Holiday Fudge
4 1/2 cups sugar
1 can evaporated milk
16 oz mini marshmallows
1 cup chopped walnuts if desired (more or less to taste)
3 bags Nestle semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 stick butter or margarine
dash salt
1 tsp. vanilla
  • Preheat oven to 200�
  • Place 2nd group of ingredients in order listed in a large heavy pan (dutch oven size).  Place in warmed oven and turn oven off.  This will warm ingredients and make stirring easier later.
  • Combine sugar and milk in a large 4 qt heavy pan and slowly bring to a boil over medium heat.  You must stir mixture constantly (scraping bottom of pan) to prevent burning.  Bring to a boil and boil 5 full minutes.  Mixture will bubble up so be sure pan is large or you will have a nasty mess on your stove.
  • Remove chips and mallows from oven and pour sugar and milk over them.  Stir until mallows are melted in.  Fudge will begin to set as it cools so stir quickly!
  • Turn out into buttered cake pan.  Cut when set.
yield: 5 lbs.

 










































Chicken and Gravy

One of my favorites !
Stew a whole chicken with one cut up onion, 3 stalks of chopped celery, salt and pepper.  Cook till meat is tender.   I like to crock pot the bird on low (add one cup water) while I'm at work, then it is ready when I get home.  You can also cook in a dutch oven sized pot with a lid and 2 cups of water, simmer at least one hour, longer if necessary till meat falls off bone when lifted.

Remove chicken and let cool.  Prepare 6 cups gravy (see below) while chicken cools.  Use liquid from stewing chicken as pan drippings; you will need to strain out onions, celery, etc.  Add water as needed to gravy base to make 6 cups gravy.  (Salt & pepper to taste)

Remove chicken meat from bones, discard fat, skin and bones.   Chop chicken meat to bite size pieces and add to gravy.  You can also add the onion  and celery back in or saut� some fresh onion and celery for the gravy mixture.  Celery is the key ingredient to this dish so don't skimp or skip it!

Chicken and Gravy is then served over mashed potatoes and served with a vegetable.  You can also serve on toast.

Thanks mom, I always liked this dish!

























How to make gravy...
Gravy is a simple process.  You must make sure your
flour is saturated with grease/liquid and then thin
gradually.  Keep these two things in mind and you will
make perfect grave every time.
1/4 cup fat/pan drippings
1/4 cup flour
mix above thoroughly in pan, set on medium heat
2 cups water/pan drippings
Slowly add above as flour mixture heats, stir constantly with a wire whisk or fork as you add.  Heat to boil.   Boil 2 minutes.
To thicken if necessary, take a rounded tablespoon of flour and mix in separate bowl with existing gravy stock to form paste.   Be sure that flour is saturated (no lumps). 
Slowly thin by adding more gravy until pourable, then add slowly to existing gravy stirring it in.  Bring to boil.
To thin gravy, add more water.   Bring to boil. 
Be sure to taste as you go and add salt as needed.  You can also add Browning Sauce for color and flavor - go lightly on this sauce!

 

 

Carnitas

Carnitas is a Mexican shredded pork dish.  Great on tortillas with rice and beans.

Another perfect crock pot dish.   Place a 2 to 4 pound Boston Butt pork roast in crock with one onion and sprinkle with oregano and garlic salt.   Cook on low all day.  Or pressure cook per pressure pot directions.  Remove from crock/pan and shred if lucky enough to come out that tender, or cut across the grain into rough chunks.  Spread out in a cake pan or low roasting pan, salt lightly with garlic salt, cover tightly with tin foil and bake in a 300 degree oven for 15 minutes.  This seasons the meat thru.

Serve with all the Mexican dish trimmings, rice (Rice a Roni Spanish Rice is good) refried beans, Pico de gallo (see below), guacamole, and sour cream.

Pico de gallo: chop one half yellow onion, one large mild chili -such as an Anaheim chili, and one tomato.  Chop chili and tomato fine.  Mix with a dash of vinegar, and a bit of chopped cilantro.