Sausage Gravy over Cheddar Cheese'y Biscuits

It was again time to feed my "southern roots" with some sausage gravy over biscuits.  

My mother was born in Texas, moved to Oklahoma, and then grew up in Arkansas before coming to this farm as a new bride in April of 1930.  I liked  loved making trips to the south with her-- the southern food made/served by her family made a strong impression on me.  For sure, the freshly made biscuits for breakfast EVERY morning-- they were so high, light, and delicious.  Besides variations of sausage gravy to go with them, I remember they often partnered their "blue ribbon biscuits" with a tasty warm pudding-type rice dish which had in it the most plump/sweet raisins I'd ever seen-- I've LIKED raisins ever since!!!!  

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Yesterday, I browned the sausage; then, made the gravy.  I refrigerated this overnight. Today, after church, I quickly made up the cheddar biscuits and this is what I ended up with.

GRAVY  INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound tube of pork sausage (I used the sage flavored variety)

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• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 of 12 oz. can whole evaporated milk
• 1 of 12 oz. can water
• salt and pepper, to taste.

GRAVY  DIRECTIONS:

I browned this sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it was brown.  Then, I removed it from the pan with a slotted spoon  and set it aside, but left the drippings in the pan for making the gravy.
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1. Stir the butter into the drippings until melted. 
2. Sprinkle the flour into the drippings/butter mixture and stir until smooth.
3. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook this drippings/butter/flour mixture only until light brown.
4. Gradually whisk in the evaporated milk and the water until all is smooth, and cook until thickened.  You must constantly stir this to prevent sticking/scorching. This period of cooking will "cook" the mixture and eliminate a "flour" taste.
5. Season with salt and black pepper.
6. Stir in cooked sausage.
7. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes.  If gravy becomes too thick, you can stir in a little more milk.

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BISCUIT  RECIPE:  

   

Here are the links to two of my favorite biscuit recipes-- they are already posted in this blog:  

http://milkmaidrecipebox.blogspot.com/2012/03/angel-biscuits.html

...and,...the recipe for the biscuits I made today is here:

http://milkmaidrecipebox.blogspot.com/2011/12/wannabe-cheddar-bay-biscuits.html

Angel Biscuits

In the past, I've made biscuits with plenty of baking powder as the 'lifter'; and others with cream in place of the 'fat'.  This recipe uses yeast as the 'lifter' with a less-than-usual amount of baking power... they're called 'Angel' biscuits because of how the yeast 'lifts them up', I guess.  Just like in real life, there were some 'braggers'-- seriously, these biscuits were no different.  The highest ones  (the 'show offs!') in this batch were just under 2" and others were about 1 and 1/2"--  

One might think these are 'more work', but... what's 'work' about softening a tablespoon of yeast in 2 tablespoons of warm water and setting it aside for five minutes?  From there on, everything moves along quickly.

I like these even better with honey!  Biscuits are a 'memory food' for me.  My mother was born in Texas, then had a home in Oklahoma before moving to Arkansas with her family.  After that,......and,...........because of a letter/photograph she submitted  to a magazine, she met and married an out-of-her-area farmer (my dad).  With her "I do", she was to become a dairy farmer's wife for all of her married life.  I think that, along with her making so many other good foods, she was the 'queen of biscuit making'.  And,... whenever we'd 'go south' to visit her relatives, it seemed to be a given that we'd have hot biscuits in the morning-- with gravy and scrambled eggs, with gravy/sausage, or with warm creamy 'raisined' rice.   How can the sight, aroma and taste of 'those days' linger so long?  

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 package (or 1 tablespoon) active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons warm water 
• 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup buttermilk OR sour milk

Optional additions (may add one, two, or all three):
1/4 cup very finely shredded carrot
2 tablespoons finely snipped parsley
2 tablespoons very finely chopped green onion

DIRECTIONS: 

• In a small mixing bowl dissolve yeast in warm water.  Let stand for 5 minutes.  Like this...

• Preheat oven to 450-degrees.
• Meanwhile, in a larger mixing bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Whisk this together very well so that the 'small amount ingredients' are well dispersed...

• Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening or lard until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  At this point, if you wish, you can add the optional carrot, parsley and green onion bits.  Whisk together well.

• Make a well in center of dry mixture, then add softened yeast AND buttermilk (or sour milk) all at once.  Like this... 

• Using a fork, gently stir just until moistened....

• Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface.  Quickly knead the dough by gently folding and pressing the dough for only 6 to 8 strokes or until the dough is nearly smooth.  Pat or lightly roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness.  Cut dough with a floured 2 and 1/2 inch biscuit cutter, dipping the cutter into flour between cuts.* (For more about 'cutting' biscuits, see my note at the bottom.)

• Place biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet (I used parchment paper).  Bake in a 450-degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until biscuits are 'golden brown' and done.  Remove biscuits from baking sheet and serve hot.  Makes 8, or 10, or 12 (depending on how thick the dough is when you start cutting).

M-m-m-m-m-m-m-m....

* You know how you end up with little tags of dough left between where the circular biscuit cutter cuts?  Well, ... who says biscuits HAVE to be round?  Not me!   In order to avoid those 'tags' of dough that can get tough if you try to put them together again and re-pat them, do this:  Just pat (or lightly roll) this whole batch of biscuit dough into a square or rectangle-- then, with a knife, cut into shapes (squares, rectangles, triangles, diamonds, or ??).  Transfer to baking sheet.  Done!

I first got this recipe from a newspaper insert that I came across one day as I was building a fire in the furnace. Later, I saw this same recipe in the 1990 edition of Better Homes and Gardens Old-Fashioned Home Baking.  

"WANNABE" Cheddar Bay Biscuits

There are probably hundreds of recipes around for 'wannabe' Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits.  Why?  Because Red Lobster goers enjoy them and would like to make some at home.  I'm one who doesn't have to have 'all or nothing' when it comes to things like this.  In fact, if it's 'close', it's just fine with me, and... these are 'close enough' for me.

Depending on the size you make, you should get between 9-12 biscuits.

INGREDIENTS*:

• 2 cups Bisquick
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 1/2 to 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

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• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
• **1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (Just for my hubby, I lower this to 1/4 teaspoon)
• **1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning (Here, too, I use only 1/8 teaspoon.)  I bought my 6 oz. can of Old Bay Seasoning  for $3.69-- this is used in/on seafood, poultry, salads and meats. It is a blend of celery salt (salt, celery seed), spices (including red pepper and black pepper), and paprika.  It can often be found in a store's fish/seafood section.  See my NOTE below.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 450-degrees.
2. Combine Bisquick, milk, and cheddar cheese.
3. Stir together gently, and ONLY long enough to moisten the Bisquick.
4. Spoon onto an ungreased (or parchment paper lined) baking sheet.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes (mine are done in 8 minutes).
6. In a small sauce pan combine butter, garlic powder and Old Bay Seasoning.  Heat until butter is melted.
7. Brush the butter  mixture over hot biscuits.
8. You can eat them 'as is', or you can return them to the 450-degrees oven for 3-5 minutes to 'crisp' them up a bit.  Watch carefully so they don't get 'dark'.

* Some bakers follow this recipe:
     2 1/2 cups Bisquick

     4 Tablespoons cold butter

     3/4 cup cold whole milk

     1 heaping cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded

     1/2 teaspoon Garlic Salt

TO BRUSH ON TOP OF FRESHLY BAKED HOT BISCUITS:

     2 Tablespoons Butter, melted

     1 teaspoon fresh Parsley, finely chopped or 1/2 tsp dried Parsley

     1/2 teaspoon Garlic Salt

 ** NOTE:  Rather than use the seasoning that is listed above, SOME bakers prefer to replace the Old Bay Seasoning by brushing on one of the following combinations of 'butter/seasoning'--

• 2-4 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt

OR

• 2-4 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

 OR, just

• 2-4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

 This means,... use the kind of seasonings YOU and YOUR FAMILY like!