Tuesday, December 8, 2020

Cooking and gravy


Interesting Automobile:

 

Don't know what it is, but kids would love this, I like the paint job!

 Now for today..

Some repetitious, some new stuff. I share the cooking around here. I lean to one pan or pot meals. I have learned I cannot cook like real cooks like my mama or my wife who can prepare three or four items plus bread and drinks and have them all ready at the same time. If I try that something is gonna be cold or not ready at meal time; or worse, forget something.

I bought some cube steak the other day planning to fry it if Sherry would show me how to make gravy from scratch. My gravy is adding corn starch to the broth left in beef or chicken.

I wanted some milk gravy for the meal. I did the mashed potatoes and watched her bread and fry the steak and make the gravy. The meal was good, I am looking forward to trying to make some milk gravy. Gravy is one of my favorite side dishes.

I learned about SOS in the military, the first I remember was sausage in gravy but the best I have ever had was hamburger meat and gravy. SOS short for ‘Same Old Slop’ from sailors aboard the sail ships. Sailors varied the name over the years, but SOS originally was the “Same Old Slop” from eating the same ‘slop’ for weeks at a time.

Women deserve praise. I cannot count the times in the last 20 years I have thought of my mama and others who made 3 meals a day from scratch, plus caring for babies, cleaning house and washing clothes. The only cans they opened were jars they had canned earlier while still doing all the chores above.

I know some families in the woods of Wisconsin that still can from the fields. They buy few store bought canned goods. Dar, who comments here and all the girls from the Big ‘O’ family still can and harvest their veggies and meats. Their mama older than I, still cans and hunts, or did last year.

This country still has many wonderful hearty citizens, bless their hearts.

NiteShipslog

PS: Here in the motor home I just noticed the washing machine running and I was reminded of words from my youth, “Man works from sun to sun, but woman’s work is NEVER done!” Oh, the jobs might be easier, but the tasks are still there.

 



8 comments:

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

I love one pot meals too and am glad you had Sherry to show you how to make gravy. I call that swiss steak and yes, it is good.with mashed potatoes. Good to share the cooking, knowing a woman's work is never done, you are good to help Sherry.

Chatty Crone said...

I agree - one pot meals are the way to go Jack and I like gravy too!

Mevely317 said...

Yum! Tom's the gravy-lover here. The only kind I covet is the white (milk?) stuff served over chicken fried steak. I've never tried making it myself, but once watched my girlfriend do it 'from scratch' in a cast-iron skillet with lots of pepper. Man, I was impressed.

PS - Just the thought of trying to coordinate 3-4 dishes and have them ready at the same time makes chills run up and down my spine. Yay, Sherry!

Dar said...

Thanks Jack, for the shout out. Yes Mama still hunts at her young age of 91 though did not bag her buck this season. And yes, we all still do can our own produce and meats up here. Seldom do we open a store bought can. We also still do as your Sherry does, and make meals from scratch every day. I agree that gravy is #1 in our book too over meat and freshly mashed potatoes right out of the garden. I pray it means we'll live longer. lol Speaking of which, I'd better rustle up some supper. The next time you come, I'll make you gravy, any kind your little heart desires.
loven'hugs from up north where the sun shines bright bringing us 48 degrees today, a regular heat wave. I have bobcats on the scrap pile, 2 of them looking pretty!

betty said...

I'm reading this right before dinner. I'm hungry for some gravy! Actually hungry for about anything LOL. There is a delicate timing to get things ready and on the table at the same time. Its an art I do believe!

betty

yaya said...

I do can from my garden and each year I do more. I learned how to can from Jack's Mom and we would work together to get all kinds of things done up before Winter. I miss her and her wisdom and talents. I brought Jack some homemade applesauce I canned when he was in the hospital. It was the first food he kept down and now thinks it saved his life! Ha! I think maybe homemade has a bit of magic mixed in! I make most meals from scratch and I'm trying to make anything Jack feels like eating so he gets his strength back. I enjoy doing those things even when I worked full time. Take care and stay safe!

NanaDiana said...

I learned to cook from watching my mother fix three meals a day on the farm. I love to cook but like to bake even better. My husband can't boil water without ruining the pan. lol. Not kidding there!
I was telling someone the other day that growing up in PA you got a side order of gravy with french fries (not ketchup) and they had never heard of such a thing. lol.
I thank God for the convenience of canned veggies, etc.
Hope you are both doing well---Stay Safe- Diana

Lisa said...

Gravy is one of my favorite things! I have to stay away from it because I tend to over do it. Mom makes a thick dark milk gravy that you can stand a spoon in. It makes the best gravy for sopping biscuits. Nick on the other hand, likes his gravy white and thinner much like BoJangles.
I always had trouble keeping all the dishes hot and ready at the same time. I learned later to time it all depending on the cook times. I do pretty good but Nick does better.

Catching up
Lisa