Jackson's Cookbook

recipes, tips, & more

Make a White Sauce Easily
Beginner’s Guide to Making White Sauce Easily

Once you learn to make a roux, you can make a white sauce or white gravy easily. It's simply a roux with more milk or cream added. This is a staple in French cooking and makes a lot of wonderful dishes like Alfredo, mac and...

gravy
You’ll Never Go Hungry with Country White Gravy

Country White Gravy is a staple in Appalachian cooking. Especially among the poorer folk as you can make a lot of it for pennies. There's a saying in my family: "You'll never go hungry with country white gravy." After...

Zesty and Light Lemonade Cake
Refreshingly Zesty and Light Lemon Cake

Do you want to learn how to make a lemon cake? One that has less fat and sugar but still a ton of flavor? If you enjoy tart lemons, this is the recipe for you to try. It is fast to make, bakes within the hour and can be on...

Spicy and Snappy Gingerbread Cookies
Spicy Gingerbread Cookies for Fall Baking

There is nothing quite like spicy gingerbread cookies. The fresh spices, the heat from the ginger, the woodsy aroma of the cinnamon and the nuttiness from all spice is simply perfect. If you like sweet and savory, you'll...

roux
Beginner’s Guide to making a Quick and Easy Roux

If you want to learn how to make a quick and easy roux, you are in luck! Traditionally, roux is a mixture of butter (fat) and flour in equal parts. You can replace the butter with oil for a more heart healthy approach, which...

Spicy and Snappy Gingerbread Recipe
Spicy and Snappy Gingerbread Recipe

Learn how to make a snappy gingerbread with me! This is an inviting warm ginger and cinnamon bread. Since it uses less fat and sugar so you can really linger on the ginger and other spices without all the guilt. The taste is...

Cinnamon Chocolate Macarons with Peanut Butter
Chocolate Peanut Butter Macarons Recipe

Chocolate peanut butter macarons are an explosion of flavors. The chocolate chewy macaron hits your palate first. Something about the meringue and almonds combined make them taste a lot like a delicious brownie. Next, the...

Quick and Easy Honey Bread
Quick and Easy, yet Simply Breathtaking Honey Bread

This is a quick bread recipe that uses honey and brown sugar to sweeten as opposed to the traditional white sugar. A hint of spice is added to bring out the complexity of the honey. I highly recommend using a local honey if possible to enjoy what mother nature brings to the table.

No More Burnt Crusts, The Perfect Pumpkin Pie
No More Burnt Crusts, The Perfect Pumpkin Pie

Everyone has a recipe for the perfect pumpkin pie. What makes a pumpkin pie good other than loads of fresh whipped cream? The right balance of spices and a smooth and creamy custard. Have you ever had a cracked or weeping...

Delicious and Fast American Flaky Pie Crust
Delicious and Fast American Flaky Pie Crust

A good pie crust will work with both sweet and savory dishes. Think quiche and apple pie. Both of these dishes need a hearty dough that won't fall apart nor detract from the flavor of the filling. They have fancy names...

pan can effect baking
The Color of the Pan Can Affect Baking Results

The color of the pan can affect baking. For example, why is it an otherwise lovely pan of biscuits came out with dark brown bottoms? I followed the recipe to a T. What happened? In this case, the recipe was made with a light...

Sweet Cinnamon Dinner Rolls to Spice Up Any Meal
Sweet Cinnamon Dinner Rolls to Spice Up Any Meal

Sweet cinnamon dinner rolls are a happy accident. Inspired by the English Tea Cakes, I decided to try and make another version. But by changing just a few ingredients, I ended up with a soft, tender roll and less chewy...