Egg Foo Yung Gravy

By Gail Foley

It’s hard to remember that far back, but I think I first made this in Home Ec in Junior High School. That was Norup Junior High in Oak Park, MI. I have lost and found this recipe a few times over the years. This sauce is what makes me want to eat more Egg Foo Yung. For some reason, it inspires a craving. It is a nicely translucent brown and tastes smooth, savory, salty and tangy with a touch of pepper.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Serves: 3 to 4

1 Tbsp Sugar

1 Tbsp Cornstarch

2 Tbsp Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp White Vinegar

A couple dashes of finely ground White Pepper

1 ½ cups Water

For this recipe, you need a measuring tablespoon, a measuring cup for the water, a one quart saucepan and a large spoon to stir.

Combine the first five ingredients in saucepan, in order listed.

Stir well until cornstarch is blended in with no lumps.

Stir in water and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally so that nothing sticks to the bottom.

Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally.

Ladle over Egg Foo Yung.

Copycat Campbell’s Golden Mushroom Soup

By Gail Foley, February 10, 2014

Eureka! I’ve finally done it! After many years and many web searches, I put together a recipe tonight that worked perfectly.

1 can (10.5 oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup

2 Tbsp. tomato purée

½ tsp. beef base dissolved in 2 Tbsp. water

1 Tbsp. white wine – Pinot Grigio

1 tsp. soy sauce

Stir together and cook down to desired thickness for your favorite recipe. Mine is Beef Stroganoff.

Basic Cheese Sauce

By Gail Foley

Cheese sauce is a basic white sauce with cheese melted in it. Start with Easy Peasy White Sauce and add cheeses.

The flavor and texture depend on the cheese used. Don’t use a stringy cheese like Mozzarella. At least, only a little bit. You want a cheese that will melt and has good flavor. Cheddar, Colby, Muenster, Swiss, Jack and American cheeses are good in any combination. Please use American cheese, NOT "cheese food". American slices can be dropped in a few at a time and stirred until melted. If cream cheese is needed, I use lower fat Neufchâtel instead. Just cut off small chunks with a wire cutter and drop them into the bowl. The addition of some grated Parmesan and Romano adds good flavor, but by themselves the texture is a bit grainy.

Experiment with those leftover bits of cheese hanging around in your refrigerator. But no extra mold please! The natural mold from cheeses like Bleu and Roquefort is eminently acceptable.

This can be made lower in fat with skim milk and low fat cheese. If you need pepper for flavor, use finely ground white pepper so there aren't any dirty specks. Cheese is usually pretty salty so be wary of adding additional salt.

2 cups white sauce

1 cup shredded cheese

While white sauce is still hot, add cheese and stir.

Microwave another minute and stir, if needed, to completely melt the cheese.

If more cooking is needed to thicken or melt cheese, repeat the one minute cook and stir as needed.

Yields about 3 cups.

Easy Peasy White Sauce

AKA Béchamel Sauce

By Gail Foley

With the advent of electric appliances, I gave up that convoluted mess of frying flour in butter and then trying to mix in the milk without making lumps. Also known as making a “roux”. Get real! Until the power goes out, or you really need that browned flour, you can revert to the classic method. My method is easier, quicker and low-fat. Only an elite gourmet palate could tell how I cooked my flour! And I barely miss the butter, especially since this is usually the base of a recipe, not eaten for itself.

The cooking times are based on a microwave power of about a 1000 watts. Newer microwave ovens are often of higher wattage. Adjust the power level to 70% or so, if the flour cooks too quickly into a hard layer in the bottom of the bowl. If by some circumstance, your microwave oven only cooks at 700 watts or so, then lengthen the cooking times accordingly.

For thin white sauce use 2 tablespoons flour. For a thick white sauce, use 1/3 to ½ cup flour.

If you have to have butter, just throw it in the blender and whiz it with the milk and flour. It will melt quickly in the microwave and stir right in.

Once you learn how your microwave cooks, this recipe is easy-peasy!

Yield: 2 cups

2 cups milk

¼ cup flour

Dash of salt and ground white pepper

Pour milk into blender, measuring by marks on side of blender jar. Add flour, salt and pepper. Cover and stir until blended, about 30 seconds.

Pour into 6 cup glass microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir with whisk, scraping sides and bottom of bowl and breaking up any lumps that may have formed.

Microwave for 1 ½ minutes. Repeat stirring with whisk.

Microwave for 1 minute. Repeat stirring. If still not done, cook another minute or so as needed to achieve desired thickness.

Quick Spaghetti Sauce

This is a tried and true favorite. It’s from the first recipe I learned to cook when I was ten, to have dinner ready when mom came home from work. We used to use my favorite Spice Islands Spaghetti Sauce Seasoning. With the advent of Hilltop Herbs, I created a similar spaghetti sauce seasoning. For general use, a basic Italian seasoning works fine. Use fresh herbs, when available.

I have made some changes to the original recipe over the years, and this is essentially what my children had for dinner while growing up. For a change, I sometimes add diced green pepper or sliced black olives. This recipe is tasty, hearty and simple.

Serves 8-10

1 pound lean ground beef (or venison or pork)

1 medium onion, diced (1/2 cup)

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed tomato soup

1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes (or purée or sauce)

1 (4 ounce) can mushroom stems and pieces, drained

½ cup coffee or 1 teaspoon instant coffee powder

½ cup robust red wine, optional (Chianti, cabernet, Beaujolais)

water as needed

Heat 4 ½ quart Dutch oven, until hot and dry. Remove from heat and lightly coat with vegetable oil spray. Return to very low heat while dicing onion and gathering ingredients.

Sauté meat, onion, garlic and Italian seasoning, over medium high heat, while stirring and breaking up meat with large spoon.

Stir in tomato paste. Stir in soup. Stir in rest of ingredients, adding water as needed for consistency. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Turn heat to simmer (very low), stirring occasionally. Cover to prevent splatters, but leave vented. Simmer for 10 to 30 minutes or until pasta is done.

Serve over cooked pasta. Sprinkle with grated parmesan or romano. Serve with garlic toast and salad or steamed broccoli.

Adapted from: Cooking Magic, The Italian Cookbook, Quick Italian Tomato Sauce (Salsa di Pomodoro), pg. 49; Culinary Arts Institute, Chicago, IL; 1956

Quick and Simple Marinara Sauce

This is a quick, basic recipe that I developed after reading more than a dozen different versions of Marinara sauces. This recipe can be changed by using different tomato products from canned sauces, diced tomatoes, pureés, and paste to fresh tomatoes. Various vegetables, meats and herbs can be added. Other additions include grated cheese and wines.

This recipe fulfilled my need for something quick, simple and flavorful without a lot of complications. This is one of my new favorites.

Yield: 3 ½ cups

1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon each onion powder, salt & pepper

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Mix, heat and enjoy!

This is great over pasta, stuffed peppers or stuffed cabbage. I bet there are many more uses to discover.

Adobo Sauce for Beef or Chicken

I created this recipe originally for wet beef burritos. Then I used it for chicken enchiladas. Ladle a quarter cup of sauce over your favorite rolled burrito or enchilada. Top with lots of grated asiago or Colby cheese. Put plates in oven at 350° for about five minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly on the edges. Serve hot plates in bamboo holders. Very delicioso!

Yield: 3 cups (enough for 12 small burritos or enchiladas)

2 cups water

¼ cup flour

1 tsp. (1 small) adobo pepper canned in tomato sauce

1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce

1 Tbsp. Beef or Chicken bouillon base

Whisk all ingredients together in a blender.

Put in glass bowl and microwave on high for two minutes.

Whisk and cook for 1 ½ minutes.

Whisk again and cook for one more minute.

Repeat for one more minute if needed to thicken.

Light & Easy Alfredo Sauce

There are many recipes for Low Fat Alfredo Sauce, but there is no fat in mine except for the cheese. I developed my recipe over many years and it uses no evaporated milk, cottage cheese or cream cheese. Cornstarch could be used for the thickener, but I didn’t like the texture. It’s also very quick and easy to make from ingredients on hand, while retaining the creamy texture and flavor of the original. Use parmesan, romano or a blend. Reduce the amount of cheese or use a low fat version for an even lower fat recipe.

2 cups skim milk

2 Tbsp. flour

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. parsley flakes

¼ tsp. ground white pepper

1 cup grated parmesan/romano cheese

Pour milk into blender, measuring by marks on side of blender jar. Add flour and seasonings, cover and stir until blended, about 30 seconds.

Pour into 6 cup glass microwaveable bowl.

Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir with whisk, scraping sides and bottom of bowl and breaking up any lumps that may have formed.

Microwave for 1 ½ minutes. Repeat stirring with whisk.

Microwave for 1 minute. Repeat stirring.

Add cheese and stir.

Yield:  about 3 cups.

Toss with al dente fettuccine or use in your favorite Alfredo recipe.

Quick Molé Sauce

I developed this very tasty sauce for a quick molé fix.

2 cups water

2 Tbsp. flour

2 Tbsp. chicken bouillon base

2 Tbsp. dark roasted chilies, ground

2 Tbsp. peanut butter

1 Tbsp. cocoa

½ tsp. oregano, c/s

½ tsp. cinnamon, ground

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

Scant 1/8 tsp. ground cloves

Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.

Pour into 6 cup microwaveable bowl.

Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir with whisk, scraping sides and bottom of bowl and breaking up any lumps that may have formed.

Microwave for 1 ½ minutes. Repeat stirring with whisk.

Microwave for 1 minute. Repeat stirring.

Use in your favorite recipe. I like to toss it with shredded poached chicken and use in tostadas, enchiladas and burritos.

Yields about 2 cups

To Die For Avocado Sauce

This spring I got a great buy on some discounted Greek yogurt at Kroger. Anytime avocadoes are less than $.69 each, I usually buy several. I was getting tired of the usual guacamole and was experimenting with different sauces. I found an 11 year old recipe in my file for Chili Chicken with Avocado Sauce. I think it came from Recipezaar, which has now turned into Food.com. The original recipe is still available on the web from several sources, but none state the origin.

I adapted my avocado sauce from this recipe. I am just incapable of following a recipe exactly, and that’s really how we should all cook - use a recipe as a base and adapt it to the ingredients and methods available. This sauce is cool, smooth and creamy, a bit tart and spicy, with a hint of bitterness - a wonderful blend of flavor, texture and temperature.

I don’t think I’ve mentioned this in my previous avocado recipes, but I learned a new trick from Alton Brown last year on how to remove the pit from an avocado. After slicing it lengthwise, give it a twist and the halves pop apart. Whack the pit with the blade of a fairly large knife, embedding it somewhat in the pit. Twist the knife and the pit will come right out! Then whack the pit against a cutting board to loosen it from the knife. Make three lengthwise cuts on each half. The skin will fold back and four slices will peel off easily. Slice or dice as needed. Sprinkle with lemon or lime juice to keep from browning, if you will not be using them immediately.

When I made it with Greek yogurt, I added a bit of water to bring it to a looser, saucy consistency. I didn’t need to add water when using Dannon non-fat plain yogurt.

If you have fresh cilantro, use a tablespoon of it in place of the cominos. A dash of chipotle or jalapeño hot sauce will spice it up.

1 lg. avocado, peeled and diced

1/2 c. non-fat plain yogurt

2 tsp. lime juice

1 tsp. cominos (Ground cumin seed)

Dash of salt

Dash of garlic granules or powder or juice

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Mix until smooth. Pour over your favorite dish.

Yields about 1 cup

This is a fresh sauce, not for heating. Unlike guacamole, this avocado sauce keeps well in the refrigerator without browning due to the acid content of the yogurt and lime juice.

Now, how to use it? The original use with Chili Chicken Breasts is excellent. I also use this sauce on poached and shredded chicken. It is fabulous on chicken tostadas. Use your imagination! I crave this sauce. I think it could be addictive.