Welcome to the weekend, my friends! Where has October gone?? I can’t believe next week is the start of November! In my very exciting life this week, I cleaned out my closet and it made me grin to see all the sweaters and jeans I can finally wear again. Bring on the cooler weather, Ohio. I’m ready for it all.

ON THE BLOGS THIS WEEK: Crisp baby spinach, spring mix lettuces, tart apples, sweet raisins, crunchy almonds, and the ultimate honey cider salad dressing create a fantastic winter salad. I made this salad three times within a month the first time I made it. And in the years since then, this salad has made frequent appearances in my home. I make it almost every year now for Thanksgiving too.

I’ve been making the easiest possible dinners lately and this simple 6-ingredient BBQ meatloaf adds variety with very little effort required. And lucky for all of us, the result is every bit as delicious as the much more complicated traditional meatloaf recipes.

The magic of pairing fresh rosemary with roasted potatoes is something that really can’t be overstated. Fluffy potatoes with crisp, roasted edges are seasoned to perfection with just fresh herbs, salt, and pepper in these rosemary roasted potatoes. Despite the fact that I make potatoes in dozens of different ways throughout the year, these remain a favorite with family and friends.

Light, crispy, and flaky air fryer Brussels sprouts chips are delightfully snackable and surprisingly satisfying. These chips are the snack you never knew you were missing! I buy Brussels just so I can toss make these for lunch at least once a month.

Crepes are a breakfast that I would happily eat every single day. And these blueberry crepes are a berry lover’s breakfast dream come true. Topped with just the berries and a dusting of powdered sugar, they are a fun change from our usual pancake breakfasts.

The ultimate bakery-style salted chocolate chip cookies are giant cookies with crisp edges and a perfectly chewy center, filled with chocolate chips and sprinkled with flaked sea salt. This is a cookie you absolutely must taste to believe.

Creamy, sweet homemade cinnamon ice cream that you can make with about 3 minutes effort? Yes,

How to Make Turkey Gravy Ahead of Time [+Video]

Learn how to make the perfect turkey gravy for the holiday season with this step by step guide! Impress your guests with this delicious and easy recipe.

It has been over 10 years that I’ve sat down with the intent of posting about how to make turkey gravy. But then I get busy with Thanksgiving and the next thing you know, we are moving on to Christmas and I didn’t even notice that I failed once again. And so this year it’s March, and I’m tackling Thanksgiving. You’re welcome. 

Turkey gravy is something I’m a little picky about. I don’t want it clumpy, lumpy, salty or herby. I want it perfectly flavored and perfectly smooth. The richness comes from cooking down the neck, giblets or leg meat and the best part is…

YOU CAN MAKE IT AHEAD!

AND FREEZE IT!

So let’s jump in!

How to Make Turkey Gravy Ahead of Time

Ingredients for Homemade Turkey Gravy

We are going to start this recipe by making our own turkey stock which we will then use to make the gravy. Here is what you will need for each step:

For the Homemade Turkey Stock

• Turkey Neck, Giblets, Legs, Wings, etc: We will roast and simmer these to infuse maximum turkey flavor. You can even add a ham hock if you have one for deeper flavor.
• Olive Oil
• Seasonings and Herbs: Salt, Fresh Parsley, Black Pepper, Bay Leaves, Fresh Thyme
• Vegetables: Celery, Carrots, Onion, Baby Bella Mushrooms, Garlic
• Chicken Broth
• Turkey Trimmings
• White Cooking Wine

For the Gravy

• Unsalted Butter
• All-Purpose Flour
• Turkey Drippings
• Homemade Turkey Stock

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card down below. Keep scrolling for all the details.

Turkey Gravy Recipe: Step by Step Guide

This is a make-ahead recipe, so it should be started a few days, to even a few weeks before Thanksgiving. If you don’t have time, store-bought will work but will not be as flavorful. You’ll also be surprised about how easy it is to make your own. Here are the basic steps:

1: Roast the Turkey Pieces

• Place the turkey neck, giblets, legs, wings, etc on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive

Creamy, sweet homemade cinnamon ice cream that you can make with about 3 minutes effort? Yes, PLEASE!

To make this easy cinnamon ice cream, I played with my best and easiest vanilla ice cream recipe and kicked up the cinnamon enough that you get the hint of spice with the first taste and the lingering cinnamon flavor afterward.

Cinnamon Ice Cream

I made Cinnamon Ice Cream for the first time a few years ago and it blew me away The flavors were incredible and my whole family loved it.

However, that particular recipe is a French style, custard-based ice cream and I already know that I am not always going to want to make the custard base whenever I am craving cinnamon ice cream.

And let me tell you now, cinnamon ice cream will be appearing often in my kitchen! I already have visions of peach cobbler, apple tarts and berry crunches topped with cinnamon ice cream.

Philadelphia Style Ice Cream

Philadelphia-Style (a.k.a New York or American style) ice cream is my go-to ice cream. The quickest explanation is that Philadelphia style simply means the ice cream is made with no eggs.

I have tried some impressively rich custard-style ice creams (made with eggs) over the years. However, we are not used to ice creams that rich, so they are not frequently made in my home.

Besides, I’ll be honest, I like to make things simpler and not more complicated in the kitchen wherever possible. I am rarely motivated enough to haul out a saucepan, separate eggs, and make custard for an ice cream base.

I’m reminded how amazing custard-style ice cream is, every time I take the time to make it, but then I remember how awesome it is to not stand by the stov

Crazy Easy Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

Indulge in a delicious Mexican dish with this recipe for easy bean and cheese enchiladas. Perfect for a weeknight dinner or a gathering with friends and family.

My dear friend informed me the other day that her family loooooves bean and cheese burritos. We were talking about a few Pinterest recipes we wanted to try.  She said that their absolute favorite has to be the Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas, but next up is the classic bean and cheese burrito. Really? Doesn’t that just seem so bland and boring?

I couldn’t get that out of my head for the entire day. What could possibly be so delicious about something so simple?  Mr. Handsome got home he found me working on Refried Beans. Yup. It happened. I took the plunge.

So, we generally are black bean people, but I decided that if I was truly going to try a bean and cheese filling I needed to stick with what’s normal, pinto beans, but do a little something to kick things up a notch. Hence the chili powder and cumin.

These started as burritos as I wasn’t in the mood for enchiladas per say, but by the time I was rolling them up, I just couldn’t resist making them all saucy on top.

I don’t know that this is a meal I could have once a week, as it truly is not the healthiest, but the kiddos devoured them and I actually really enjoyed them as well. It’s that saucy top. Saucy gets me every. darn. time.

Ingredients for Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

You only need a total of 7 ingredients to make this family-friendly recipe. You can also make as much or as little of this recipe from scratch as you want. Here is everything you’ll need if you’re doing it as quick and easy as possible:

• Refried Beans: If you have the time, make our amazing refried beans from scratch. If you want to save time, we highly recommend La Costeña brand.
• Cumin: adds flavor
• Chili Powder: adds flavor and a little heat
• Cheddar Cheese: shred it yourself and we use it inside the enchiladas and all over the top
  • PRO TIP: Monterey jack cheese makes a great substitute if needed.
• Flour Tortillas: We are obsessed with Vista Hermosa brand flour tortillas. You could also make homemade tortillas if you’re a superstar!

For the Sauce

• Red Enchilada Sauce: You can make you’re own homemade enchilada sauce or buy your favorite store-bought brand.
• Cumin: adds flavor
• Chili Powder: adds flavor and some heat
• Sour C