Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Old Fashion Buttermilk Biscuits with Sausage and Black Pepper Gravy

Old Fashion Buttermilk Biscuits with Sausage and Black Pepper Gravy

◦3 cups all-purpose flour
◦2 tablespoons sugar
◦2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
◦1/2 teaspoon baking soda
◦1/2 teaspoon salt
◦Pinch of cayenne pepper
◦1/2 cup vegetable shortening
◦1 1/4 cups buttermilk
◦1/4 cup butter, melted and divided

Sausage Gravy:
◦1 pound Breakfast Sausage (either hot or mild)
◦3/4 cup flour
◦4 1/2 cups milk
◦1 tablespoon Louisiana Style hot sauce
◦1/2 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
◦Salt to taste
◦2 tablespoons butter

Steps
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a large bowl mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cayenne pepper. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender or two forks until crumbly. Gradually add milk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Dough should be sticky. Do not overwork dough.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness with a floured rolling pin. Cut 12 biscuits with a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter. Place biscuits in a cast iron skillet or hoecake pan that has been sprayed with a non-stick spray and brush tops with half of melted butter. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until lightly browned. Brush with remaining melted butter before serving.

While biscuits are baking, start gravy. In in large saute pan or cast iron skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat until browned and crumbly. Reduce heat to medium and add flour to sausage; mix thoroughly. Cook until flour browns, about 4 minutes stirring constantly. Add milk slowly and increase heat to medium-high. Continue to stir. Add hot sauce, pepper and salt. As the gravy comes to a boil, it will thicken. If too thick, add additional milk. After boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and add butter.

To serve place two of the buttermilk biscuits on each plate and top with sausage gravy and garnish with freshly cracked pepper

Maple Candied Yams

MAPLE CANDIED YAMS

1 stick butter
4 or 5 large fresh yams or sweet potatoes
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon OR 1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp. freshly grated ginger root
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 to 2 1/2 cups mini marshmallows (optional)

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Peel yams or sweet potatoes (either may be used). Cut into 1 inch cubes or wedges.

Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish generously.

Arrange yams in baking dish.

In a saucepan, melt butter, and stir sugar until dissolved over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup water and spices.

Bring to a boil, add maple syrup; reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Pour butter mixture over the yams, turning them over to coat well. Cover the yams tightly with aluminum foil and bake on center rack in oven, basting the potatoes with the butter syrup once or twice during the baking for about 45 minutes or until fork tender.

Cooks Note: If adding mini-marshmallows, spread them evenly over the top of the potatoes at this time, and broil for 5-10 minutes or until lightly browned, otherwise proceed with next step.

When the potatoes are done, remove foil. Bake on the upper third of the oven at 475°F until the syrup has thickened and the potatoes are just beginning to caramelize (about 20 minutes - but watch carefully and do not allow them to burn; if they are browning too quickly reduce oven temperature).

Baste with additional butter before serving.

Variation: Use honey or Karo syrup instead of the maple syrup; add 1/4 cup frozen orange concentrate. Omit cinnamon; use vanilla

Cornbread Sausage Stuffing

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
3/4 lb. Prepared sweet cornbread
1/2 lb. Sage Pork Sausage
1/4 lb. ground veal
1 C. chopped onion
1 C. chopped celery
1 C. diced fresh mushrooms
1/4 C. chopped fresh parsley
1/8 cup sage
1/8 cup thyme
1 C. chicken broth
1 egg
Salt and Pepper

Directions:
Break cornbread into 1/2 inch to 1 inch pieces
Saute meat until cooked and remove from skillet with a slotted spoon
Saute the chopped veggies in the fat from the meat until softened
Add seasonings and salt and pepper
Add one beaten egg
Gently toss to combine, but DO NOT OVER TOSS

Bake in a buttered baking dish covered with aluminum foil at 375 degrees until heated through and golden on top; 30-40 minutes. Remove the foil the last 5-10 minutes of cooking to crisp the top.

*if you have trouble finding ground veal, you can use 3/4 lb sage pork sausage as your meat for the recipe. I've made it that way before and it was still very good, however, I prefer it as written with the veal