Mark's favorite Sausage Gravy

My husband orders sausage gravy almost every time he eats breakfast at a restaurant.  I used to think that something like that would be too difficult to make correctly but I finally got up the nerve to try it.  And guess what?  This recipe is super easy!!  It has never failed me.  I usually double the recipe and then freeze part of it for later and it always heats up nicely.  If I have time, I will make biscuits, but I most often serve it over sourdough toast and my husband loves it just the same.

Ingredients:
1 pound bulk sausage
3 cups milk
1/3 cup flour
pepper to taste

Directions: Brown sausage in skillet.  Stir in flour til dissolved.  Add milk.  Cook until it begins to bubble, stirring regularly.  Reduce heat and allow to simmer, stirring until thickened, about 2 minutes.  Season with pepper as  desired.

Soaked crepes

My girls love crepes.  I love them because they contain lots of eggs to fill my girls with protein.  Most of my girls put cream cheese in the middle and pour syrup over top.  If we have fresh berries, we add those as well.  I use this recipe with my freshly milled spelt flour by soaking the flour overnight in the milk with a bit of apple cider vinegar added to make it healthier.  I usually triple this batch to have some to freeze for busy school mornings.

• 3 eggs
• 1⅓ cup milk
• 1 cup flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoon melted butter, cooled
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• *sugar for sprinkling

In a large mixing bowl combine the eggs, milk, flour, salt and slightly cooled melted butter. Add in the sugar and vanilla if making a sweet crepe. If making a savory crepe, leave the sugar and vanilla out.

Mix well with a wire whisk until well combined. Keep the whisk in the bowl and continue to mix the batter occasionally as you make the crepes.

Heat a 8" non-stick skillet to medium heat.

Use a paper towel to lightly grease the pan with butter.

Pour ½ cup of crepe batter into the pan and tilt pan so the batter covers the pan in a thin layer. Cook until the edges start to lightly brown, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Flip over and cook for a few more seconds until done.

Sprinkle about a ½ teaspoon of sugar over the crepe and roll them up, or fold them into fourths.

Keep them covered with tinfoil to keep them warm until they’re ready to serve.

Serve with fresh berries, powdered sugar, whipped cream or nutella!

Summer Bounty Sausage Casserole

I stumbled upon this recipe when looking for a yummy but different way to enjoy our home-grown tomatoes and zucchini.  I wan't sure if my husband would like it since casseroles aren't his favorite, but both times I made it recently he raved about all the different flavors inside.  He wanted me to make sure I kept the recipe for next summer!  Thanks, Carrie, for such a winner!  The only thing I did differently was to make my own cream sauce instead of canned mushroom soup.  And I can never put just one clove of garlic in... I probably used at least 5!

• 1 lb . Ground Italian Pork Sausage
• 2 c . Finely Diced Zucchini
• 4 c . Cooked Rice, (white brown or long grain)
• 1 c . Diced Fresh Tomatoes
• 1 Clove Garlic, minced
• 10 oz . Cream of Mushroom Soup or homemade cream sauce
• 1/2 c . Low Fat Chicken Broth
• 1 c . Part Skim Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Start by preparing your rice. Depending on which kind you use this can take any where from 5-20 minutes. I used instant white rice so mine only took about 5 minutes.
3. While the rice is cooking, brown the sausage in a skillet on top of the stove until it is cooked through and no longer pink; then drain off any excess grease and place in a bowl.
4. Add the remaining ingredients minus the cheese to the bowl and mix well.
5. Place the mixture in an oven safe casserole dish, sprinkle with the cheese and bake for 30 minutes.

Leah's Paleo fudge

My friend Leah posted this yumy recipe and I just had type it out so I could remember it!

1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1/2 cup natural peanut butter (we use almond or sunflower butter)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
1/2 to 1 tsp vanilla

Mix together until smooth (I use my food processor). Put into muffin liners (I used miniature ones here), and freeze/refrigerate

Karis' favorite strawberry oatmeal bars

• Karis made these wonderful bars from Pioneer Woman for a "how-to" presentation at our homeschool co-op.  They immediately became her favorite bar recipe!
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• 1-3/4 stick Cold Butter, Cut Into Pieces
• 1-1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1-1/2 cup Oats (quick Or Regular)
• 1 cup Packed Brown Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 jar (10 To 12 Ounce) Strawberry Preserves

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 x 13 or 8 x 10 baking dish. 

Mix together the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle half the mixture into the pan and pat lightly to pack it a little tight. Spoon strawberry preserves evenly over the surface, then use a dinner knife to carefully spread it around. Sprinkle the other half of the oat mixture over the top and pat lightly again. 

Bake until light golden brown on top, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in pan. 

When cool, cut into squares and serve. Yum!