Day 28 - Biscuits & Sausage Country Gravy

Old-Fashioned Biscuits

About 10 biscuits

2 c. all-purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 c. butter or shortening
3/4 c. milk

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Sift or whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. With a pastry blender or fork, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour in the milk all at once. Stir quickly with a fork just until the dough clings together; do not overmix.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently 10 or 12 times. Excess handling makes biscuits tough. Just be sure all the ingredients are well-distributed throughout the dough. Gently roll or pat the dough to about 1/2 inch thick. Press a floured 2-inch biscuit cutter into the dough and swivel once or twice to make sure it has cut through. Dip the cutter into flour between cuts. Gather up the dough scraps into a ball and pat out again to cut one or two more biscuits.

Place the biscuits close together in a square baking pan and bake until light brown, about 12 minutes. Serve warm, right out of the oven.

Sausage Country Gravy

8 oz. maple-flavored bulk sausage
1/4 c. butter
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. milk
1 c. water
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper

Prepare the biscuits and bake them while you make the gravy.

Cook and stir the sausage in a small skillet over medium heat, crumbling it with a wooden spoon. Drain the fat, if necessary.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Cook until the roux begins to darken slightly. Slowly whisk in the milk, water, salt, and pepper. Continue stirring until the gravy thickens and comes to a simmer. Stir in the sausage.

Break the warm biscuits in half and cover with the gravy.