spicechicksofdrip

I am cooking from our Spicechicksofdrip cookbook today. If you have not purchased one, you can pick one up locally at “The Rural Home,” or order from https://www.amazon.com/Spicechicksofdrips-Cowgirl-Texas-Hillcountry-Cooking/dp/1478774398

Saturday mornings at my dad’s house was always greeted with Buttermilk Biscuits and Old fashioned Sausage Gravy! I decided to bring the delicious memories to my kids.

Buttermilk Sausage Biscuits

By: Bekie

Dry ingredients

3 cups of unbleached flour (and more for dusting)

1 tsp of baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup sugar

Wet ingredients

1 1/4 cup of buttermilk (you can make your own by adding 1 T of lemon juice to the milk)

2 T of egg whites

1/2 cup of cold salted butter cubed

1 cup of cooked crumbled breakfast sausage

Directions:

Mix together dry ingredients into a large bowl with a whisk. Add in cubed butter and cut into the flour with a fork, or pastry cutter to resemble sand like texture.

Make a well in the center of the flour. Slowly add in buttermilk and egg whites. Stir gently. Add extra milk if needed until all the dough comes together. Fold in sausage. Dust a large cutting board.

Do not over mix. Form into a large disc about 1 1/2-2 ” thick.

Preheat oven to 375. Use a large biscuit cutter, or flour a juice glass. Butter 2 large iron skillets. Place Biscuits slightly touching.

Brush the top of the biscuit with milk. Bake for 15-18 minutes until tops begin to brown.

Sausage Gravy

2-4 T of bacon, or sausage grease (I cook the sausage first and save the grease).

4 T of flour (or more if needed)

1/2 cup of beef broth

1/2 cup of whole milk

Salt & pepper

1 cup of cooked crumbled sausage

Directions:

Using a seasoned iron skillet is key to the flavor of this Gravy. I use my grandmothers. Start with your heat on low. Add bacon, or sausage grease. Slowly sprinkle in flour and whisk until smooth.

It will begin to thicken like a paste. You are basically making a rue. Add in 1/4 cup of the broth. Whisk until smooth. Once Gravy begins to thicken, add 1/4 cup of the milk. Add salt and pepper to taste. Whisk until smooth again. The Gravy will thicken again. Slowly interchange broth and milk until the gravy reaches a smooth consistency. You may not need all of the liquid. Lastly, add in the sausage.

Serve immediately over piping hot biscuits.

Fresh back from Italy, one of my favorite drinks was a Spritz called Hugo. Here is my version of it. Have a sip of Italy!

Italian Hugo

By: Bekie

3-4 mint leaves

2 slices of lime

1/2 T if lime juice

1 cup of Prosecco

a drizzle of agave

Crushed ice

Directions

Place mint & limes in the bottom of a tall glass. Add ice and lime juice. Pour Prosecco in, and add agave to taste. Mix everything together with a long spoon. Serve immediately!

Need a pick me up at happy hour? Try this delicious mix of two of my favorites: chocolate & coffee!

Mocha Chocolate Chip Rum Frappe

Ingredients:

1 cup of coconut milk

3 shots of coconut rum

1/2 tsp of Vanilla extract

1 Tbsp of Chocolate syrup plus more for drizzling

1/4 cup of chocolate chips

1/2 cup of coffee

Agave to taste (about 2-3 teaspoons)

2 cups of ice

Directions:

Place all ingredients into a blender & blend until smooth and slushy. Drizzle your cup before pouring. Then drizzle the top. Serve with a chocolate covered coffee bean. Serves 3-4.

What do I miss most about eating mostly Vegan? 🍕 Pizza!!!! This is the first Vegan, gluten-free Crust that is crispy and delicious.

Vegan GF Crust

1/4 cup almond flour

1/4 cup Cassava flour

1/4 cup of coconut flour

1/2 cup of potato starch

1 Tbsp of olive oil

1 flax/chia egg (2 T of ground flax/chia mixed with 4 T of water)

1/3 cup of unsweetened almond milk

1 tsp of sea salt

1 tsp of organic sugar

1 tsp of garlic salt for topping the crust

Ingredients

Preheat oven to 450. In a large bowl, mix together flours. Whisk in sea salt. Add in flax/chia egg, olive oil, and almond milk. Knead until dough forms. Roll out super thin onto a thin oiled pizza pan. Prick crust with a fork. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Bake on 450 for 8-10 minutes. Then add toppings of choice. Bake for an additional 8-10 minutes.

My favorite toppings:

Fig jam, balsamic, onions, arugula

Vegan ranch, tomato sauce, vegan mozzarella

Fresh tomato, basil, olive oil

Pineapple, jalapeño, vegan cheese

Cozy up with a chipotle-spiced pumpkin bisque just in time for the holidays.

Spicy Pumpkin Bisque

By: Bekie A

1 can of organic pumpkin purée

3 cups of vegetable broth

2 baked potatoes quartered

1/2 cup of coconut milk or coconut cream

1/4 cup of Kite Hill Vegan Cream cheese (optional)

1 tsp of herbs of Provence

1-2 tsp of smoked paprika

1 tsp of chipotle chili powder

Salt & cracked pepper to taste

Directions

Pour the vegetable broth, coconut milk, and pumpkin purée into a large stockpot. Add potatoes to the pot. Using an immersion blender, purée until smooth. Turn heat on low, and whisk in spices. Lastly, blend in Vegan cream cheese. Continue to heat on low for 10-12 minutes until heated through. Garnish with a drizzle of coconut cream, cracked pepper, paprika, and fresh sage.

Serves 4-6

It has been awhile since I have posted a recipe. However, my food allergies are still wrecking havoc. This summer, I was lazy and my body paid the price. So, I’m back to prepping and creating recipes that are comforting, healthy, and delicious. These cookies are both grain-free and Vegan. Whip these up for everyone to indulge without upsetting your gut.

Chocolate Chip Cassava Cookies

By: Bekie A

Dry:

1 cup of Otto’s Cassava flour

2 Tbsp almond flour

1/2 cup of organic cane sugar

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp of sea salt plus more for sprinkling

Wet:

1/2 cup of earth’s Best Vegan butter

1 chia/flax egg (1/2 cup of coffee, 1 Tbsp of chia, 1 Tbsp of flax)

1/4 cup of coconut milk or coconut cream

1 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract

Fold in:

3/4 cup of mini Enjoy Life Dairy Free chocolate chips

Directions:

Brown the DF butter in a small pan.

Meanwhile, mix together dry ingredients. Allow melted butter to cool. Make your chia/flax egg by mixing hot coffee, chia, and ground flax. Allow it to sit and cool. Blend to create a gel. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add in room temperature butter, chia/flax egg, vanilla, and coconut milk. Stir until dough forms. Fold in chocolate chips. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop 12 large cookie dough balls onto a stone baking sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool 5-10 minutes before eating. Yum!

I could seriously just eat this crust by itself! Pair it with fresh fruit and coconut whipped cream for pure love ❤️. Walnuts, oats, and coconut combine to create a crunchy sweet crust.

Vegan Icebox Pie Crust

1 1/4 cup of Walnuts chopped fine

1/4 cup of oats

1/2 cup of coconut sugar

1 tbsp maple syrup

1/4 cup of coconut butter, or 1/2 cup of shredded coconut

1 tsp vanilla

Pinch of salt

Pinch of cinnamon

2 Tbsp of buttered flavored coconut oil (or regular coconut oil)

Directions:

Dump all of the ingredients into a processor. Chop coarsely for 30 seconds until ingredients come together. It will be chunky and slightly sticky. Scrape mixture into Press a 10 inch pie pan pressing up the sides. Chill for 10 minutes in the freezer to set before adding your favorite filling. This crust works well with my Chocolate Blackberry Cream pie, or my raw Cinnamon peach pie with whipped cream. It can replace any graham cracker crust recipe. Chill until serving.

Yum!