Recipes that appear in Idea Alley have not been tested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Charles Barker’s requests for recipes for SOS brought back memories for many Alley Kats.
We have thoroughly enjoyed reading your notes and emails.
Jim Estes shares this tip for anyone looking for an easy substitute: Stouffer’s Creamed Chipped Beef frozen entree.
“Simply heat in microwave and serve over toast or biscuits,” Estes writes.
Our thanks to everyone who shared recipes and memories.
Creamed chipped beef wasn’t Barker’s only request. He was also looking for recipes for chocolate gravy. And boy, did the Kats deliver.
Leanna Hollingsworth was the first to send a recipe.
Leanna’s Chocolate Gravy
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
½ cup sugar
1 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter
Hot biscuits, for serving
Mix flour, cocoa, sugar and water together in a saucepan.
Cook until thick. Remove from heat; add vanilla and butter. Stir until butter is melted. Serve over hot biscuits.
Jo Hawley’s version uses a bit more cocoa.
Jo’s Chocolate Gravy
1 stick margarine or butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups milk
Hot biscuits, for serving
Melt the margarine or butter in a heavy skillet. Mix together the flour, cocoa and sugar. Add to skillet. Gradually add the milk; cook like regular gravy, adding more milk if it is too thick.
Pour over hot biscuits for a breakfast treat.
S. Thompson includes these instructions, and a recipe.
“I get the dry ingredients ready the night before and in the morning heat the liquids and finish it up pretty fast.” “However, there is usually plenty of time as fresh biscuits, pancakes or waffles are almost necessary,” Thompson continues.
S. Thompson’s Chocolate Gravy
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa
2 heaping tablespoons all purpose flour
Dash salt
2 cups milk
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Biscuits, pancakes or waffles, for serving
In a bowl, stir together the sugar, cocoa, flour and salt.
In a 2-quart saucepan or skillet, bring the milk, butter and vanilla to a boil.
Stir in the dry ingredients until blended well. Reheat to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer a few minutes and remove from heat.
Serve hot over biscuits, pancakes or waffles.
Barbara Sue Turner can always be counted on for coming through with reliable recipes for Southern favorites.
“In the early years, biscuits and chocolate gravy were made almost daily as a breakfast food. It is yummy served over biscuits,” writes Turner.
Barbara Sue’s Chocolate Gravy
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Biscuits, for serving
Mix cocoa, sugar and flour together in a saucepan.
Add milk and heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 8 minutes.
Remove from heat and add the butter. Stir until melted, then add the vanilla. Serve warm over biscuits.
Makes 3 to 4 servings.
Dorothy Palmer also shares a recipe for the Southern breakfast staple.
Dorothy’s Chocolate Gravy
1 cup sugar
1 ½ tablespoons flour
Dash salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup butter or margarine
Hot biscuits, for serving
Mix together the dry ingredients. Add milk and cook to desired thickness. Then add the vanilla and butter. Serve over hot biscuits.
“This is a chocolate gravy recipe obtained from one of the cooks at the Mount Magazine Lodge a number of years ago. She prepared it for the breakfast buffet back then but the chocolate gravy has not been on the buffet in the past few years,” writes submitter Tom Cain.
“It tastes like chocolate gravy is supposed to taste!”
Mount Magazine Chocolate Gravy
1 cup sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups cold milk
¼ cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Hot biscuits or toast, for serving
Mix sugar, cocoa and flour.
Whisk into cold milk. Cook in skillet, stirring constantly, until bubbly. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla.
Serve over hot biscuits or toast.
REQUESTS We’re confident Ken Shivey could make a pretty penny if he ever decided to publish a cookbook featuring recipes from the beloved, but closed The Villa restaurant.
The Villa’s minestrone soup for Jan Gauntt. “For many years the Villa Italian Restaurant’s minestrone soup has been mighty soothing. Alas, the Villa is no longer open. Here we are in the middle of cold and flu season with ice storms, and can no longer pick up a quart of their soup.”
Spaghetti Villa (the one with black olives, garlic and onions) from the Villa and cheese dip like that served at the long-closed Blue Mesa Grill for Steven Matthews.
Frozen cheese tart made with crushed pineapple, maraschino cherries and possibly unflavored gelatin for Joanne Berger.
Send recipe requests, contributions and culinary questions to Kelly Brant, Idea Alley, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203; email: [email protected] Please include a daytime phone number.
Food, Pages 37 on 02/19/2014