EVERYTHING'S GRAVY.

Make your own gravy, please. Just listen to what I have to say. It's so easy, don't buy it already made. I believe homemade gravy to be the holiday food which pays highest dividends for the least amount of attention.

Then again, attention is a relative term.

I've been straining pan juices for more than a month now; pot roast pan juices, roasted chicken pan juices, and turkey breast pan juices. After I strain them I freeze them.

Pan juices are just what they sound like; the liquid/juice/gravy/schmaltz (do NOT call it grease) that is left behind in the pan after you roast or slow cook a large piece of meat or poultry.

Straining is necessary, as you want your gravy - the finished product - to be smooth. You only require the liquid remnants of the roasted meat. However, you can (and I have) removed the roasted bird or pot roast and set it aside, then puree the pan juices with any vegetables you roasted in the pan along with the meat prior to straining. You will get more flavor and depth this way, but it's a little messier and more time consuming.

This morning the kids and I started out with 4 cups of strained pan juices which were frozen. While the pan juices were melting in a pot, we made the roux in a separate pan. We added the pan juices to the roux, along with 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Then the gravy was done.

It tastes perfect. It is smooth. I have six cups worth. It's organic. One less thing to buy. And my kids did it with me.

When the kids told me this morning "I'm bored, Mom, what can we do?"

I'll teach you some tradition and how to cook for yourself from scratch, to waste nothing and preserve what is worthy, that's what we'll do. And then tomorrow you can walk from person to person who has gravy atop their turkey and mashed potatoes, declaring proudly, "I made that."

Everything's just gravy, you will see.

In recipe format...

HOMEMADE GRAVY

4 cups of strained pan juices - from roasted turkey, chicken, beef, or combination of all three

1 stick of unsalted butter

1/2 cup of Wondra gravy flour

1/2 cup of chicken stock or broth

Melt butter add flour together in a pan over medium heat, whisk until you get a roux.

When roux is the color of sand, add pan juices and mix well with wooden spoon or whisk.

When it begins to get thick, add chicken stock.

Stir until smooth and gravy is not too tight but not to loose. You can always add more chicken broth if needed.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!