Chopped Steak with Bacon and Mushroom Gravy

1/2 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 1/2 pound ground beef, formed into 6 patties
1 package dry onion soup
1 cup heavy cream
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup beef broth
2 Tbsp BBQ sauce
1/4 tsp ground thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the cream to a simmer and then add the dry onion soup mix.  Turn heat off, stir to combine and let sit for 30 minutes.  Cook bacon until crisp and place on paper towels.  Give the bacon a rough chop, reserving 6 pieces for topping the patties.  Drain all but 2 Tbsp of grease from the pan and reheat on medium high heat.  Brown the burgers well on both sides.  Do not cook burgers all the way through, just get a good color on both sides.  Remove to a plate and keep warm.  Add a pat of butter and Tbsp of oil to the pan and saute the fresh mushrooms, onions, and garlic for several minutes until the onions have softened and the mushrooms start to brown.  Add the broth and scrape up any browned bits from the pan.  Add the bbq sauce, thyme, bacon, and the cream sauce.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and bring up to simmer.  Nestle the burgers back into the sauce, turn down the heat, and cook until the burgers are done through.  Garnish each burger with a piece of bacon and a couple of mushroom slices.

Serves 6

Tamale Chili

1 pound ground beef, turkey, or venison
1 pound hot Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
2 cans stewed tomatoes, cut up
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, cut into thin wedges
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp molasses
1 handful tortilla chips, crumbled
4 oz shredded cheddar cheese

Brown ground meat and sausage, stirring to break up meat.  Transfer to slow cooker.  Stir in undrained tomatoes, peppers, onion, chili powder, cumin, molasses, and 1 1/2 cups water.  Cover and cook on low for 7 hours.  Stir in chips.  Let stand, uncovered, 15 minutes.  Stir in cheese until melted.  Serve with sour cream, if desired.

Serves 6

Chicken, Sausage and Shrimp Gumbo

1 1/2 pounds andouille sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all purpose flour
2 large onions, chopped
5 stalks celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand when added to soup pot
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 - 1 tsp cayenne pepper, season to taste
2 bay leaves
16 ox package frozen chopped okra, not breaded
12 cups chicken broth
3 pounds chicken, cooked and shredded
1 1/2 pounds raw, peeled and deveined shrimp
salt and pepper to taste
Hot cooked rice

Prep all vegetables and set aside.  Heat one Tbsp vegetable oil in skillet.  Saute the sliced andouille sausage until lightly browned then remove to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.  Cover the plate and set aside to a warm location until needed.

Heat 3/4 cup vegetable oil in soup pot over medium high heat.  Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the roux is the color of a new copper penny.  Add onions, celery and bell pepper and saute for 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.  Add the minced garlic and saute for a minute or two until fragrant.  Add tomatoes (crushing as they are added), parsley, thyme, red pepper flakes, bay leaves and cayenne pepper.  Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, while slowly adding a small amount of chicken broth if needed to prevent burning.

Add all the remaining chicken broth to the post with the vegetables, and bring to a boil.  Cover the pot and reduce heat to low.  Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the shredded chicken, frozen okra, and half the sausage to the soup pot.  Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  Turn off the heat and add the remaining sausage and shrimp.  Stir well, cover and rest for 30 minutes.

To serve, reheat if needed. Season with salt and pepper and remove bay leaves.  Serve over hot cooked rice, adding cayenne pepper if you want a little more spice.

Serves 12

**FYI - combining meat with fish is a cardinal sin when preparing gumbo....but it's how my husband likes it.

Country Sausage Gravy

12 oz ground pork sausage
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 cup butter, cut into slices
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp minced fresh sage
1 tsp minced fresh thyme
2 cups milk
1/4 cup minced parsley

Cook sausage, onion, bell pepper, garlic and crushed red pepper in large skillet until vegetables soften and pork is lightly browned, 10-15 minutes.  Pour off grease.  Add butter to skillet; cook, stirring over medium heat until melted.  Sprinkle with flour.  Cook, stirring gently, 1 minute.  Stir in sage and thyme.  Add milk, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until slightly thickened before each addition.  Simmer gently, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly.  Add parsley just before serving.

Serves 6