Black Raspberry Mini Pies

Berries are on the list of foods that no matter how much you try to convince me of it, I will never believe that they have real nutritional value because they just taste too good to! I love berries of every kind and I get so excited when they start appearing at my local farmer's markets. I also love picking my own berries and am trying my hand at growing a few this summer.

Yesterday on a trip to visit my parents in Virginia, my mom and I found ourselves with a little time on our hands and since neither of us sit at home readily, we set off on a drive in the country with my littlest daughter. There was a beautiful road I remembered driving on many, many years ago and I still treasure the memory of that autumn day so we headed there again. I am so glad we did because we found ourselves at a farm where we thought we could pick blueberries. It turns out the blueberries weren't ready yet but the black raspberries were! Black raspberries! We felt like we had stumbled on a magnificent treasure. The woman who runs the farm said we made it at the perfect time because apparently the harvest is quite short for the berries and only lasts about 15 days. We arrived on day 6 which is peak picking time.

 The berries were not my only treasure, though. The time I spent with Mom and Emory was so special and Mom and I talked about how much we both adore little adventures. We are both always eager to head out on paths we have never been on which is likely due to my dad's military career; it made us wanderlust!

The briars and slightly steep hills did not deter us and we picked until we both had about a pound and a half. Our fingers were stained a gorgeous shade of purple by the time we left which didn't bother either of us a bit. As we pulled off the farm, we were both trying to figure out exactly what we wanted to do with our beautiful berries and agreed that whatever it was, it needed to be special. No quick cobblers for these babies!

On our drive home to Tennessee today, Mom texted me the recipe she had decided on: black raspberry ice cream. I think I knew all along that mine were destined for pies.

I recently bought a pack of mini pie tins from Amazon and have loved using them this summer for my tomato pies. Here is a link to the tins. They come in a pack of 50 disposable tins and are a great value for around $10. The main thing I love about them is that the pies cook so much faster, not to mention they are super adorable. I knew that my raspberry pies would be perfect in these.

I started with my basic pie crust recipe for two pies and used one to cut the crusts out in round pieces to fit in the bottom. You could also roll them out individually but I feel like that might take a little longer. You could also use roll out store bought crusts, of course, but for something as special as black raspberries, I just couldn't do it. With the second half of my double crust recipe I just cut out the tops and then crimped them before cutting slits in the top. You could easily make one big pie with this recipe but would need to double the berry filling and definitely increase the baking time.

If you find yourself lucky enough to have stumbled upon a black raspberry patch, I really think this is the best use of your berries!

Black Raspberry Mini Pies (click for printable recipe)

1 double pie crust recipe (here is my favorite)
4 cups of berries, rinsed, drained, and dried on towels
1/8 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/8 cup flour
a pinch of salt
a pinch of cinnamon
1 egg white
1 tablespoon of water
sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a heavy baking sheet with foil (I use Reynolds release foil)

Mix together sugars, flour, salt, and cinnamon. Add berries and stir very, very gently so as to not squish the berries. Set aside.

Cut half of a chilled pie crust recipe into four circles slightly larger than than the pie tins. Press into pie tins. Place in freezer. Cut other half of pie crust recipe into circles.

Divide filling between the four pie crusts. Cover with second set of crusts and crimp the edges of the pies. Cut four small slits in the tops of each pie. Sparkling sugar or sugar in the raw works best for sprinkling on the top of the pies but regular white sugar can be used. Sprinkle before baking.

Whisk egg white with water and brush on tops of pies. Sprinkle with sugar. Sparkling sugar or sugar in the raw works best for sprinkling on the top of the pies but regular white sugar can be used.

Place pies on prepared baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes or until the pies are brown and bubbling.

Steak Veggies

Is there a more perfect night to grill than the longest day of year? I am always hard pressed to nail down my very favorite season (although deep down I think it really is fall) but I never find it a challenge to list hundreds of things I love about each season. Grilling out and eating on the deck are high on my count of what I adore about summer!

Our girls have been gone for close to two weeks as they have each spent time with their two sets of grandparents. My husband and I have missed them deeply but also know that we need to take full advantage of the opportunity for extended date nights and to relish cooking whatever we want to.

Tonight was our last date night and the summer solstice night so we opted for grilling steaks and opening a bottle of red wine we have been saving for a while. It was most definitely the right choice!

I knew I wanted grilled veggies with our steaks and kabobs came to mind right away while I was shopping this morning. I have to admit, though, that while I love the idea of kabobs, they just never really turn out right for us. Somehow the vegetables never end up being done at the same time and I am always left disappointed. Add to that the fact that they are a little more troublesome and I was going for easy breezy tonight. So I went back to the drawing board.

The other night I made Italian sausage sandwiches with peppers and onions from a recipe I just saw in Cook's Country. The sandwiches were delicious and the method for cooking the onions and peppers was perfect so I used this as the inspiration for our veggies tonight. Starting the peppers, onions, and mushrooms in the microwave cuts down on the cooking time outside and it also helps to ensure that they are cooked evenly. It was definitely the right choice and both my husband and I agreed that we would return to this plan next time we grill steaks. These veggies would also be great with chicken. We had a few left so I stuck them in the fridge with the plan to add them to a pasta dish. I also am going to try adding some fresh chopped rosemary to the recipe next time.

These veggies take very little prep time and for the most part the grilling is hands off with no worries of overcooking them. Be sure to purchase a disposable foil pan ahead of time if you decide to try these although I didn't dispose of mine at all. I just washed it and will use it again really soon for this recipe!

Steak Veggies (click for printable recipe)

2 onions (I prefer sweet ones like Vidalias), cut in half and then sliced in slices about 1/4" thick
1 red bell pepper, cut in half, seeds removed and then sliced about 1/4" thick
1 8 oz. package button mushrooms, wiped clean with a wet paper towel (I like the teeniest, tiniest ones I can find)
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
9X13 disposable aluminum pan

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir well. Transfer to a glass dish and cover. Microwave for six minutes. Transfer mixture to disposable aluminum pan.

Preheat grill on medium high. Place pan on top of the hottest part of the grill.

Cook for 25 -30 minutes stirring a few times. Remove from grill and serve with steak.

Deconstructed Corned Beef Dinner

Yay! It's St. Patrick's Day! Yay! Yay! You know, that holiday where every single year I get so excited about preparing a traditional Irish boiled dinner with corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, and onions? Except that every year when I look at all of those various foods that have been swimming all day in brisket grease, I just feel sad and disappointed and let me be really honest, a bit empty inside.

Well, this year I solved the problem and now I would be thrilled to fix (and eat!) this dinner again tomorrow night! The answer? Deconstructing the whole meal while preparing it and then serving it all together.

This year I served our St. Patrick's dinner a night early and had two of my dearest friends and their families over to celebrate with us. My friend Janet made the kids really happy by bringing a traditional Irish Chick-fil-a nugget tray and Angela brought homemade kid friendly cupcakes with green sprinkles that did not have the Bailey's Irish Cream in them that our grown-up dessert did. The night was a success and we all agreed that the new dinner method was far superior to my old efforts.

I started my prep early in the day by putting the corned beef brisket in the slow cooker, fat side up, with traditional corned beef spices and enough water to cover it. I figured the slow cooker was a great way to ensure that the meat did not overcook. I started it on high for 2 hours and then turned it to low for about 5 more which made the meat really tender.

My house smelled so good all day from the spices! It is really important to note that I did not use the tiny spice packet that came with the brisket like I usually do but instead I put the entire contents from a 1/4 cup jar of Penzey's Corned Beef Spices in with the meat. Please, please, please tell me that you have heard of Penzey's Spices??? If you have not, then you need to stop reading right, right now and go to the Penzey's website. Then, if you are anything like me, order enough spices to get free shipping and start planning your trip to the store closest to you. My Aunt Donna introduced this company to me and I will be the first to admit that I have a SERIOUS addiction to Penzey's! Serious as in I had to rearrange my entire lazy Susan and order special containers to contain all of my Penzey's spices. Serious as in I spent close to two hours in the store in Raleigh. All of their spices are so fresh and of the highest quality. They also have incredible blends and multiple salt-free options. I also love that you can purchase small quantities so that you can decide which ones you like. Feel free to contact me for suggestions if you get overwhelmed by the choices and I can share some of my favorites with you. In fact, after dinner tonight, just because I know how to party like a rockstar, I opened all the jars and had Janet and Angela smell all of them. It felt a little like a pyramid scheme or perhaps a cult experience now that I reflect back upon it . . . If you don't have a Penzey's near you, though, just use the spice packet  that comes with the brisket. Next year I suggest you plan ahead so that you have a little jar of Penzey's to use for St. Patrick's Day. Once the brisket finished cooking, I sliced off the fat layer and then seared both sides of the brisket in a hot pan with olive oil. I did salt and pepper my corned beef before searing it because I bought the low-sodium kind and felt like it needed a little more flavor.

In an effort to avoid soggy vegetables, I decided to roast all of them separately and it worked great! I did all of them in an oven heated to 375 degrees. I peeled and cut carrots on a bias so that they were in fairly big pieces of about 1 1/2" and then tossed them in olive oil and salt. I poured those on a rimmed baking sheet. After I cut the bottom of a head of cabbage off, I sliced the cabbage into thick slices and put it in a large glass baking dish with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper, and a sprinkle Penzey's Bavarian Style Seasoning. You could certainly skip the Penzey's spice but I thought it made the cabbage extra special! I also wanted to give brussels sprouts a chance to I roasted a few of those tossed in olive oil, salt, and pepper and it turns out I like them!

For the potatoes I used teeny tiny little Melissa's baby dutch yellow potatoes and cooked them on their own baking sheet. I seasoned them with olive oil, salt, Penzey's pepper blend, Penzey's smoked paprika, Penzey's sweet paprika, and Penzey's toasted granulated onion. Again, you can use regular spices from the grocery store if that's what you have on hand, but trust me, you are really going to want the Penzey's kind!

My method for the onions was to slice them in fairly thick slices and to caramelize them by sauteeing them in about 2 tablespoons of butter and a drizzle of olive oil. I cooked them over medium-low heat and added salt and pepper. They took about 20 minutes to become nice and golden brown.

Once everything was cooked, I put the brisket in a serving dish and layered everything around it. It looked so much more appealing than my usual St. Patrick's Day dinner and it tasted much better, too! We topped it with a balsamic reduction which made it even more flavorful. Even though there were more pans to clean, the effort was well worth it!

Deconstructed Corned Beef Dinner (click for printable recipe)

1 corned beef brisket, drained (I prefer a low-sodium one)
whole carrots, peeled and cut on a bias about 11/2" thick
1 head of cabbage
2 onions, cut in half and sliced about 1/2" thick
bag of small, whole golden potatoes
salt
pepper
paprika
onion powder
olive oil
balsamic vinegar, reduced

Drain corned beef brisket and place in slow cooker. Sprinkle spices from spice packet on top. Pour water to cover. Cook on high for 2 hours and low for 5-6 more. Remove brisket from slow cooker and cut off layer of fat. Heat a skillet with about a tablespoon of olive oil and quickly sear brisket on both sides just before serving.

About an hour before the brisket finishes, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss peeled, sliced carrots in olive oil and salt. Pour on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 35-40 minutes or until carrots are tender. Be sure to shake the pan frequently.

Cut the bottom of the cabbage off and slice cabbage into thick slices. Place in a glass casserole dish and drizzle olive oil on cabbage. Top with salt and pepper. Bake in preheated oven for about 35-40 minutes or until tender.

Toss potatoes in olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, and onion powder. Pour on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes or until fork tender. Be sure to shake the pan frequently.

Place brisket on a serving dish and pile onions, carrots, and cabbage all around. Serve potatoes on the side.

Serve with balsamic reduction and whole-grain mustard if desired.

M&M Cookies

Let the official holiday baking season begin!

My oldest daughter is a cellist in our local youth symphony (I love saying she's a cellist rather than she plays the cello!) and has the first holiday event on our calendar tomorrow night with a party immediately following practice so I was excited about baking something for her. She was content with brownies from a box but I wasn't so I turned to the bag of holiday M&Ms in the pantry. I started a tradition this year of sending cookies in pretty little bags to the girls' teachers every Monday so I figured cookies with cheerful M&Ms would be perfect for this time of year.

I have no idea where I found this recipe; it just lives in my tried and true treasure box of recipes. It is written in my 19 year-old handwriting so it must have landed there when I was in college. I can't say that there is anything particularly unique about this cookie recipe; I just know it works so it's the one I use. It is such a fun recipe to make with kids!

The recipe calls for shortening as opposed to butter, but I will always, always choose fat with flavor when it comes to cookies. Sometimes I will use half Crisco and half butter, but for this, I prefer all butter. Feel free to use shortening if you want fluffier cookies. The dough is a little bit sticky so I do recommend sticking it in the fridge for half an hour or so if you have time. I didn't and my cookies turned out just fine.

I make these year round but particularly love using holiday candies!

M&M Cookies (click for printable version)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter (or shortening)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 bag of M&Ms

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Sift flour, salt, and baking soda into a bowl. Set aside.

Cream butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Cream until fluffy.

With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour. Fold in M&Ms.

Drop by teaspoon onto parchment lined sheets.

Bake for 10 minutes or until very lightly browned. Do not overbake these cookies.

Lavonne's Cranberry Fluff

Yesterday was my birthday and I received a very unexpected gift; I ran into my friend Lavonne while I was out running errands! I was grateful not only for the two hugs she gave me but also for the chance to tell her in person how much we enjoyed her cranberry fluff on Thanksgiving. When she sent me the recipe, Lavonne had it titled Cranberry Salad (Fluff). Given the joy it brings me to name recipes on my blog after the people who share them, I quickly named it Lavonne's Cranberry Fluff!

Lavonne and I have been friends for many years but since she retired as front office secretary (one of the very hardest jobs in any school!) two years ago, I don't often get the chance to see her. I used to love going into the front office to swap recipes with Lavonne and I truly miss her being at our school! A few years ago, Lavonne brought her version of cranberry salad for a school potluck and I fell in love with it. I decided this year that I would love to add it to our Thanksgiving table and we were all glad that I did!

My grandmother used to make a dish she called 24 Hour Salad that was very similar to this one and while I love that one at Christmas, this is perfect for Thanksgiving. The whole berry cranberry sauce gives it just the right tartness.

Knowing how much I love the stories behind recipes, Lavonne shared with me where she got this one. It was passed down to her by her mother-in-law Elizabeth who has since passed away. She began working in her local school cafeteria in Pulaski, TN when her daughter started school and retired from Bridgeforth Middle School. She loved cooking for the kids and for her own family. I feel certain Lavonne must have plenty of treasured recipes from her mother-in-law as many of our own family recipes came from my great aunt who also cooked in a school cafeteria. I also imagine that Lavonne's mother-in-law was delighted that her son married such a great cook!

When Lavonne sent me the recipe, she said that she makes her fluff a little nuttier than the recipe calls for and since my life is always a little nutty, I opted for Lavonne's variation! I am just putting the amount I used in the recipe below. She also said that the marshmallows are optional but they just weren't for me; in they went!

I made this a day ahead of when I served it and it gave it just enough time to set up well. Be sure to purchase the whole berry sauce as opposed to the jellied kind.

May you love the fluff as we do and may you always unexpectedly run across a friend as good as Lavonne on your birthday!

Lavonne's Cranberry Fluff (click for printable recipe)

1 16 oz. can of whole berry cranberry sauce
1  20 oz. can of crushed pineapple, drained well
1 16 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 8 oz container of Cool Whip, thawed
2 cups of small marshmallows

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Beef Bourguignon with Parmesan Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Beef bourguignon. Julia Child. The two go hand in hand and so, consequently, for most of my adult life I have been too intimidated to try what I thought would be a quite difficult French classic. Thank goodness my chef friend John helped me move past that fear by sharing this recipe that is anything but complicated! My hope is that you, too, will be seduced by the simplicity of it and will give it a try yourself.

John is a highly trained (think Johnson Wales) chef whom I have had the privilege of teaching with for close to nine years now. He also happens to be a phenomenal teacher! I love sharing recipes with John and learning many of his inside tricks when it comes to cooking and baking. A few years ago John invited me to dinner and game night at his house and he served this recipe. When he opened the door to welcome me into his home, the smell was heavenly and I knew dinner was going to be superb. John was kind enough to share his mom's recipe with me and I made plans to make the dish the following weekend.

True story: my own family cheers when they find out this dish is on the menu and my 11-year-old even eats the mushrooms. I love making it for us on a Sunday because once I get it in the oven, my work is done for several hours and I can just relax.

The traditional recipe calls for Burgundy wine and while that will definitely work, my friend Angela suggested trying Pinot Noir in it so that is generally what I use.

Be sure to buy high quality stew beef and to brown it in very small batches. If you don't, the meat will turn gray but won't brown and that browning is a key part of the flavor. Also, make sure you add beef broth and wine in equal portions if you find it needs more liquid when you add the mushrooms and onions. I almost always end up adding more of both at this point as I am worried about the stew drying out. If you get too much liquid, you can always take the lid off and bake it a little longer to thicken up.

John served the beef bourguignon over Parmesan roasted garlic mashed potatoes and there was no way I would do anything but the same! His recipe came from Publix and it was perfect. As most of my regular readers know, I always reach for Sartori cheesed (found in the fine cheeses section of the grocery store) for cooking and I definitely recommend their Parmesan for this recipe. You can either shred your own or use one of their shredded blends. Sartori has an incredible MontAmore that I may try next time I make this dish. If you have not tried any of their cheeses, go to the store now to get some. Now. You will thank me.

You will need roasted garlic for the mashed potatoes and while there are plenty of recipes for roasting garlic available online, John's technique is way simpler so I suggest trying it. He advised me to just buy the pre-peeled cloves of garlic from the produce section and then place them in the middle of a square of aluminum foil, drizzle olive oil over the cloves, and then pull the corners of the foil up to twist the top like a clove. Brilliant! You then just pop the packet in the oven at 350 degrees for about half an hour or until they are soft and fragrant. I usually double wrap it just to be sure the oil does not leak out. You can bake this right along with the beef bourguignon.

The last important part of this recipe is to be sure to invite friends or family over so that you can completely convince them that you have mastered a Julia Child recipe!

Beef Bourguignon (click for printable recipe)

1/4 cup olive oil
3 lbs. stew beef
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup beef broth
1 cup dry red wine
8 oz fresh mushrooms, quartered
1 bag of frozen pearl onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Brown meat in three separate batches to avoid overcrowding and underbrowning. Add more olive oil if necessary as you brown. Return all meat to the pan and sprinkle with flour. Stir. Slowly add broth and wine being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Add salt, pepper, and thyme.

Cover the pot and place in oven for 2 hours.

Add mushrooms and onions. Stir. Add more wine and broth in equal parts if mixture seems dry. Be sure to add enough to allow mushrooms and onions to absorb liquid.

Cover and return to oven for 1 1/2 hours. If it is not thick enough for your tastes, remove the lid and return to the oven for 10 -15 more minutes.

Serve over Parmesan Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes.

Parmesan Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes (click for printable recipe)

1 1/2 - 2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed well but not peeled and quartered
3 Tablespoons salted butter
3 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
6 cloves of roasted garlic
1/2 cup shaved or shredded Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Boil potatoes until they can be pierced with a fork. Drain. Return to pot and mash with a hand masher over low heat so that liquid will steam off.

While potatoes are boiling, heat cream and butter in a small saucepan over low heat until butter melts. Add slowly to mashed potatoes.

If potatoes need it, add a little more cream or milk.

Stir in cheese, garlic, salt, and better.

Parmesan Chicken and Wild Rice Bake

If you are anything like me, you are always in need of a great go-to recipe for your family or to share with someone who needs a meal! My own repertoire was seeming overused to me but this addition to my collection was a success with my own family and with friends I have shared it with.

Earlier this fall my mom, sister, and I went out to visit family in Washington state where my aunt and uncle prepared an incredible meal of chicken, wild rice, and broccoli. Turns out that wild rice is a side dish I never realized I needed in my life!

I immediately started thinking about a way to use it in a casserole and remembered several I have tried over the years. I knew most of them had water chestnuts and since I am not a huge fan of those, I started looking for one that was a little different. After a pretty extensive search, I landed on one from Better Homes and Gardens.

The basic recipe sounded quite good to me but I knew I wanted to change it up a little bit. I didn't want all of the other flavors from a boxed wild rice mix, so instead I bought a jar of wild rice mix that only had the rice in it and substituted that for the one called for in the original recipe.

You could certainly use the boxed kind if you wanted to but I found the results with this to be perfect. I bought this one in the rice section of Kroger and while it was a little pricey (about $7 for the jar) I know I can get at least three casseroles out of it. You could also just use any other wild rice you find. I just know that this one worked great and that it only took about 20 minutes to cook the rice.

Aside from the lack of water chestnuts in this recipe, I was also drawn to the Parmesan cheese it calls for as most other recipes do not use this ingredient. I am a HUGE fan of Sartori cheeses (as you can tell from other blog posts!) so of course that was my go to for this part. You can find the grated Sartori in the fine cheese section of your grocery store. The bag lasts for quite a while and is a much better alternative to other "shakey cheeses" as we call grated parmesan in our house!

I also love the depth that the white wine adds to this recipe. It only calls for about 1/3 of a cup but it adds so much flavor overall. My preference for white wine in recipes is Sauvignon Blanc but any dry white wine would work fine. I would avoid cooking wine as it often makes recipes too salty for my tastes.

The original recipe calls for a can of cream of chicken soup which you could certainly use for convenience, but I really and truly believe my homemade "cream of" soup makes any casserole recipe a hundred times better. It doesn't take that long and the recipe makes enough for two casseroles which means one can go in the freezer for another meal. I do suggest thinning the frozen one out a little with a tablespoon or two of milk.

I wanted a little crunch to the casserole so the addition of about 1/2 a cup of chopped pecans the top accomplished this.

If you have access to fresh basil, by all means, include it to the recipe for even more flavor!

Parmesan Chicken and Wild Rice Bake (Click for printable recipe)

2 cups of cooked, shredded chicken (rotisserie works great!)
3 cups cooked wild rice
1 small onion, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
2 tablespoons of butter
1/2 a recipe of homemade "cream of" soup (see below) or 1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (always Sartori brand for me)
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a two quart baking dish.

Prepare rice, chicken, and "cream of" soup if using homemade.

In a small skillet over medium low heat, sauté onions and celery until softened.

Mix together onions, celery, soup, sour cream, white wine, salt, pepper, and basil. Combine chicken and wild rice in a large bowl. Stir together with soup mixture.

Pour mixture into casserole dish and top with parmesan and chopped pecans.

Bake uncovered for 25 - 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Homemade "Cream Of" Soup

1/3 C. finely chopped celery
1/3 C. finely chopped onion
1/3 C. butter
1/3 C. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
1/4 t. celery seed
1/4 t. poultry seasoning
1 3/4 C. chicken broth
2/3 C. milk

In a large pot or skillet, sautee onions, celery, and mushrooms in butter over medium heat until soft.  Add flour and seasonings.  Stir and cook for 1 minute.  Slowly stir in broth and milk.  Whisk over medium low heat until mixture has thickened.