Au Jus from Scratch

Making lunch meat French Dip sandwiches is so nice and easy, but sometimes I feel guilty about using the au jus from a packet. So, I found this delicious au jus from scratch! It's easy {takes a little time}, not as salty as the packet, and super yummy!

Easy Au Jus Ingredients:

• olive oil, just enough to saute
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced (I use jarred)
• 1/8 cup white wine
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 1/2 cups beef broth
• 1 teaspoon flour

Easy Au Jus Directions:

1. Caramelize the onions in a small amount of olive oil. Add garlic and cook for a minute or two more.
2. Deglaze the pot with white wine, then add Worcestershire sauce and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
3. Add beef broth and bring to a light boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.
4. Strain broth and then return it to pot. Add flour and simmer an additional 5 minutes.
5. Enjoy!

*You can leave out the white wine, or substitute apple juice, vinegar or lemon juice.

Peanut Butter Sauce

Just because you need another delicious topping for ice cream! This peanut butter sauce was unbelievably good!
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3 Tbsp butter
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup evaporated milk

Combine brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add peanut butter and stir till smooth. Stir in evaporated milk. Serve warm over ice cream. Sprinkle with peanuts if desired. Cover and store leftovers in refrigerator.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Chicken Coating:

3-4 boneless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs beaten
1/4 cup oil (Olive or veg)

The sweet and sour sauce:

3/4 cup sugar
4 TBS ketchup
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1 TBS soy sauce
1 tsp garlic salt

preheat oven to 325

cup up chicken and dip in eggs and then into the cornstarch mixture,

heat up oil in pan and cook your chicken till browned but not cooked through

Place chicken in 13X9 greased pan and pour sweet and sour sauce over the top. bake for one hour. Stir chicken half way through while in oven.

***Jessica Notes:
I like the sauce so I make extra. Just kind of eyeball it or sometimes I will double it. I feel like this amount does not really make enough for the rice as well. 
I also sometimes do all the steps except the cooking part in the oven and I will put the 13X9 pan in the fridge and then an hour before dinner throw it in. Makes the meal seem easier. I don't ever cover with foil.

Enjoy!!! love you

Buttermilk Syrup

We first had this syrup 9 years ago when we were visiting some friends. It's so yummy, but I rarely buy buttermilk, so I rarely make this. The most fun part of making it is adding the baking soda, because the syrup fizzes up like a volcano science experiment. It's best served immediately.

Buttermilk Syrup

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp baking soda

Melt 1 cube butter (no substitutes) in a large saucepan. You can cook the butter longer for a stronger caramel taste, but just be careful not to burn it. Stir in 1 cup sugar. Add 1/2 cup buttermilk. Cook until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and add 1/2 tsp baking soda. (Look out! It will bubble and foam.)

Serve immediately over waffles!