What I inherited from my mother

Prompt: Something you inherited from your mother
Judy Reeves, A Writer's Book of Days

Among the many treasures, material and immaterial, which I inherited from my mother, were two recipes. Most cooks have a favorite chili recipe, but very few people have even heard of tomato gravy.

The latter is a breakfast gravy, served over biscuits, not a dinner gravy for mashed potatoes. After I left for college, was married and started a family, my mother always prepared tomato gravy for me when we returned home. I say "for me," because my wife and daughter didn't particularly care for it. When Sara was a married adult, she gave it a try and loves it. We "shared a bowl" on my recent trip to Atlanta.

I must admit to ruining the dish for my wife. Shortly after we were married, she tried her hand at preparing tomato gravy. Too dumb for words, I said, "Is that all you're making?" and that was it for tomato gravy at our home.

Here is a good shortcut version of the tomato gravy recipe. The real thing must remain a family secret!

Not Quite Mom's Tomato Gravy

2 Tbs margarine

2 Tbs flour

1/2 cup milk

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 tsp sugar

1/4 to 1/2 tsp pepper

Melt margarine in saucepan over medium heat. Stir flour into milk until well mixed. Add mixture to margarine and cook 1 minute, constantly stirring. Add diced tomatoes, sugar, and pepper. Cook, stirring often, 3 to 5 minutes or until thickened. Serve over hot biscuits.

The secrets for the chili recipe are using olive oil and red beans (not red kidney beans.)

Mom's Chili

Saute one small onion and one pod garlic in olive oil. Brown 1 to 1.5 pounds hamburger meat in same skillet. Add 1 Tbs flour, 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 can tomato paste, 1 can tomato sauce, 1 can red beans, 1 tsp cumin, chili powder to taste, water to thin (if desired.) Simmer for one hour.

Enjoy!