Gramma's Chicken Divan

2 chicken breasts, cooked in boiling water and cubed

8 oz fresh or frozen broccoli

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk

Seasonings – onion powder, fresh herbs, pepper, etc

¾ cup Swiss cheese, grated

Layer broccoli in 9 inch square casserole dish

Layer cubed chicken over broccoli

Make “white sauce”: Melt butter over medium high heat until it looks foamy. Add flour and mix well. Let the mixture bubble for a minute or two. Add milk and whisk until smooth. Add seasonings and bring to a boil. Once thickened, add ½ cup grated swiss cheese stir until melted and thick.

Pour sauce over chicken, and sprinkle last ¼ cup of cheese over the top.

Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes until heated through.

Pumpkin butter

1 29oz can pumpkin

2/3C apple juice (or cider)
1 1/2 C sugar
2t ground ginger
1/2t ground cloves
2t ground cinnamon
1/2t ground nutmeg
Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 30-40 minutes, stirring frequently. Spoon into clean jars to within 1/4 inch from the top, run a knife through to remove air bubbles. Wipe rims, cover with lids, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Makes 4 pint jars.

Basic Gravy

1T fat (butter, oil, drippings)

1T flour (cornstarch for clear sauces)
1C liquid (water, broth, milk)
seasonings to taste, including salt and pepper

Bring fat to bubbling over medium high heat.
Add flour to make a paste.
For light gravy, cook for 2 minutes, for darker gravy cook until mixture is the color of a penny.
Add liquid all at once, and whisk to break up any lumps.
Bring to a full rolling boil for full thickening, salt and pepper to taste.
Add herbs, onions, wine, use flavored oil... whatever you think will go with the dish you are serving!

Meatloaf gravy:
Using above measures, make gravy with drippings or butter, let flour brown a little, and use beef broth for the liquid (or 1 cup water with 1T beef bouillion granules). Add dried minced onion and parsley to taste.
Turkey gravy:
Use drippings and turkey or chicken broth (or bouillion). Use sage and dried minced onion. You can add poultry seasoning as well which tastes great, but turns the gravy green!

Cream gravy:
Use sausage drippings and milk. Actual cream can be used, but it is VERY rich.

Add cheese to basic sauce for veggie topping or macaroni.
Use milk and add thyme for chicken casserole.

Charred Serrano -Basil Vinaigrette

This is an awesome viniagrette. Donna loves it and we use it on almost everything.....even as a salad dressing!


2 Serrano chiles, grilled and chopped
3 tablespoons diced red onion
3 finely chopped garlic cloves
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

Put all but olive oil in a blender and then add oil slowly to blender to emulsify

Ev's Honey Butter

Mix 3T honey into a stick of softened butter. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Flavored Oil

Lemon Garlic oil


1 16 oz bottle of olive oil (EV for dipping and dressings/light for frying and sautéing)
1 lemon, washed and cut into 6-8 wedges
5-6 cloves garlic, peeled but whole (more or less to taste)
Put lemon and garlic in dish. The dish should be sized so that they will be covered with oil and not exposed to the air.
Warm the oil to just below a full boil (a few small bubbles but not rolling) and pour over lemon and garlic -be careful because it will sizzle!
Cover the dish and let sit at room temp for 1-3 weeks based on how strong you want the flavor.
Strain oil back into original bottle and store. Keeps as long as any oil, but if it gets strangely cloudy, don‘t use it.


Chile oil
1 16 oz bottle olive oil
3-5 dried red chiles of your choice, mild or not
5-6 cloves garlic, peeled but whole

Follow the same process outlined above.

You can also make flavored vinegars using the same process!

Jen's Salsa Roja and Salsa Fresca

Salsa Roja - Smooth aka "hot sauce"

1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1/4C water
1/4C  lime juice
1T olive oil
3T taco seasoning mix
1T dried oregano, crushed
1T garlic powder (or a little less)
1T onion powder
1t ground cumin
1t poblano chile powder (if using 'regular' chile powder, you may need more)
salt and pepper to taste
2t chopped cilantro (optional - I use the frozen cubes)

Mix all ingredients and let stand for 30 minutes before serving. Can be stored in airtight container in refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Salsa Fresca - Chunky aka "salsa"

3C tomato, chopped
1C onion, chopped
1/2C chile, seeded and chopped (I often cheat and use a 4oz can of diced green chiles)
2t garlic, chopped (or more)
3T taco seasoning mix
1T dried oregano, crushed
1t ground cumin
1t poblano chile powder (if using 'regular' chile powder, you may need more)
salt and pepper to taste
2t chopped cilantro (optional - I use the frozen cubes)
1/4C lime juice

Mix all ingredients and let stand for 30 minutes before serving. Can be stored in airtight container in refrigerator but I bet it won't last that long.

Canning:
Both recipes can be canned by bringing it to a boil and processing in jars.  I double the recipe and get 3 pints plus a bowl for eating while I'm canning.  :oP  Watch your salt if you can them though, they taste saltier after cooking.

Red Enchilada Sauce

2 oz whole dried chiles (about 8-10 chiles, you can mix mild or hot to your preference)

1 1/2C hot water
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2t salt
1/4C oil (great time to try a flavored oil like garlic oil!)
1 onion, chopped (or 1/4C dried minced onion)
1t ground cumin
dash chile powder
2T browned flour (flour baked at 400 for 5-7 minutes)
8 oz tomato sauce
1C chicken broth
1T vinegar

Soak chiles in water, covered, for about an hour. Remove seeds.
Put chiles, water, garlic and salt in blender, process until smooth
Saute onion in oil, add cumin and browned flour, then add tomato sauce and bring to simmer
Add chile micture, broth and vinegar, simmer until thickened.

Red Pepper Sauce

5 Red bell peppers (roasted and skinned)

2 TBSP Olive Oil
2 TBSP Tomato Paste
Juice of 1 lemon
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup fresh basil
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt to taste

Puree all in blender
 
This is one of Dave's favorites: Once you get addicted to the smell of roasted red peppers... you'll be hooked!  Error a little on the side of more tomato paste and less oil to keep it thick. I use this on my turkey and chicken wraps that I make on my GT Express 101! It's also good on fish.

Sour Cream Enchilada Sauce

1 can cream of chicken soup (or other cream soup)

1 pint sour cream

Mix together in a sacuepan over medium heat. Stir until smooth.

Stir Fry Sauces

Basic stir fry sauce:

3T dry sherry
2T soy sauce
1t cornstarch
seasoning
Mix all ingredients in a small saucepan
Bring to a full boil for full thickening before adding to stir fry
Alternatively, can be boiled in the wok before mixing in with other stir fry ingredients
Seasonings - pick your fave:

4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2t ground ginger
1/2t Chinese 5 spice powder
1T hoisin sauce
use your imagination!

Sweet & Sour Sauce

small can pineapple juice plus water to equal 1 1/2C total
1/3C sugar
1/4C vinegar
2T cornstarch
2T soy sauce
1t chicken bouillion granules

Mix all ingredients in a small saucepan
Bring to a full boil for full thickening before adding to stir fry
Alternatively, can be boiled in the wok before mixing in with other stir fry ingredients
Also makes a great dipping sauce for wontons or egg rolls