Frugal Breakfast: Sausage Biscuits & Gravy

So many people feel that making biscuits and gravy is difficult... well it's not, not even a little.

First if you are using refrigerated biscuits (my Grandma calls them 'Whop Biscuits'  lol)  pop them open, put them out on your cookie sheet .. if you like them with a crust all the way around bake them 2 inches apart, if you like some of them softer then bake them closer together so that they touch.   Either way don't put them in yet, just set them aside and start your oven preheating.

For the gravy:

1 lb. Sausage (I use Jimmy Dean HOT sausage)
Flour
Milk

Brown sausage in skillet (start out with a skillet large enough to hold the finished gravy).  Once completely browned, if using Jimmy Dean you will not have any fat, which is important for this, so I usually end up adding a 1/4 cup vegetable oil.  Or you can use half JD sausage and half other type of sausage that has more fat content.)

Add flour to the skillet... mix enough flour into the fat to not be too runny and not be too solid.  I know, I know, not real helpful, but you'll get the idea once you start working.

Allow flour to "burn".. not really, but you do want it to get so dark that you're sure it's burnt.

Now add your milk. I don't know why it makes a difference, but it always comes out better if you pour your milk over a wooden spoon.  Maybe it allows the milk to not hit the hot pan so hard, I don't know, but my Grandma always did this, so I do too.

Add Salt and Pepper your skillet...   and stir with a wooden spoon.
This will take some time.
Your flame should be medium.

Put your biscuits in the oven.. don't forget to set your timer.

Keep stirring your gravy... as it thickens you will want to keep stirring the thickened part off of the bottom.

If your gravy doesn't start to thicken, get a cup add a half cup or so of cold water and a Tablespoon of flour.. whisk it up and pour into your gravy.

Keep stirring.

You'll know it's finished when your gravy is the consistency you can live with.  It will thicken more once it starts cooling.

Your biscuits should be ready.

Serve hot with an egg or two.

Breakfast of champions. :)