YUM!

I love trying new recipes. I especially love making things from scratch. I am not sure Alan understands this compulsion!

Here are a few recipes we had this week.

Biscuits and Gravy:
One 12-ounce tube bulk pork sausage
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Baking Powder Biscuits, recipe follows

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, break it up with a wooden spoon, and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned and cooked through, about 7 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a bowl, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet. Whisk the flour into the fat and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. While whisking, pour the milk into the skillet and bring the gravy to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 2 minutes. Stir in the sausage and season with pepper. Split the biscuits in half and divide them among plates. Top each biscuit with some of the gravy and serve immediately.

Baking Powder Biscuits
Biscuits:
2 cups all-purpose flour (about 8 ounces), plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon fine salt
7 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, sliced
3/4 cup milk
Glaze:
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

To make the biscuits: Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with two layers of parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Rub 2 tablespoons of the butter into the flour with your fingertips until completely absorbed. Work the remaining butter into the flour until it is in even pieces about the size of a pea. Gently stir the milk into the flour mixture to make a loose dough.
Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour and turn the dough out onto it. Pat the dough into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle. Fold the dough in thirds like a business letter. (For a flakier biscuit repeat the folding a second time.) Pat the dough into a 5 by 8-inch rectangle about 3/4-inch thick. Use a 2- to 3-inch round cutter to make 6 biscuits, and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet. Press together the scraps of dough and cut 2 more biscuits.
To make the glaze: Mix the cream and melted butter together in a small bowl. Lightly brush the tops of the biscuits with the glaze. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes before serving.
Yield: 8 biscuits

Bread sticks:
1 1/2 cups warm (105-115 degrees) water
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3-4 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. Yeast (one packet)

Place water, sugar and yeast into mixing bowl and let sit about 10 minutes or until bubbly.
Add 1/2 cup of flour at a time mixing well after each addition until dough pulls away from sides.
Grease metal or glass bowl and place dough into it to rise for 45 minutes, cover with a clean towel.
Pour dough out onto floured surface and roll into rectangle, cut 12 even strips of dough with pizza cutter.
Pull dough, bring together ends, twist and repeat. So you will have a braided style bread stick.
Place on greased baking sheet cover and rise for 30 min.
Brush with melted butter and bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes.
Remove from oven, brush with butter again and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and garlic salt.