Southern Style Sausage Gravy

I wasn't a huge fan of sausage gravy until I went to a brunch place in Atlanta called Homegrown a couple of years ago. If you're local, you should definitely head there. They have this decadent platter with a flaky biscuit, crispy fried chicken, and a generous portion of this heavenly gravy. It actually sounds like a near-disaster for me, with all those things touching (if you don't know me, I am not a fan of food touching if they're not supposed to be). But, once I tried it, I realized that you really can't have a chicken biscuit without some sausage gravy.

Now, I dont really understand how biscuits can be served alone. I can't imagine a biscuit without gravy... It may be a southern thing, but it is so delightful, and anyone who hasn't tried it is missing out. It's not the most appetizing or pretty thing, since it's gravy with sausage chunks, but it completes any brunch.

I had to make it a priority to try creating this treat! Lucky for me and you, sausage gravy is extremely easy to make at home!

Sausage Gravy (makes about 1 qt)
5 oz Ground Pork Sausage
3 tbsp Flour
1 cup Milk
2 tbsp Maple Syrup
Salt
Pepper

1. In a frying pan or cast iron skillet, brown the sausage. Cook about 90% of the way.
2. Add the flour to the sausage that has browned, and then add the milk.
3. Allow the mixture to thicken slightly. Then, add maple syrup and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Mix thoroughly and remove from the heat.
5. You can serve immediately, or store in the fridge for up to a week.

I love to have this gravy with a biscuit (recipe here) and a perfect sunny side egg (recipe here). You really have to try this. The runny yolks and gravy make for the richest breakfast you can enjoy in the south!

Welcoming Baby Matthew!

This weekend, I was able to cater a baby shower for one of my friends from church! She's expecting her second- a little baby boy!! I was extremely excited to work with her to make some tea/brunch themed food for everyone who came to welcome baby Matthew!

One of the items on the menu was quiche! I was able to come up with 3 different flavors- caramelized onion, spinach and feta, and ham and cheddar. They were a great compliment to one another, and to the rest of the menu. I've included the recipe for the spinach and feta and ham and cheddar below!

You can get creative with the fillings for the quiche! The crust is a flaky pastry that greatly accompanies the rich egg custard filling. Any filling would go great with this!

Assorted Mini Quiche (makes 24)

Crust:
9 oz All Purpose Flour
1 stick Butter
3 tbsp Shortening
3 oz Cold Water

1. Cut the cold butter into small cubes (1cm x 1cm).
2. Put the pieces into the flour and salt. Make sure each cube is coated.
3. Press the butter to flat pieces. Add the shortening.
4. Rub the butter between your fingers to make flakes. Continue until the butter chunks are about the size of a pea.
5. Create a well in the center of the flour and pour your cold water into it.
6. Bring your flour towards the center of the well a little bit at a time, until it is completely incorporated.
7. Flatten your dough slightly and wrap it in plastic. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes to 1 hour, until it is chilled.

Filling:
1 cup Milk
3 Eggs
2 Egg Yolk
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder

1. Lightly beat your eggs and yolks.
2. Add milk and seasoning.
3. Pour into a container with a pour spout, or a liquid measuring cup. 

Topping:
Spinach
Feta Cheese
Cheddar Cheese
Ham

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease two muffin tins.
2. Roll out your crust dough to about a quarter inch thick.
3. Use a 3 inch round cutter to cut out rounds.
4. Place the round into the muffin tin.
5. Press the dough into the bottom and sides of the tin. If you must re-roll the dough, be sure to chill it for about 15 minutes in between rolls. This is so the dough has a moment to rest and does not shrink.
6. Place spinach and feta cheese into to bottom of 12 crusts. You should tear the spinach to fit well into the crust.
7. Cut cheddar cheese and ham into small pieces, then place into the bottom of the remaining dozen crusts.
8. Pour the filling into the crust, filling almost to the top of each crust. You want to leave a short amount of space, just to prevent overflowing.
9. Bake the tarts for about 25-30 minutes, until the crust is golden and the custard is set.
10. Cool slightly and remove from the tins.

We had a few other great menu items to enjoy, too: scones and peach jam, tea sandwiches (egg salad, cucumber, and tomato), portabello and goat cheese spread with crackers, pumpkin cheesecake, cupcakes, and of course, macarons! We also had a fun blueberry spritzer for the ladies to enjoy. 

I loved getting the opportunity to serve Helen and her family and some of our friends before the arrival from baby Matthew! We are so excited to welcome him into the world!!! If you want to have a deliciowhso catered event, click the tab above, and be sure to contact me! I'd love to connect and work with you to make your event perfect! :)

2nd Anniversary, Transitions, and Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Before I share the recipe for this week, I wanted to share with my readers about some transitional stages. First off, Delici-owh-so is reaching it's 2nd year anniversary! I really want to start off by thanking everyone who has been reading the blog, sharing pictures, recipes, and referring me for catering and weddings. A huge thanks and shout out to each and every one of you! You are all a huge motivation for me to continue to improve myself, and become more and more innovative! Please feel free to comment with any suggestions, requests, etc!

Next, I want to address some transition in my life! I've been missing from the blog for a few weeks now. I realize it's not an excuse, but I've been going through a huge transitional phase in terms of my career, so I spent a little time to myself tying up loose ends. That being said, I've traded in my chef coat! I've been working in the food industry for the past 5 years. I recently decided that it wasn't for me- the hours, the work life balance, and the career trajectory. 

 

I opted to seek a position that I would be able to utilize my business degree in (while in college I participated in a dual degree program- pastry and business). This time has been a scary transition, but I am adjusting well to my new job. One of the motivating factors for this change is this blog. I wanted to have a little more consistency in my life, in terms of scheduling, and more opportunity to work on this blog. Blogging consistently has been a real challenge after graduating college, and I wanted to change that. 

 

Now, I have the opportunity to blog regularly, and put in more effort to produce even better content! Again, I'm sorry for being away for a bit, but I promise the wait will pay off! I've already got some exciting ideas to try out, and I can't wait to share them with you! 

Thank you all for reading through all of that (if you did). Now onward to this week's recipe!

Can we all agree that mashed potatoes are a perfect side for any occasion? I made these with cheddar, bacon, and chives from my garden! This recipe is gluten free, and can easily be vegetarian (just don't use bacon).

Mashed potatoes are one of the easiest sides to make. You can always spruce them up with whatever you'd like to add! Using fresh chives was a great way to add a little extra dimension.

Loaded Mashed Potatoes (Makes 4 servings)
6 Red Potatoes
3 strips Bacon
1/2 cup Shredded Cheddar
Fresh Chives
3 tbsp Butter
1/2 cup Milk
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder

1. Rinse and boil the potatoes until very soft. You can test this by using a fork to break it apart. You should not have to use too much force.
2. In the meantime, cook your bacon strips until slightly crispy. Then, use scissors to cut them up into small pieces.
3. Drain your potatoes and return to low heat. Add bacon, milk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and butter.
4. Use a fork or potato masher to crush the potatoes and mix well until everything is evenly incorporated.
5. Add chives and cheese and mix to incorporate. If the potatoes seem dry, add more milk. If they are too moist, cook them for longer or let stand off the heat for a few minutes. The excess liquid should evaporate out.

This is one of the simplest dishes, but it is extremely satisfying. One of my favorite parts of this is that I get to enjoy the chives that I've been growing. There's something extremely satisfying about getting to cook with produce that you've raised yourself. I highly recommend trying it!

Once again, I am sorry that I haven't posted anything lately, but I am very very excited to be getting more time to come up with some really great stuff! Stay tuned everyone!

Berry Mint Mojito

A couple of weeks ago, I catered a bloggers brunch with some of Atlanta's top style bloggers at Lululemon. It was great to experience catering for the women, and it was awesome to be able to see their smiling faces upon eating the food.

One of the most popular items on the brunch buffet was the berry mint mojito! It's a beautiful summery drink that boasts fruity, refreshing flavors. It's easy to make, and makes a beautiful presentation to any guests you serve it to. The cocktail is very light, refreshing, and delicious!

Berry Mint Mojito (Makes 6)
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Water
8 Mint Leaves
6 oz White Rum
Strawberries
Raspberries
Blueberries
Blackberries
1 liter Sparkling Water

1. In a small pot, bring the sugar and water to a boil.
2. Tear the mint leaves a couple of times and add to the sugar solution.
3. Allow the sugar solution to cool completely. Then, strain into a vessel, such as a jar, to pour into glasses. Place the vessel with the solution into the fridge to make it cold.
4. Place a couple of each berry into the bottom of a highball glass with about an ounce of rum and an ounce of the sugar solution.
5. Use a muddler or the end of a wooden spoon to muddle the berries into the rum and sugar solution.
6. Add sparkling water to fill the glass, and add a few ice cubes to keep cold.
7. Garnish with a sprig of mint and serve immediately.

Not only is this drink simple and quick to make, it is entertaining to watch! It's a great way to spruce up a party- and show off your excellent bartending skills ;)

Now, for the brunch recap! This was actually my first delici-owh-so catered event, and it was actually pretty successful! The ladies seemed to enjoy the food, and the space was very well made for the type of event that Lululemon was hosting. At the brunch, people discussed visions and goals, which actually made me think about some that I have for this blog. This blog started out as a simple way to share my passion for food, and expand on it by honing my photography skills, and sharpening my writing skills. Of course, I will always have more to learn, but I think over the past year I've been developing more of a vision for myself as a blogger, but also as a professional. I hope to continue to be able to touch people's lives through my love of food, but in a more tangible way- through catering for them! I hope to get into doing desserts for small weddings and small events like this! I think this brunch was a small step to developing delici-owh-so as a brand. Still, there's much to plan and look into before I can make any of those goals a reality. Although that description sounds pretty vague, I hope it keeps all the readers on edge for what's to come! Anyways, here are some pictures from the brunch!

Spinach, Heirloom Tomato, and Goat Cheese Frittata

This frittata was very light, fluffy, and healthy! A perfect brunch option for any vegetarians out there!

Bacon Cheddar Biscuits- recipe here!

These biscuits are flaky, flavorful, and scream southern comfort! Simple and delicious!

French Toast with Orange Anglaise and Mixed Berries (Left); Desserts (Right)- Nectarine Mint Macarons, Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies, Blueberry Muffins (click items for recipes!)

The macarons were the biggest hit for this event- and the recipe is posted on the blog! Be sure to check it out :)

Mimosa (left); Berry Mint Mojito (right)

These were very popular drink items that went perfectly for an afternoon brunch! :)

Photo By Futuristic Vintage

Me with the buffet :)

If you'd like your event to be delici-owh-so- catered, check out the box to the right! You can leave messages and ask about having your event catered by delici-owh-so! Not only do I cater brunches, but you can also special order custom macarons!

Bacon Cheddar Biscuits

Biscuits are the epitome of soul food. These biscuits are flaky and delicious. Have them with a little bit of honey for a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and savory.

Bacon Cheddar Biscuits (Makes 12 Biscuits)

1 stick Butter

2 tbsp Sugar

1/4 tsp Salt

10.5 oz Self Rising Flour

8oz Buttermilk

2 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese

2 strips Bacon

1/2 stick butter, for brushing 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

2. Cut butter into small 1/2 inch cubes. 

3. Place the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl with the butter. 

4. Separate all of the cubes and flatten them each between your fingers. 

5. Once the butter is flattened, rub the mixture between your fingers until the butter flakes become small, about pea sized. 

6. Cook the bacon in a frying pan and slice it to small pieces.

7. Mix the bacon bits and cheese into the biscuit mix. 

8. Add the buttermilk and mix until it comes together.

9. Turn the dough over onto the table and fold over itself a couple of times. 

10. Form into a 6x8 inch rectangle and cut with a knife into 12- 2x2 inch squares 

11. Place the biscuits onto a baking sheet and bake for about 20-25 minutes. 

12. Melt butter. 

13. Once the biscuits are golden and the centers are baked through, remove from the oven and brush thoroughly with butter. Serve warm. 

Sorry for the late post! It has been an extremely busy weekend. I will be back again Sunday night 10pm! Until then, enjoy some yummy soul food- delicious biscuits! Also, happy St. Patrick's Day!