Jazz up the flavor of meats, vegetables, fruits, and more with make-your-own sauce or gravy.
By Janet Groene, F47166
January 2022
Toppings to mask a cracked cake. Sauces that save a dry pork chop or fish steak. Gravies that grab a biscuit until it whistles Dixie. Glazes that glisten on a plain grilled ham slice. Dips for dunking crisp tater nuggets or corn fritters. Spreads to liven up a sad sandwich. Condiments to crown an impromptu curry.
Whether by the dollop or the cupful, these easy recipes liven up a simple camp meal that needs a boost or a bold bam!
Vegetarian “Sausage” Biscuits
In the South, sausage biscuits are an essential breakfast. Here’s a simple sauce to serve over baking-powder biscuits or to toss with hot pasta for a supper dish.
Small onion, finely cut
1 tablespoon butter, melted
14-ounce jar Alfredo sauce
½ teaspoon dried sage
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
Sizzle the onion in the butter until it is soft but not brown. Stir in the Alfredo sauce, sage, and walnuts. Heat through. If it’s too thick, thin to taste with milk or cream. Makes 2½ cups sauce.
Apple Gravy
Brown chicken thighs, ham slices, or pork chops in oil in a large skillet and then use pan drippings to make this sweet, spicy gravy to serve over the meat and a side starch such as rice or noodles.
1 jar spiced apple rings
1½ tablespoons cornstarch
About 1½ cups apple juice
Optional: 2 tablespoons applejack
While the meat cooks, drain the apple rings and reserve the juice. Dice the apples. Whisk together the cornstarch and the juice from the apples with 1 cup of the apple juice. When the meat is done, remove it from the skillet; stir the juice mixture into the pan drippings. Once it thickens, stir in more apple juice (and applejack if desired). If it becomes too thick, add more apple juice to taste. Stir in the apples, heat, and serve. Makes about 3 cups gravy.
Italian Cheese Sauce
Make a meal out of this hearty sauce when served over thick slabs of toasted artisan bread.
1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
2 teaspoons olive oil
Medium green pepper, seeded and finely diced
14.5-ounce to 16-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons flour
½ cup milk
2½ cups shredded Italian-blend cheese
Shredded Parmesan
Optional: milk, water, tomato juice, or broth
Warm the chickpeas in a saucepan with the hot olive oil and mash coarsely with a potato masher until they are slightly chunky. Add the diced pepper, tomatoes, and Italian seasoning. Cover and cook over low-medium heat until the pepper is tender. Whisk the flour into cold milk and add to the pan. Stir over low-medium heat until it thickens. Stir in the cheese just until it melts. Thin the sauce to taste. Adjust the seasonings. Serve over toast, cornbread, or biscuits. Pass the cheese shaker. Makes about 3½ cups sauce.
Sun-Baked Tomato Sauce
Choose a sunny day for this unusual no-cook sauce, and start it early. It’s traditionally served over pasta but is also delicious over fried rounds of eggplant or stir-fried, sliced zucchini. Bake it in a nonreactive bowl, such as glass.
2 pounds cherry tomatoes
Medium red onion, diced
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Garnish: grated Parmesan cheese
Cut the tomatoes in half and squeeze gently to remove any loose seeds. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and cover the top with netting. Place in the sun for 4 to 5 hours. Cook and drain a 14-ounce box of spaghetti, then place immediately in the warm bowl with the tomatoes. Toss to mix. Serve at once. Pass the cheese shaker. Makes about 2½ cups sauce.
Fennel Sauce
This slightly sweet sauce can turn today’s catch or a medley of canned seafood into a gourmet seafood stew. Or spoon it over steamed or fried rice. The finer you chop the fennel, the faster it will cook.
3 cups chopped fennel
Small onion, chopped
¼ cup olive oil
14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with basil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
½ cup dry white wine
Salt, pepper to taste
Optional garnish: snipped fresh basil to taste
Stir-fry the fennel and onion in hot oil until crisp-tender. Drain the liquid from the canned tomatoes and whisk it together with the cornstarch. Quickly add it, the tomatoes, and the wine to the skillet, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Adjust the seasonings. Makes 3 cups sauce.
Kansas City Barbecue Sauce
Use a mild rub on pork, beef, or chicken. You don’t want to over-power the sauce that will be added later. Cook the meat until it’s falling apart and shred it using two forks. Serve in buns or as a meat dish and pass this sauce.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Large onion, diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1½ tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 cups ketchup
½ cup cane syrup or sorghum
½ cup yellow mustard
½ cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce
In a saucepan, saute the onion and garlic in hot oil. Stir in the remaining ingredients over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until thick. Serve over shredded meat. Refrigerate leftover sauce. Makes 3½ cups.
Chutney — A Master Recipe
Chutney is one of the most versatile toppings for almost any dish. It’s also one of the easiest to make at home before an RV trip. Can or freeze it by the half pint. It’s bold and spicy, so a little goes a long way. Almost any type of tomato or other fruits may be used; or, use combinations such as mango-pear, apple-peach, or strawberry-pineapple.
9 cups chopped, well drained, fresh or canned fruit
1 large red onion, very finely diced
1½ cups sugar
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1½ cups dried raisins, currants, golden raisins, cherries, or cranberries
2 teaspoons fresh lemon or lime zest (optional)
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cloves
Put everything in a 4-quart pot and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat and keep at an active simmer, stirring often (it burns easily) until it’s very thick. This usually takes an hour, although the actual time will depend on the moisture content of the fruit. Fresh tomatoes, for example, usually take longer. Divide into containers, cool, and freeze; or put in sterilized jars and seal according to canning jar directions. Serving size is about one heaping tablespoon. Makes about 3 cups.
Poppy Seed Dressing
Tangy and sweet-sour, this sauce complements citrus sections and fruit salads. Try it on a bowl of cut-up oranges, grapefruits, and kiwis.
½ cup sugar
1 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Whisk everything together well until the sugar dissolves. Chill to allow the flavors to blend. Spoon over fresh fruit. Makes 1½ cups dressing.
Substitute Salad Cream
Did you forget to bring the mayonnaise? This cooked version is wicked good, especially when served warm over potatoes and other vegetables.
2 eggs
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons flour
⅓ cup sugar
½ cup water
½ cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup evaporated milk or heavy cream
In a cold saucepan, whisk the eggs with everything except the cream. Cook, stirring, until it thickens. Remove from the heat, cool to lukewarm, and vigorously stir in the cream. Spoon over boiled or campfire-baked potatoes, or chill and use as a salad dressing. Makes 2½ cups.
Butterscotch Sauce
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup cream or evaporated milk
Vanilla extract, a few drops
Heat the sugar, syrup, butter, and salt to boiling, stirring until thickened. Remove from the heat and let it cool a few minutes. Stir in the milk or cream and the vanilla. Serve warm over baked apples, peach pie, or vanilla ice cream. Makes 1 cup.
More Topping Ideas
*Fold 1 cup chopped pistachios or hazelnuts into 2 cups whipped topping. Serve atop plain pudding, pound cake, or apple pie.
*Make your favorite cook-and-serve pudding mix with an extra half-cup of milk, and you have a sweet, satiny sauce to spoon warm over plain cake, fresh fruit, or bread pudding.
*Fold 2 tablespoons butterscotch schnapps, triple sec, Cherry Heering, or other liqueur into a tub of whipped topping and use as frosting. Serve at once or chill.
*Have a help-yourself hot dog buffet. Serve grilled or boiled hot dogs with a variety of toppings such as chili, coleslaw, sauteed onions and peppers, tzatziki sauce, chunky salsa, sauerkraut, and cheese sauce. The more choices, the more fun.
*In a saucepan, whisk a can of condensed cream of (you name it) soup with a half can of light cream. Heat gently and stir in a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce. Serve over vegetables, rice, omelets, or plain meat patties.
*Stir-fry a chopped green pepper and a chopped onion in hot oil until limp. Stir in 2 cups flaked imitation crabmeat and then heat. Stir in bottled ranch dressing to taste. Spoon over fish cakes, potato pancakes, or cornbread.
*Make pumpkin gravy. Put a can of pureed pumpkin in a saucepan and whisk in ⅓ cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Over low-medium heat, stir in liquid French vanilla coffee creamer until it’s the consistency of gravy. Spoon warm over sweet potatoes, pancakes, or corn fritters.