"Philly's Downhome Biscuits and Gravy"

Sausage Gravy

1 lb Jimmy Dean's Original Sausage
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 stick butter
1 quart milk -- at least whole milk, for creamier gravy substitute half and half
(Don't even pretend you're dieting if you're eating gravy!! Just use the half & Half)


Brown Sausage in large heavy skillet. Separate as it browns. (It will be scrambled looking...sorry don't have a picture.) When finished you should have well done, loose meat in the skillet. Do not overcook or it will dry out.

Add butter to the meat. Stir until butter is melted (If you're a purist, remove the meat, make the gravy and then return the meat to the skillet. I say save the time and effort!!)

Add flour. Stir well. Let flour cook for 5 minutes or so, until it begins to change color and becomes darker. Do not let it turn brown, only lightly beige.

Then slowly add milk (Or half & half or combination) stirring constantly. I use a pancake turner instead of a spoon. It scrapes the bottom of the skillet better.

When mixture begins to bubble, it's done. Check consistency. If you like thinner gravy, add a bit of milk. For thicker gravy, turn burner to low heat and continue to boil, constantly stirring constantly. (The double adjective is for emphasis!)

Note: This is basic white sauce (Bechamel sauce to the professional cook). The proportions for medium thickness is 2 tablespoon butter and 2 tablespoons flour to a cup of milk. (or liquid) For thin, it's 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon flour. For thick (If you want to cut your gravy with a knife) it's 3 tablesppons butter and 3 tablespoons flour. All I do in this recipe is multiply the 2 tablespoons and 1 cup (Medium thickness) by 4 to make a quart of gravy. You can halve it for a small family or double it for a larger one!

Biscuits

Rolled Biscuits

2 cups Bisquick
3/4 cup milk (or 2/3 cup water)

Stir milk into Bisquick. Beat dough hard for 30 seconds to make it tighten up enough to handle. Turn dough on well-floured, cloth covered board. Pat, round it up and fold over 3 times.

Roll out lightly with rolling pin, 1/2 to 1 inch thick, depending on how thick you want the biscuits. Cut with biscuit cutters. For biscuits with crusty sides, place a little apart on a baking sheet. For biscuits with soft sides, place close together. Bake quickly in a very hot oven, 475 F., 10 to 12 minutes.
This makes 18 biscuits cut with 1 3/4 inch cutter from 1/2 inch thick dough.

*I make no bones about the biscuits. It's the recipe from the Bisquick box or you can get it on line here at Old Recipebook

Now, can I make biscuits from "scratch?" Yes. And I will if I'm living outside Timbuktu and cannot get Bisquick. No one can tell the difference. If it bothers you, hide the box! Another prepared mix that works well is "Martha White's" brand biscuit mix. I haven't seen it for years up North here, but it's reliable and no one will know. Just say they're from "Scratch"...you did knead and roll them yourself!!! That's "Scratch" enough for me!