Ken Szulczyk's Website

Chocolate Gravy

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Ingredients

• Flour
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup cocoa or chocolate square
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 can condensed milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Make the roux first. Melt butter in a skillet over low heat. Add flour until it forms clumps.
2. Gradually add the condensed milk and continue stirring until you the whole can is in gravy.
3. Add the sugar, salt, and cocoa and continue mixing. Slowly add cold water until you achieve the desired consistency.
4. Place warm biscuits on a plate. Ladle chocolate gravy over biscuits and add sliced butter.

Country Gravy

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Ingredients

• Flour
• 1/4 or 1/2 cup of butter
• 1 can condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. We make a roux. Melt the butter in a frying pan under low heat. Mix flour until roux forms clumps.
2. Add a little cold water and mix thoroughly with roux. Bring to a simmer. Repeat by adding a little more water and mixing until you get a mash potato consistency.
3. Add salt, pepper, and can of condense milk and thoroughly mix. Add cold water until you achieve the desired consistency.

Tip: You can get a lumpy gravy by not mixing thoroughly. Just use a blender to smooth the gravy.

Tip: In the old days, you would make this gravy in pan drippings from bacon. Then crumble and mix in bacon bits.

Homemade Salsa

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Ingredients

• 5 large ripe, red tomatoes, ripe
• 1 chopped red onion
• 2 green onions, minced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or lime juice
• 4 jalapeno chiles, minced
• 1 to 2 teaspoons red chile powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup minced cilantro (optional)

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Refrigerate for a couple of hours to allow the salsa to absorb the seasonings.
2. Salsa lasts up to five days in refrigerator.

Tip: You can add freshly diced pineapple or mangos to enhance the taste.

Tip: I substituted jalapeno and serrano peppers with chili peppers from Asia. Usually, the smaller chilies supply more heat.

Ken's Secret Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablspoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 8 cloves garlic, finely diced
• 10 small chilies, finely diced (optional)

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in a bottle. Tighten lid and shake vigorously.
2. Vary chilies for heat. I like a little spiciness.

Red Hot Sauce

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Ingredients

• 20 tabasco or serrano chiles, 12 red jalapenos, or 15 small red chili peppers
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 small onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed and finely diced
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup white vinegar

Directions

1. Clean and cut your favorite peppers or chiles. Add all ingredients to a sauce pan and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Puree mixture in a food process or blender. Be careful with this step because the steam from the peppers will burn your eyes.
3. Simmer another 5 minutes.
4. Allow mixture to cool and add vinegar.
5. Let red hot sauce age in refrigerator for three weeks.

Ultimate 7-Layer Dip

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Ingredients

• 1 can of refried beans or a can of baked beans
• 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning mix
• 1 cup of sour cream
• 1 cup homemade salsa
• 1/4 cup of diced jalapeno peppers
• 1 cup of your favorite shredded cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 sliced pitted ripe olives

Directions

1. Mix the taco seasoning into the refried beans and form the first layer at the bottom of a large bowl. For a little more taste, heat a can of baked beans with tomato sauce in a sauce pan. Add the taco seasoning and a little water. After the beans started boiling, spoon into a mixing bowl and puree with a blender. Let cool and form the first layer of the dip.
2. Drain the excess juice from the homemade salsa and form the second layer. To enhance the flavor, add diced mangoes or pineapple to the salsa.
3. For the next layer, form the inner ring with sour cream and the outer layer with shredded cheese.
4. Sprinkle the sliced olives, diced green onions, and jalapeno peppers on top.
5. Cool in the refrigerator. Then serve with tortilla chips or assorted crackers.