MUSHROOM GRAVY FOR ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING

I know before I even write this post that somebody is gonna judge me.  

I am a food blogger who sometimes uses frozen/processed foods.  

Oh, the horror!

Just like most people, I have dinner dilemmas.  There are days when I forget to take something out of the freezer for dinner, and we don’t want to go out for dinner, and then I need to make something quick cuz we’re starving and when the Lindsay’s are starving it ain’t pretty!  I have “Just For Emergencies” foods in the freezer, one of those foods being frozen meatballs from Ikea; they cook up in just 15 minutes from their frozen state; I don’t even have to defrost them. 

The way I make the meatballs taste more homemade; is to make a homemade gravy or sauce. 

This Mushroom Gravy is rich in flavor and totally versatile.  The gravy can be made with chicken, beef or vegetable stock.  I not only use this gravy over Ikea meatballs; but I also serve it over sautéed chicken, steaks, pork chops and veggie burgers (kinda like a veggie Salisbury steak).  

Because this gravy goes with most anything, I named it Mushroom Gravy for Anything and Everything! 

I’m clever like that.

Here’s what you do.

I keep a bag of these meatballs from Ikea in my freezer for emergencies.

Put them in the oven frozen, and they cook in 15 minutes!

Start by slicing the onions and mushrooms kinda thin, and mincing a clove of garlic.

Sauté the onions, mushrooms, garlic, and thyme in a little butter, until they are nice and brown.

See the color on those mushrooms? That's flavor!

Sprinkle in the flour; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes, this is necessary to cook out the raw flour flavor.

Now add in some low sodium stock.  You may use chicken, beef or vegetable stock; what ever floats your boat!

A little Worcestershire and soy sauces give the sauce some depth of flavor.

When the gravy is thick and glossy like this...

...Go ahead and add some sour cream, and season with a little salt and pepper to taste.

If you would like you may put the gravy in a fancy gravy boat for each person to serve them selves; or you may toss it and mix it with what ever you've chosen to serve it with.

I poured the Mushroom Sauce over some Ikea meatballs and rice.

You may choose to serve Mushroom Gravy with sautéed chicken, steak, pork chops, Veggie burgers or sautéed tempeh.

MUSHROOM GRAVY FOR ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING

Serves 4

½                         Medium onion, thinly sliced

8              oz.        Mushrooms, thinly sliced

1              clove     Garlic, minced

1 ½          tsp.       Fresh thyme (or ½ tsp. dried thyme)

3              Tbsp.     Butter

2              Tbsp.     Flour

1 ½          cups      Low sodium stock, chicken, beef or vegetable

2-3           dashes  Worcestershire sauce

1              tsp.      Soy sauce

½             cup      Sour cream

                          Salt and pepper to taste

   1.       Add the butter to a skillet with the onions, mushrooms, garlic and thyme.  Sauté over medium to medium high heat until the onions and mushrooms have browned.

   2.       Turn the heat to medium, and add the flour, cook while stirring for 2 to 3 minutes to cook the raw flour taste out.

   3.       Add to the skillet the stock (chicken, beef, or vegetable), Worcestershire sauce and the soy sauce.  Cook while stirring until the gravy thickens, to coat the back of a spoon.

   4.       Stir in the sour cream, season with salt and pepper.

   5.       Remove from the heat.

Serve Mushroom Gravy over chicken, steak, pork chops, meatballs, even Veggie burgers or tempeh.