Mike's Mission Sausage Gravy**

1 lbs. ground country sausage
2 1/2 c. milk
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 t. Cayenne pepper
2 T. Corn Starch
1/2 c. heavy cream

*Brown sausage (don't drain fat) in frying pan
*Add 2 1/2 c. milk to browned sausage on medium heat
* Add cream, salt & pepper, & cayenne pepper
*Let heat until milk is scalding, stirring regularly
*Combine the rest of the milk (1/2 c.) & corn starch (mixwell).
*Stir into sausage gravy
*Stir until thickened to preferred consistency
*Serve over biscuits

-You can also use sifted flour instead of corn starch

Mike invented this recipe while he was on his mission (Detriot, MI) . But was inspired by the Gentry Mountain version back home.

Erika's Black Bottom Coconut Cream Pie

(Unfinished picture of pie. It still needed the whipped cream and toasted coconut on top).




1 Pastry for a 1-crust pie, home-made or refrigerated ready-to-use
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream, divided
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 c. coconut milk
1 c. milk
3 large egg yolks
1 bag (7 oz size) sweetened flaked coconut, divided
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 tsp. coconut extract

Directions:

Line a 9 inch pie plate with the pastry, prick it all over with a fork, line with a double thickness of foil and bake at 375 F degrees, about 20 minutes, until it is beginning to brown. Remove the foil and bake another 5 to 10 minutes, until it is fully brown. Or follow label directions on premade crust for baking empty. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, combine the chocolate chips and 1/3 cup of the cream in a small saucepan. Stir constantly over low heat until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is completely smooth. Pour into the pie shell, spread if necessary and set aside to cool completely.

In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar, flour and salt. Add about 1/4 cup of the milk and stir until the mixture is smooth. Add another 3/4 cup of the milk, stirring well after each, then stir in the 2 cups of coconut milk, stirring well.

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, and scraping around the edges of the pan bottom, until the mixture is as thick as pudding, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Lightly beat the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Gradually stir in the hot milk mixture a couple of Tablespoons at a time until the eggs are room temperature. Pour this egg-milk mixture into the hot mixture in the pan, stirring well immediately. Cook over low-medium heat, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes, until it thickens again.

Remove from heat and stir in 1 1/2 cups of the coconut and the butter, almond and coconut extract. Let cool 10 minutes, then spoon and pour over the chocolate in the pie shell. Put a sheet of plastic wrap on top of the filling (to keep skin from forming), and chill overnight or for several hours.

Meanwhile, spread the remaining cup of coconut onto a baking sheet and toast it at 350 F degrees 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it is golden. Cool completely.

Whip the remaining 2/3 cup of cream and spread or pipe it on the cooled pie; decorate with toasted coconut

***MAKE SURE TO CHILL PIE OVERNIGHT, OR SEVERAL HOURS***
Some how this pie ends up inviting itself to dinner every Thanksgiving. It's just become one of the family! It's a fabulous pie..I Promise! I have altered and adjusted this pie going on 5 years now. Hopefully it'll continue to be on the menu for years to come. Please just remember to give ample time to refrigerate because you want the chocolate to harden (it's texture will end up being like a truffle). Yumm-o!

Leftover Turkey? Make My Turkey Soup!

Turkey Soup

2 c. cubed vegetables (we use peas, carrots, celery, potatoes, and onion)
1/2 c. butter (divided)
1 can vegetable broth
1 can chicken broth
3/4 c. flour
2-3 chicken bullion cubes
Turkey meat (cooked and shredded)
2 c. milk
2 c. half and half
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/2 t. dill weed
1/4-1/2 t. garlic salt

Saute onion,celery, & 1/2 of the stick of butter in small saucepan. Add onion/celery to soup pot when tender.
Cook vegetables, the rest of the butter, and broth until done. Add chicken bullion cubes and spices to taste. Add the turkey meat. Whisk flour and milk mixture together in a small bowl. Once stirred well, add to the soup. Add the turkey meat. Lastly, add the half and half. (We like thick and creamy soups. If you prefer it a little more watered down, or you need to feed an Army, just add water!)

Every year after Thanksgiving we find time to make this wonderful soup. Enjoy!

Erika's Fiesta Cheese Soup

1 lb. hamburger
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 of Red, Orange, and Yellow pepper
Taco seasoning packet made accoring to recipe
2 cans corn, reserve the juice
1 can washed black beans
2 c. nacho cheese sauce (the BIG can you can buy at Sam's club/costco)
1 can diced tomatoes, reserve the juice
Milk to taste (depends how far you need to strech this meal)
Freetos or corn chips
Optional:
salsa
sour cream

Fry the hamburger, onions, and peppers until cooked. Drain the grease. Add the taco seasoning packet and make according to the package directions. In a large soup pot add the hamburger mixture, 2 cans of corn with juice, 1 can washed black beans, 1 can diced tomatoes with juice, 2 c. nacho cheese sauce, and milk to taste. I think I added about 5 cups of milk? Heat thoroughly. Serve with corn chips or freetos. Enjoy!

We had bought one of the big cans of nacho cheese sauce from Sam's club. We had a lot left over and I didn't want it to go to waste. So I decided to make a taco soup but using this nacho cheese and milk instead of water.
It was delicious! It wasn't as spicy as I thought it would be though. My family thought it was just right. If you ever happen to come across a big old can of nacho cheese, you'll have to make this soup!

*I didn't post a pic. because quite frankly, it looked like barf!

Erika's Strawberry BananaTrifle

1 yellow (or white) cake mix (pre-made according to directions on pkg)
2 pkg. vanilla pudding (pre-made according to directions on pkg.)
1 lb. strawberries (sliced)
1 bunch of bananas (sliced)
Homemade strawberry (or raspberry) jam
lrg. Strawberry Jello (pre-made according to directions on pkg.)
Pre-made whip cream or cool whip (I like to use homemade whip cream)

Make all items that are required to be pre-made according to directions on package first. Cut cooled cake, and jello into small bite sized pieces. Place about a quarter of the bite sized cut pieces of cake for the bottom level of the trifle. Next add a quarter or so of the pudding mix (remember you need to save some for the layers). Add the desired amount of jam you'd like to use. Next add about a quarter of the jello. Add desired amount of strawberries and bananas. Add a layer of whip cream. Then repeat the layers starting with the cake and ending with whip cream. Fill the bowl to the top with the various layers!!! Enjoy!

Now I know this is not even close to a REAL authentic English trifle, but it's still really good. If you don't have a trifle bowl, any LARGE clear glass bowl will do. We just usually fill trifle with fruits we have on hand. But Mike specifically asked for a strawberry and banana one for Fathers day. Great choice Mike!

Creamy Chicken Vegetable Soup

4 Chicken Breasts
1 small bag frozen mixed vegetables
6 chicken bullion cubes
parsley
salt
onion powder
pepper

Sauce:
3/4 c. butter
3/4 c. flour
1 pint half & half
1 pint whipping cream
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar

Cook chicken in water (about 6 cups). Add chicken bullion cubes. Add spices. When chicken is cooked thoroughly take it out and cut or shred into small pieces. Add vegetables. Return the shredded chicken To make the sauce in a separate pan..melt the butter, then add the flour. Stir to make a rue. Quickly add the half and half and cream. Then add the salt and sugar. Add the sauce to the chicken broth mixture. Soup is ready to eat once thickened. Enjoy!

As said before we enjoy our soup. Especially when most of the months up here are COLD! This is an Erika original!

Erika's Canadian Bacon & Pineapple Pizza

1 pkg. Canadian bacon (thinly sliced)

1 can pineapple tidbits drained

Cheese, (Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese)

Pizza sauce

Pizza Crust

Make Pizza crust according to directions. Here are some good recipes for a crust:

(Papa John's Style Pizza Crust Recipe HERE)

(Homemade Pizza Crust Recipe HERE)

Make Sauce, or add store bought sauce

(Good sauce recipe HERE)

(Depending on the crust recipe you use, will depend when you add your ingredients. Some recipes you are supposed to bake for 10 minutes before adding toppings, and others you can add right away).

Add Pizza sauce to the pre made crust. Add a layer of mozzarella cheese. Add Canadian bacon slices on top. Add another layer of Mozzarella cheese. Bake. About 5 minutes before taking the pizza out of the oven, add pineapple and sprinkle Parmesan cheese and continue to bake until the pizza is done or golden brown.

Erika's Corn Chowder

3 potatoes
1/2 onion
1 can corn (don't drain)
1/2 lb. bacon
1 c. cream
2-3 cups milk
2 Tbls. flour
1 c. milk

{To Taste}
Parsley
Salt & Pepper
Garlic Salt

Slice uncooked bacon into bite sized pieces. Fry bacon until cooked. Add onion. Fry until tender. Drain grease. Wash and chop potatoes. Cut into bite sized pieces.

Boil potatoes in just enough water to cover the potatoes. Cook potatoes until tender. Drain the potatoes. Mix 1/2 cup milk with flour to make a thicking agent. Add to potato mixture. Then Add corn with juice, cream and the rest of the milk, seasonings, cooked bacon, and sauteed onion.
If it's too thick for your taste buds, thin with a little water or milk! (We like our soups thick!)

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