Eat, Drink and Be Merry...

"The Creator, by making man eat to live,

invites him to do so with appetite and

rewards him with pleasure."

Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826)

'The Physiology of Taste'

Mouthwatering Gravy

by Michele Webb

Last month I had a wonderful vacation visiting the Blue Ridge Parkway and Smokey Mountain national parks. While travelling I got reacquainted with sawmill and redeye gravy (that's not something we see very often here in the West.) This brought back some memories of the gravy my mother, aunts and grandmothers used to make. Yummy!

So, here's a question for my readers? Do you like gravy? Would you like to see an ebook written on how to make perfect gravy; the different types of gravies; secrets, tips and hints; how to make tasty but low-fat or low-carb gravy, and, of course, a bunch of great recipes? If your answer is "yes" - I'd like to hear from you. Go to the bottom of this post and click on "Comments" and send me an email.

Before I sign off today, here's a sample of some of the information my gravy ebook might contain:

Gravy-Making Secret: for each cup of gravy you want to serve, you will need one tablespoon each of fat and flower.

Preparation Secret: when do you remove the pan from the burner and start whisking in liquids?

Ingredients Hint: what do you use to make your gravy? Corn starch or flour?

What different types of gravies are there? Here's just a few names to set your tastebuds on edge!

• White
• Pan
• Red-Eye
• Sawmill
• Cream
• Milk
• Pot Roast
• Giblet
• Brown
• Tomato
• Chocolate (for you chocoholics!)
• Cajun
• Cracked Pepper
• Fried Chicken
• Tex-Mex Chili
• Sauces (i.e., fruit, chocolate, BBQ, cheddar cheese, roasted red pepper)

Let me know if you're mouth is watering and what your favorite gravy is or how you prepare a "perfect" gravy!

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2004-2005. All Rights Reserved

About the Author: Michele has a lot of experience in healthcare, business and eCommerce. She loves to cook and to share her recipes and tips and secrets with others. She has a number of excellent recipe collections you may find interesting. You can also visit her personal web page for more information about her skills and experience.

Publishing Rights: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your e-book or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Twice-Baked Potatoes on the Grill

You have GOT to try these twice-baked potatoes! This weekend I had guests over and these were nothing short of a huge hit. They can easily be prepared ahead of time (like the night before your party or BBQ) and then put on the grill to warm them up. The grill gave them a wonderful smokey flavor.

Shopping List:

• 4 medium-sized baking potatoes
• sour cream (1/2 cup)
• cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)
• green onions, chopped (1/4 cup)
• tomatoes, fresh (1/2 cup chopped)

Preparation:

• Wash each of the potatoes and using a fork, prick holes to let out steam
• Place 2 potatoes at a time in the microwave on a paper towel
• Cook on High for 15 minutes. Turn the potatoes over frequently (ie, every 5 mins)
• Remove potatoes from the microwave and let cool (30 mins to overnight)
• When cool enough to handle, cut each potato in half lengthwise
• Using a small spoon or grapefruit spoon, hollow out the potato half, leaving at least a one-quarter (1/4) inch shell inside. Put the potato into a bowl.
• In the bowl with the potato, add the cheddar cheese, green onions, fresh tomatoes and sour cream
• Gently mix the ingredients together. I recommend not mashing them and leaving the mixture a bit chunky.
• Spoon the mixture back into the potato shells. They should be slightly mounded.
• Place each potato half, skin side down, on the grill (indirect grilling is best). Either tent with foil or close the lid of the grill while cooking.
• Cook for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat if the skin starts to burn or turn the heat down.

If you prepare the potatoes ahead and put them in the refrigerator overnight, just add 5 minutes to the cooking time.

Serves 2-4 persons.