Cottage Pie

This is really easy, and only takes about 30 minutes. This is similar to the beef stew and biscuits I remember as a kid.

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

1 package gravy mix

1 pkg frozen mixed veggies

1 medium fresh tomato diced

1/4 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp steak seasoning
1 can of biscuits like Grands
1 cup water
2 tbs olive oil

Directions

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the frozen veggies and the diced tomato. Simmer for 5 minutes to take the chill off the veggies. stir in the gravy mix and a cup of water. simmer for another few minutes stirring well so there are no lumps and veggies sure mixed well.

Pour mixture into a 8x8 baking dish.

Top with the biscuits. Brush a little olive oil on the top of the biscuits.

This will give them a nice golden brown on top.

Bake covered with foil at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or according to the biscuit package.
Cover uncovered for another 5 to 10 so the tops will be browned. 

Serve hot

Everything goes Better with Gravy

What is the one thing you don't like doing for holiday meals? other than the dishes? For me it's making the gravy. It all ways comes out lumpy, runny thin.... ug. So, i decided to turn to me friend the Internet to see how to really make gravy, because after all mashed potatoes and stuffing wouldn't be special without the gravy. Here are two, one is traditional, and one is very easy.


First Tradition:

Ingredients


1 1/4 pounds giblets and neck from turkey
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 pinch ground white pepper, or to taste
2 (1.2 ounce) packages dry turkey gravy mix
3 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth, or more as needed
1 3/4 cups turkey drippings
1/4 cup quick-mixing flour (such as Wondra®)
1/2 cup milk (optional)

Directions

1.Remove the wrapping, and place the giblets and turkey neck into a large saucepan with onion, celery, white pepper, and turkey gravy mix. Pour the chicken broth over the mixture, bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the turkey liver and set aside. Allow the stock to simmer for 2 1/2 more hours. Stock should equal about 3 cups; add more chicken broth if necessary. Remove the giblets and chop them if you want to put them back into the gravy. Chop the liver if desired. Strain the stock into a saucepan; discard bones and spent vegetables.

2.When the turkey is finished roasting, pour the drippings into a fat separator or bowl, and skim off the fat. In a bowl, whisk the quick-mixing flour with the pan drippings until smooth, then whisk the flour mixture into the stock. Bring the gravy mixture to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, and add the chopped giblets, if desired.
 
 

Second easy:
 
Ingredients


1/4 cup all-purpose flour, or more if needed
1/4 cup turkey drippings
2 cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes

Directions

1.In a skillet over medium heat, whisk the flour with turkey drippings until smooth, then reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until dark brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the water and bouillon cubes, and simmer until the cubes have dissolved and the gravy is thickened and smooth, about 10 minutes.

Crockpot Turkey for Two.

Ingredients:


turkey Breast; (boneless) 1 and 1/2 pounds
1 pk Dry gravy mix.Mushroom/Chicken
1 c Dry White Wine
1 onion; (Cut into four slices)
2 sm potatoes
2 sm Turnips
Baby carrots

Preparation:

Cut off any fat, season with pepper and brown whole piece of turkey in skillet sprayed with pam. Also add onion and brown. Make sure that turkey is browned on all sides and ends. Turn with spoons, so the breast is not pricked with a fork. Spray crock pot with pam and put carrots on the bottom, next add potatoes, turnips and onions. (I like turnips and hubby likes potatoes, so I do both)

Place turkey on top of vegetables. Mix gravy with the wine and a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water. Pour on top of the turkey and vegetables.

Cover and cook on high for a couple of hours and then turn to low for three hours. You could put it on longer on the low setting. Just depends what your schedule is.

check every so often to make sure turkey is moist. Thicken gravy if necessary.

To Serve: Slice turkey and put gravy on top and serve with the veggies.

BISCUITS AND GRAVY

Ingredients for the biscuits:

• 2 cups all purpose flour

• 4 teaspoons baking powder

• ¼ teaspoon baking soda

• pinch of salt
• 3 oz. cold butter, diced
• 8 oz buttermilk

Directions

Combine and sift the dry ingredients. Gently knead in the butter. Add the buttermilk and knead on a floured board just enough to bring the dough together.

It is vital that you knead gently and no more than is necessary or you will develop the gluten in the flour and make the biscuits tough. Good biscuits are as much a function of technique as ingredients.

Form a flat mass with the dough and cut out biscuits with a biscuit cutter. Don’t make them too high or the outside could become over browned by the time the inside is cooked.

Place them on parchment paper on a sheet tray and then into a preheated 400-degree oven.

Start the gravy immediately. It should be done close to the same time as the biscuits, which is when they are golden in color.


Ingredients for the gravy:

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

Directions

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 do NOT drain the grease. You’ll need it to make the roux. 

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, whisking incessantly. 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.