Sunday Sausage Gravy and Biscuits

You always knew it was Sunday morning, even in the midst of summer where time and space seem to disappear alongside the depths of night - the porch lights not coming on until eleven. The smell of frying sausage wafted down the hallway mixed with the unmistakable bitterness of strongly brewed coffee and warm cozy smell of home that could only materialize from some sort of baking bread.

My mom hummed to herself in her oversized t-shirt as she stirred and crumbled, the soft sizzling a delicate acoustic background to the Kathy Mattea song she loved. I loved watching her in the kitchen - she moved gracefully, full of confidence in sync with the rhythm of the kitchen world she loved. She was always trying new things, being adventurous, taking us on journeys around the world by simply filling our plates with cultural fare from the comfort of our own dining table. But Sunday mornings always landed us back home.

Dollops of butter and spoonful upon spoonful of flour soon found their way into the pan, measured by the expert hands and eyes who had made the dish so many times it was burned into muscle memory the weight and sight of what was needed. Milk slowly drizzled began to sizzle and thicken almost instantly. My mom stirred with a sense of urgency - you have to make sure there are no lumps and this required the perfect dance between drizzling and whisking. She made it look effortless. Spices, as unmeasured as the flour and butter, were sprinkled in by her well knowing hands - pepper, salt, garlic, onion, and sage. It almost smelled like Thanksgiving and I felt my tummy rumble in anticipation.

As the gravy bubbled away, a tray of fluffy golden biscuits was pulled from a hot oven. I felt the heat rush to meet the cool air of the kitchen and brush my cheeks as if welcoming me awake. I knew my mom had mixed the flour and chunks of butter by hand and patted out the dough instead of rolling it, keeping it together just so in order to make the softest crumb. She had mastered that over time too, and I found myself wondering if I would ever have expert hands to make things by rote as she did.

Coffee and Juice were poured, family gathered, and ladles of delicious sausage gravy poured over scratch made biscuits to fill breakfast plates. Laughter filled the air as stories were shared and bellies filled with all the comforts of that Sunday morning favorite that one could count on as much one could count of my mother's loving and capable hands that made it.

Savory Sausage Gravy

Ingredients

• 1 lb of Jimmy Dean Hot sausage (or sausage of choice)
• 1/4 cup of butter (half a stick)
• 1/4 cup of all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp - 1 tsp dried rubbed sage
• milk to desired consistency

Equipment Needed

• frying pan (12 inch or larger)
• silicone fork for crumbling sausage (or cooking tool of choice)
• measuring cups and spoons
• whisk

Directions

1. Brown and crumble the sausage over medium high heat until no longer pink. Drain the grease if desired.
2. add in 1/4 cup of butter until melted.
3. add in 1/4 cup of all purpose flour, stirring for 1 - 2 minutes to cook off the flour taste.
4. drizzle in the milk slowly, whisking vigorously at the same time, until you reach the desired consistency for your gravy.
5. Add in 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder and 1/2 tsp - 1 tsp dried rubbed sage.
6. Bring the mixture to a bubble and then turn down the heat. Taste and adjust spices as needed.
7. Add more milk as needed as the mixture bubbles and reduces. Allow to simmer so the flavors can meld while you make a batch of Flaky buttermilk biscuits (below)

Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients

• 2 cups of all purpose flour plus more for dusting the counter top
• 1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup of frozen butter (one stick)
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 cup of buttermilk plus more for brushing the tops of the biscuits

Equipment Needed

• baking sheet (9x13 or larger)
• parchment paper
• whisk
• large profile cheese grater, food processor, or mixer attachment (recommended but not required)
• measuring cups and spoons
• pastry cutter
• pastry brush
• biscuit cutter (2 - 2.5" diameter recommended)

Directions

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk 2 cups of flour, 1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, and 2 tsp sugar until will combined.
3. shred your frozen butter with a large shred profile cheese grater, or use the larger profile disc for shredding with your food processor or mixer attachment. (if you do not have these available you can cut your butter into small cubes or use a pastry cutter, but be sure to keep your butter incredibly cold!)
4. With your hands work the butter into the dry ingredient mixture until pea size clumps form with the dry ingredients.
5. refrigerate/freeze this mixture for 10 minutes.
6. Slowly add your buttermilk 1/2 cup at a time until the dough sticks together on itself - somewhere between 3/4 of a cup and 1 cup. The dough will be shaggy and slightly sticky and will not be smooth.
7. Lightly dust the counter top with all purpose flour. Turn out your dough onto the dusted surface. Gently pat into a rectangle that is half an inch thick.
8. Fold the dough into thirds, turn it, and pat it back out into a half inch thick rectangle. Repeat a total of three times. Do not skip these steps - these steps are very important as they create the lamination which results in the flaky layers of the biscuit.
9. After your third pat out to a half inch thick rectangle, cut out your biscuits with your desired cutter.
10. Place your biscuits evenly spaced on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, brush the tops lightly with buttermilk.
11. Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown.
12. Serve hot, freshly baked biscuits with butter and jam, clotted cream and jam, or top with sausage gravy for a hearty, filling breakfast.