2 cloves garlic, seasoned salt, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, drain, and cool.
Once oysters are cooled, break off and discard the top shell. Arrange the oysters on a baking sheet. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C.)
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic in butter until soft. Reduce heat to low, and stir in spinach, Monterey Jack, fontina, and mozzarella. Cook until cheese melts, stirring frequently. Stir in the milk, and season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over each oyster, just filling the shell. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.
Bake until golden and bubbly, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
***great article on Shucking Oysters click HERE.