Fail-proof gravy

There are many recipes out there for the "perfect gravy," but I have found that the ones I tried do not work all of the time. Too many times I have lumps or worse yet, it never actually thickens!

Here is a recipe that uses cornstarch (which is thought to have double the thickening power of traditional flour) as the thickener than the traditional Beurre Manié (flour and butter mixture). I hope you will use this for your Thanksgiving turkey, or just your Tuesday night chicken...enjoy!

Fail-Proof Thanksgiving Gravy

2TBSP drippings from meat (with the good brown bits or "fond")
2 cups chicken stock (or homemade turkey stock)
2 TBSP cornstarch
4TBSP water
Thyme (dried or fresh)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 TBSP of heavy cream

Skim off the excess fat from the roasting pan (or saute pan) leaving only about 2 TBSP. Add the 2 cups of stock to the pan over med-high heat to de-glaze. As it is heating, use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of pan getting all of the good bits or fond. This is what will really add all the flavor to your gravy. In a separate bowl, stir together the cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Whisk this into the roasting pan and allow it all to come to a boil for at least one minute. Add the thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the cream if using to give a smoother and silker final product. Serve immediately. Do not let this cook for too long (more than 10-15 minutes), or the cornstarch will begin to break down and lose some of its thickening properties.