Pat: My mother, Lorine, loved spending time in the kitchen and started cooking when she was a young girl. Friends knew her as the girl in school who enjoyed taking home-economics classes and collecting recipes, and when they went looking for her they knew where to go (the kitchen). Cooking is something she has kept at her whole life, so it’s no surprise that Momma has become the best gravy-maker in our family. What makes this recipe special is that Momma learned it from her mother. It’s an heirloom, and you’re gonna love it. Our family has never prepared “white” or cream gravies; we prefer what is called a brown flour gravy, meaning the flour is browned in fat before the liquid is added, which creates a particularly rich flavor. This recipe is meant to be a guide. Feel free to adjust the fat, flour, and liquid according to the amount you want to prepare. But the proportions we give are dead-on, and will result in one of the most delicious gravies you will ever prepare. It’s slammin’ over mashed potatoes, pork roast, fried chicken, and Gina’s Perfect Rice.
This flexible recipe is all you need to bring this iconic Provençal seafood stew to your table.
A savory-hot salsa made with mixed nuts (like the kind dubbed cocktail nuts meant for snacking) gives roast salmon a kaleidoscope of textures and flavors.
Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.
Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.
Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.
A dash of cocoa powder adds depth and richness to the broth of this easy turkey chili.
This one-pot dinner cooks chicken thighs directly on top of a bed of flavorful cilantro rice studded with black beans for a complete dinner.
The classic dessert reimagined as a soft and chewy cookie with a buttery, brown-sugar-sweetened graham cracker dough and a silky lime custard filling.