Thank you to Pioneer for sponsoring this article.
This time of year (and especially this year), I crave the comfort and nostalgia of childhood, especially when it comes to food. With my paternal grandmother being from southern North Carolina, comfort food translates to anything smothered in made-from-scratch gravy. (If you know, you know).
And when the weather turns chilly, I especially get a hankering for flavorful soups, casseroles, and a classic favorite – biscuits and gravy. As a busy mom of two who works full time from home, I’m always looking for quick and convenient recipes without compromising the taste. I was recently introduced to Pioneer Gravy which has the scratch-made quality and has three easy steps to prepare!
Three Easy Steps to Pioneer Gravy
(which can be incorporated into so many comfort meals):
- Boil water.
- Mix gravy packet with cold water.
- Poor gravy mixture into water and stir.
That’s it. And I am not kidding, this tastes like my Grandma Mittie-Bell’s homemade gravy she used to make around the holidays each year. With Pioneer’s conveniently pre-portioned gravy mixes, it’s possible to save time – and extra dirty dishes – without compromising the rich and flavorful taste. And there are so many Pioneer gravy mix options – who knew?
Below are cold weather comfort foods, perfect for this time of year. And the bonus? All can be made in under 30 minutes!
3 Nostalgic Cold-Weather Comfort Foods in 30 Minutes or Less
Southern Biscuits and Gravy
(quick and easy Wichita Mom style)
Total Time: 16 minutes
Ingredients:
Pre-made biscuits
Breakfast Sausage
Pioneer Country Gravy Mix
- Bake biscuits according to package
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, crumble sausage until golden brown, and set aside.
- Prepare Pioneer Country Gravy Mix according to package.
- Mix together crumbled sausage and gravy and poor over biscuits.
Chunky Tomato Soup
(perfect with Toasted Cheese Sandwiches)
Total Time: 25 minutes
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1 cup celery, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 can (46 oz) tomato juice
2 can (14.5 oz) diced Italian-style tomatoes with herbs, undrained
2 tbsp. basil leaves, fresh, chopped (optional)
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
3 cups water, divided
1 pkg. Pioneer Brown Gravy Mix
- In large saucepan or Dutch oven, cook and stir onion, celery and garlic in oil over medium heat until onion and celery are translucent.
- Add tomato juice, tomatoes, basil, sugar and 2 cups of water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Return to boiling.
- Dissolve Pioneer Brown Gravy Mix in 1 cup cool water; stir into boiling mixture until thickened. Simmer for 5 minutes to combine flavors.
Dreaming of a White Christmas Soup in a Jar
(easy comfort gift for neighbors!)
Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1 pkg Pioneer Country Gravy Mix
2 tbsp. chicken bouillon granules
2 tbsp. onion, dried, minced
2 tbsp. celery flakes, dried
2 tsp. parsley flakes, dried
3 cups wide egg noodles (or other pasta), uncooked
- Pour Pioneer Country Gravy Mix into wide-mouth quart jar. In small bowl, stir together bouillon granules, onion, celery and parsley. Pour into jar to make second layer. Add noodles. Seal with lid.
- Make a Gift Tag: “Empty contents of jar into a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add 8 cups water; heat to boiling on high. Reduce heat to medium; add 1 (10-oz.) or 2 (6-oz.) cans cooked and chopped chicken. Cover and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes or until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally.
- Attach gift tag and decorate jar as desired.
These Pioneer Gravy packets can be found at our neighborhood Dillon’s and Walmarts!
For more information and easy peasy recipe ideas, check out Pioneer Foods:
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