GAPS Gravy

We top everything with our special gravy. The kids want it on everything and I do not mind because it has lots of good stuff in it. I have made it a ton of different ways it is always good.

Gravy

2 qts or so broth, or water and fat from cooking meat

1 head cauliflower or 2 cups summer squash or other non strong tasting veggie

1-2 onions

Fat, skin, marrow, or small meat left overs

Up to 2 tbs gelatin

1-2 tbs salt

Pepper, garlic, or other spices to taste

Bring everything to a boil and simmer for 10-20 min. Blend with immersion blender and reduce until desired consistency. It will thicken as it cools but when you warm it it will become liquid again. 

I use a lot of our left overs for this. If I boil some meatballs I will make gravy from that water. If I have left over fat from cooking I will throw it in the gravy. The possibilities are endless.

Meringues

I always have these in the pantry! They are super easy and the flavor combinations are endless. When we use egg yolks we freeze our whites in sets of 6 in small containers. When we want to make meringues we take out a container of yolks, they defrost on the counter in about an hour.

Meringues
6 Egg whites
Pinch of  salt
1 tbs - 1/4 Cup honey or maple syrup
1 Tbsp Vanilla

Beat the egg whites and salt with the whisk attachment on a stand mixer, until they form stiff peaks.  Add the honey and vanilla and beat until well mixed.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a spoon or pastry bag to put mounds of meringue on the baking sheets. Put both sheets in the oven. Bake in preheated oven at 170º-200ºF for 2 hours*. Rotate the baking sheets after 1 hour. 

*Use the lowest temperature setting your oven will do. The higher the temp the quicker they will cook or burn. Check on the meringues after 1 ½ hrs. They should be crispy and slightly browned. Very large meringues may take 3-4 hours or more.

Options

-¾ tsp cream of tarter

-3 Tbsp arrowroot powder

-Replace part or all of the vanilla with almond, peppermint or other extract

-Sprinkle with crushed chocolate, peppermint, or toffee before baking

-1-2 tsp pumpkin pie, apple pie, or gingerbread spice

- 3-4 tbs of lemon and 2 tbs poppy seeds

- 3-4 tbs of lime juice and 1 cup finely shredded coconut

- 2 tbs cocoa powder

- 3-4 tbs orange juice and the seeds from 1 vanilla bean

Chicken Chips

At one pint we had a huge amount of excess chicken from broth making. These are something I came up with to use up the chicken. I started with a recipe for chicken jerky and changed it to our liking.

Chicken Chips

2 lbs Cooked chicken or chicken parts and pieces

2 onions

2-3 clove garlic

2-4 cups cooked veggies

2 tsp salt

Any other spices or spice combinations you like

Puree all of the ingredients together into a thick paste. Add the veggies last to make sure you do not make the mixture to thin. Taste it for correct salt and spices.

Spread the mixture onto parchment or paraflez sheets to fit your dehydrator trays. Lightly run a pizza cutter over the puree to make strips.

Place in the dehydrator at about 110° for 5 hours. Check for crispiness and continue dehydrating until desired texture. After cooling store in an airtight container in pantry.