Turbocharged Biscuits and Gravy

Do you LOVE homemade biscuits and gravy? Well, I am a southern gal, and I sure do! But, I used to stray away from making them because I knew I’d be working in the kitchen for hours. That was true until I found the answer. And, the best part is, it takes less than 20 minutes, from start to finish!

Here is my secret for making homemade, southern-style biscuits with a turbocharged twist. Are you ready? It is super simple!

I start with a pre-made biscuit mix (I know, cheater cheater pumpkin eater), and then I add mild sausage, grated cheese, garlic, and a secret...

Here is what you need:

• 2 batches biscuit mix (I use Bisquick Heart Smart) (1 cup milk is required)
• 16 oz. uncooked sausage (I use Jimmy Dean Mild Sausage)
• 2 cups grated cheese (I use pre-grated)
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• Secret: 1/2 cup cold butter cubes

Here is what you do:

• Measure the biscuit mix for 2 batches of biscuits (its 3 cups of the mix)
• Add half of the mix into a food processor and add 1/4 cup of the butter cubes; pulse until incorporated; repeat with other half of mix and butter
• Follow the box recipe for DROP biscuits and mix the biscuit dough with the milk as instructed on the box.(since you're doubling the recipe, you need 1 cup fat free skim milk)
• Next, add the uncooked sausage, cheese, and garlic then mix until incorporated.
• Drop a spoonful of dough onto an UNGREASED cookie sheet and bake according to package instructions.(it took me more than the time shown on the box...it took 13 minutes)

See? Super simple! Now for the best part—homemade gravy that tastes like grandma made it!

Have you ever heard of Magic Mix? Magic mix is a white sauce base, but it is in the form of a glorious powdery mix that you just add water to when you're ready to use it. Plus, it only takes 3 minutes...seriously!

When the biscuits are almost finished baking, I make a batch of the magic mix and add a dash of salt & pepper. Then, I pour the gravy over my hot, fresh sausage cheese drop biscuits, and I am in heaven.

Delish and effortless! I made some for dinner tonight!

Teriyaki Ground Beef and Rice

Last night I needed to make two quick dishes for my lunches and dinners for the rest of the week, so I opened my freezer and pantry to see what I could whip up in a jiffy. For one meal, I saw rice and hamburger as my main ingredients and then browsed my fridge and pantry to see what else I could add. I didn’t want to do my usual cream of whatever soup with veggies, rice, and beef, so I looked deeper into my stash and found teriyaki sauce! I have made teriyaki chicken before, but I’ve never used it with ground beef, so I wasn’t too sure what the result would be.

You may have already tried something like this, but here’s what I came up with and how I did it. It was super simple!

Here is what you need:

• 3 cups rice, brown or white
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 onion
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 3/4 cup teriyaki sauce (I just guessed at this; you want it to be more liquid than beef and onion)

Here is what you do:

• Cook rice
• Chop onion into small pieces
• As rice is cooking, sauté the onion with the garlic
• Add ground beef and cook until beef is completely done
• Add teriyaki sauce and reduce heat to a simmer
• Simmer for 8 minutes (or so—this is a guess)
• Serve beef and sauce over rice
• If you want to make a bunch, freeze whatever you don't use and then you'll have an instant meal later!

It. Was. So. Delicious!

Here it is with all the sauce and beef mixed with the rice.

The pic makes it look dry, but it certainly WAS NOT!

Seriously! I loved every—single—bite!

Grilled Asparagus

I've never made asparagus before, but I really like it when I have it at restaurants. So I decided to give it a shot this weekend. I tell you what...it was delicious and light and had a nice crunch to it. Not a chip-type crunch, but the kind of crunch asparagus is supposed to have.

Here is what you need:

• 1 pkg asparagus (mine had about 20)
• 1/8 cup light cooking oil
• 3 Tbs lemon juice
• garlic pepper, to taste (I used about 1 1/2 tsp)
• lemon pepper, to taste (I used about 1 1/2 tsp)
• 1 long, shallow dish
• indoor grill

Here is what you do:

• Mix oil, lemon juice, and seasonings until well combined.
• Clean asparagus and cut off about 1" to 1 1/2" of the stem end (its the side that isn't as pretty).
• Put asparagus in shallow dish and cover with the mixture. Toss asparagus to make sure each one is completely covered.
• Leave the asparagus in the dish for about 15 minutes.
• Season your thin steaks, as desired. (I used a mixture of garlic pepper and lemon pepper to carry the flavors over from the asparagus.)
• At minute 11 of the asparagus marinating, cook the steaks for 4 minutes on the indoor grill. (This is for well done.)
• Remove steaks and cook asparagus for 3 minutes on grill. (This cooking time lets the steaks rest so the juices stay inside and keep it from going dry.)
• Remove asparagus and serve immediately.
• Pairs nicely with a light side salad.

Let it marinate in the flavor-packed mixture.

Then grill it for 3 minutes on one of these types of indoor grills.

Serve and enjoy!

How To Make Perfectly Boiled Eggs

Ever wonder how to boil your eggs perfectly so the yolk in the center is yellow instead of that greenish hue? Well, I've searched and searched for the answer and found this technique from Melissa d'Arabian on the Food Network. I tried it, and it works!

Here is what you do:

• Place eggs in one layer along bottom of a large pot.
• Fill pot with cold water, making sure to cover eggs completely by at least 1 inch.
• Bring water to a simmer over low heat and cook for 1 minute.
• Cover pot with a lid, turn off the heat and allow the eggs to sit for 15 minutes.
• Rinse with cold water.
• Roll the eggs between your palm and the counter top to crack the shell.
• Peel under cold, running water.

Hard Boiled Egg

Cocoa Peanut Butter Delight

Do you feel like there is a potluck dinner or church activity to attend practically every month? (It’s fun, though, right? … Yep!) Well, what do you usually bring? Crock pot meal? Potato dish? Side salad? Brownies?

Here is a dish you can take to your next potluck that will have everyone talking. But beware—you may be asked to bring this dessert to every potluck in the future.

Here is what you need:

• 1/2 bag marshmallows
• 1/2 cup peanut butter, creamy
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 cups Cocoa Pebbles cereal
• 1/2 cup peanut butter, creamy (for topping)
• 1/2 container whipped cream cheese frosting (for topping)
• Chopped pecans, as desired (for topping)
• Wax paper
• Butter flavor cooking spray

Here is what you do:

1. Line baking dish with wax paper so the wax paper hangs over the edge on two sides. These edges will be used as handles to easily remove the treat from the baking dish.
2. Spray wax paper with cooking spray.
3. Melt marshmallows, 1/2 cup peanut butter, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Toss cereal in melted mixture then pour into baking dish.
5. Mix remaining 1/2 cup of peanut butter and whipped frosting until well combined.
6. Spread frosting mixture over cereal then sprinkle with chopped pecans, or any other chopped nut.
7. Cool for 10 minutes. Cut into 2” squares.
8. Makes about 9 servings.

You won’t have any leftovers, so if you need some to cure your own sweet tooth, you should probably make two batches.

Coconut Chocolate Crunch

Around this time of year the Girl Scouts are out in full force selling their much-anticipated Girl Scout cookies. Its difficult keeping the huge grin off your face when you see them all over town and in your neighborhood because you know you will get to order your stash of cookies!

We all have our favorite flavor, but it seems that one of the most popular flavors is Samoas. They have a vanilla cookie base with caramel, toasted coconut, and chocolate. YUM-O! Well, if you didn’t get your cookies on the spot, what do you do as you anxiously wait the 4 to 6 weeks before they arrive?

You make this easy dessert. It’s practically as good as the real thing.

Here is what you need:

• 1/2 bag marshmallows
• 1/2 cup peanut butter, creamy
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 squares chocolate bark
• 3 cups Cap’n Crunch cereal
• 1/2 cup toasted coconut
• Wax paper
• Butter flavor cooking spray

Here is what you do:

1. Line baking dish with wax paper so the wax paper hangs over the edge on two sides. These edges will be used as handles to easily remove the treat from the baking dish.
2. Spray wax paper with cooking spray.
3. Melt marshmallows, peanut butter, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Toss cereal in melted mixture then pour into baking dish.
5. Melt chocolate.
6. While chocolate melts, toast coconut.
7. Spread chocolate over cereal then sprinkle with coconut.
8. Cool for 10 minutes. Cut into 2” squares.
9. Makes about 9 servings.

To melt chocolate:

1. Fill small pot with water. 
2. Place a glass, heat resistant bowl inside pot without letting bottom of bowl touch the water. 
3. Place chocolate squares in bowl.
4. Bring water to light boil and chocolate will begin to melt. 
5. Stir chocolate occasionally until smooth.

To toast coconut:

1. Place coconut in skillet over low-medium heat. Stir occasionally. 
2. Coconut will begin to brown and you will start to smell the toasty aroma. When this happens, stay near the pan and stir frequently. 
3. Remove from heat. 
4. Not all pieces will be brown, and that is normal. 

Betcha can't eat just one square!