Sausage Gravy

Recently, we headed to Vermont for a wedding. It was beautiful. The foliage was at its peak. It was cold. Even the kids were ready to head back to the South. Being back, I decided to make a popular Southern breakfast. We had sausage gravy over biscuits. My husband loves sausage gravy. He told me that this was the best sausage gravy he ever had. Isn't he a sweet husband? He said the sausage gravy should be a food group all by it self. I tried to shape the biscuit as a skull. I guess I will have to practice a little more.

Southern Sausage Gravy aka warty skulls
1 (16 oz.) Jimmy Dean Country Mild Sausage
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups skim milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, brown the sausage over medium heat until cooked thoroughly.
2. Sprinkle the  flour over the sausage.
3. Stir in the flour well and cook for 1 minute. 
4. Stir in the milk and mix well. 
5. Allow the gravy to thicken. Stir often. 
6. Season with the salt and pepper. 
7. Serve when the gravy reaches the desired consistency. 

Recipe adapted from The Kitchen. 

One year ago...........................I made One pot Mac and Cheese.
Two years ago.........................I made Buffalo Chicken Soup.
Three years ago.......................I made Crab Rangoon.
Four years ago........................I made Pumpkin Whoopie Pies.

Did you already know...............
-The first week of October tends to be ideal to observe the foliage in Vermont and Maine.
-This week the foliage is at its peak in Connecticut. 
-The red foliage are the foliage from sugar maple, dogwood, sourwood, Luquidamber, and black gum trees.

Pumpkin Muffins

I've heard the term helicopter parents but my husband and I think we are probably more like a surveillance aircraft parents. We give the kids some distance but we can still see them. We will provide advice which some of the kids (the older ones) do not like to listen. When the kids have a problem, we are there for them but we ask them if they can handle the issue or if they need help. We will discipline the kids but we don't beat them. If they behave, they are rewarded. If they misbehave, they are either removed from the situation or they are not rewarded with their favorite technology. We don't try to control every situation. How can we? We will help with their homework but we won't do it for them. We will not clean their rooms or make their beds for them. They can do it now and they will be able to do it when they are adults. Do the kids have chores? Yes. Do the kids have manners? Yes. Do the kids have morals? Yes. Are they reminded about chores, manners, and morals? Yes. We really try to lead by example. We don't run around wild. We are not rude to others. We work hard. The nice thing is my oldest daughter has told me how she was glad I didn't do everything for her since she needs those skills as an adult. Often, I have the kids help in the kitchen. Normally, they like to help. They didn't help with these muffins besides eat them. Maybe it was a good thing they didn't help since I can only imagine the toppings they would have picked. The muffins did come out really good. I brought some to work and the ones with toppings were popular. The kids preferred the muffins with no toppings. I liked the ones with the toppings. I tried to make a pumpkin muffin which wasn't so heavy. I thought I did a pretty good job.

Pumpkin Muffins aka Jack O'Muffins
3 cups all purpose flour.
2 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 egg white
toppings: sunflower seeds, honey roasted sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, praline pumpkin seeds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Spray the cupcake liners with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until fluffy.
5. Add the pumpkin, the 2 large eggs, and milk to the butter mixture. Mix until incorporated. Set aside.
6. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form.
7. Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. 
8. Gently fold the egg whites into the flour mixture. Combine until just incorporated.
9. Evenly distribute the batter into the cupcake liners.
10. Sprinkle with desired toppings. 
11. Bake the muffins for 15 minutes or until cooked through.

Recipe created by Jen of Sweet Morris. 

Two years ago..........................I made Witch Brew.
Three years ago........................I made Fried Sausage Dumplings.
Four years ago.........................I made Pork Chops with Garlic and Herb.

Did you already know.......................
-The first surveillance aircraft used were hot air balloons.
-Surveillance aircrafts are often used by government agencies for information gathering including the military and FBI.
-Surveillance aircraft are manned while drones are unmanned surveillance aircraft.

Meatloaf

One of my family's favorite meal is meatloaf. Yes, meatloaf. It is not a pretty dish. It is actually scary looking. Yes, it is the perfect recipe to post for October. This is the meatloaf recipe my Mom made us as a kid. It is simple. It is fast and my husband makes it often for us. My Mom told me that she had found the recipe in a woman's magazine when we were little. The recipe was for the microwave and it was not shaped as a loaf but as a ring. I still make it in a ring since I actually think it cooks better that way. We always eat it with ketchup, mashed potatoes, and carrots. We normally have this meal at least twice a month. Simple is sometimes better.

Meatloaf aka bones and flesh
1 lb. hamburger
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 slices of bread, torn
1 large egg
2 Tbsp Poultry seasoning

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, combine the hamburger, onion, bread, egg, and poultry seasoning. 
3. Mix just until incorporated.
4. Place in a baking dish and form a ring. 
5. Cover and bake the meatloaf for 1 hour or until thoroughly cooked through.
6. Serve warm. 

Recipe provided by Jen's Mom.

Two years ago...........................I made Two Tone Halloween Cookies.
Three years ago.........................I made Chocolate Cookies.
Four years ago...........................I made Sloppy Joes.

Did you already know...........................
-Since 5th century A.D., the Romans have made meat with fillers.
-During the Depression, meatloaf was a popular way to stretch a meal containing meat.
-Meatloaf is versatile recipe which ingredients vary by region and diners.

Buttermilk Waffles

Do you prefer waffles over pancakes? My daughter does. I prefer pancakes. When we are at a hotel, my daughter normally will make some waffles. My son just wants to use the waffle maker but he prefers eggs. Well, I surprised the kids by making some waffles. This recipe I created about twenty years ago. I didn't use the internet to look up recipes. I would use the cookbooks I had. Well, I wanted to make some buttermilk waffles but there were none listed in the cookbooks I had. So, I created this one. I served the waffles with whip cream, raspberries, and maple syrup. To serve waffles for breakfast is the best way to make my daughter a happy girl. My daughter even helped to cook some. She told me her Mickey waffles looked a little scary. I thought her Mickey waffles looked like they had been in a fight. I called her Mickey waffles: scrappy.

Buttermilk Waffles aka Bodiless Mickey
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus to coat waffle iron
2 1/2 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Heat the waffle iron. 
2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until fluffy.
3. Add the flour, oil, buttermilk, brown sugar, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
4. Mix just until smooth. 
5. Carefully brush the waffle iron lightly with some vegetable oil. 
6. Carefully, add some batter to the waffle iron. 
7. Bake until golden brown or waffle iron signals done. 
8. Carefully, remove and serve hot.

Recipe by Jen of Sweet Morris.

Two years ago.................................I made Roasted Tomato and Pepper Soup.
Three years ago...............................I made Roasted Vegetable Panini.
Four years ago................................I made Black Forest Cherry Torte.

Did you already know....................
-On November 18, 1928, Mickey Mouse made his first official film debut in "Steamboat Willie". 
-Mickey Mouse was created by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks.
-Until 1947, Mickey Mouse was first voiced by Walt Disney.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

     When we were in Maine, my son took school a little serious. He has always found school easy. Why? It is because he is very competitive. If his sister could do it, then he was going to make sure he could do it. He would try to help her with her homework in which she would get really angry about. She didn't need his help because he is two grades lower than her. Is he any smarter than her? No but boy he really likes to win. In school, he was fortunate to have teachers who would push him. If he found a subject easy, they seemed to make his learning a little more challenging. When we moved to North Carolina, he did slack. Before, he had never even missed a spelling word. Now, he was missing a lot of words. Did he still make honors? Of course but the effort was not there. I've told my kids that what is important is there effort and not the grades. They really need to work as hard as they can. I really feel that is what makes someone go far in life. Well, my son is taking his school a little more serious again. Maybe it is because his sister really does? Whatever the reason, I am glad.
     Now to these cupcakes-my daughter loved them. I think she ate the majority of them. My two guys liked them too. It could have been the peanut butter frosting I used. I did try placing a mini peanut butter cup in a few of the cupcakes. Don't do it. The peanut butter cup sank to the bottom and burned. The guys didn't care since they just peeled the peanut butter cup away and ate the rest. Good thing I only had done it to a couple.These are some dark cupcakes. They are as dark as an October night!

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes aka Dark, very dark Cupcakes
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
8 oz. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Set aside. 
3. Heat the milk for 1 minute until warm. 
4. Mix the milk with the dark cocoa powder. Set aside. 
5. In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar. 
6. Add the vanilla and the eggs to the butter mixture. 
7. Stir in the dark cocoa powder mixture.
8. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until incorporated. 
9. Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
10. Allow the cupcakes to cool on a wire rack before frosting.

Recipe by Jen of Sweet Morris.

Two years ago...................................I made Apple Crisp.
Three years ago.................................I made Mace Crumb Muffins.
Four years ago...................................I made Cheesy Basil Stuffed Chicken.

Did you already know........................
-The darkest time of the night is half way between dusk to dawn. 
-In October, the constellations Aquarius and Pegasus are easy to view.
-Before dawn tomorrow, Jupiter and Venus can be viewed above the moon.