Gravy, and Golf, and Guns! Oh My!

There is nothing better than enjoying a beautiful, fun- and food-filled weekend with family. Ryan and I went to the mountains to celebrate Father's Day and did just that with the "Old Man!!" 

Dad is pretty easy to cook for, the greasier, the better! One of his favorite greasy treats was from my grandmother's kitchen. So, it was time for me to finally learn how to make my Mimi's famous sausage gravy. Here is a sneak peak at breakfast, but first a little golfing and gun action!

The Golf

We spent most of Saturday playing golf in Linville Ridge, one of the most beautiful golf courses I have seen. Ryan and I always say how we like to "take it all in," even though we have played this course for over 4 years now.

Hole #16

Before I get to the recipe on how to make Mimi's famous gravy, I have to share the "Gun" part of the weekend!

The Guns

My father's new hobby is target shooting, and you should know I use the term "hobby" lightly here. It has become a huge part of his life since retiring a few years ago. He has acquired quite a nice artillery, joined a gun club AND working on his teaching certification. 

So needless to say, he wanted nothing more than to take his family shooting for Father's Day! I was reluctant, only because guns frighten me. However, Dad really wanted me to feel more comfortable around them, so he helped me learn the basics of safety, handling and the gun itself.

After this weekend, I can honestly say that I will DEFINITELY do it again! When you learn the safety rules, the parts of the gun and how to safely handle it, the sport truly becomes not only challenging, but fun. All I can say is "Don't mess with the Kettler's!" (and I should apologize for the pictures today - I didn't have my camera).

The Gravy

OK, now for the issue at hand....sausage gravy! Yes, this goes against my healthy aspirations, but I just couldn't resist posting this when my dad requested it for his Father's Day breakfast. The key to sausage gravy is starting with a good sausage! If you can't buy fresh or local, my favorite store-bought brand is Jimmy Dean's All-Natural Pork Sausage:

Once you have the sausage, you just need milk, flour and some biscuits to cover it with.

Sausage Gravy

Yields: 4 servings

Prep Time: 0

Cook Time: 30-45 minutes total

1 package of All Natural Jimmy Dean's Pork Sausage
2-3 tablespoons Grapeseed oil (or other oil) - optional
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Start by heating up a skillet over medium heat. Don't add any oil or cooking spray, the sausage will produce enough grease to create a natural non-stick surface. Slice the sausage and cook on the skillet until browned on one side. Then flip and brown the other side.

Once the sausage is cooked on both sides, remove and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Don't wipe out the pan, leave the brown bits and grease where it is because this will be the base of the gravy. If there is not a lot of grease form the sausage (if you use lite sausage), then add a few tablespoons of oil to the pan and heat up. Once the oil is hot, sprinkle a tiny bit of flour on the oil - if it starts bubbling, then it is ready. Now add in the rest of the flour to the pan. Stir constantly, until you have a good paste and have scrapped up some of the brown bits to make the roux. 

   

In a large measuring cup, mix the milk and water. Heat this in the microwave for 45 seconds to warm up. Then, slowly pour the milk mixture into the roux, stirring constantly. I don't add all the liquid at first and stir well, while the gravy starts to cook and thicken. Then I add more after a few minutes. This all depends on the consistency of gravy that is preferred. 

Keep stirring and cooking until the gravy ultimately thickens and browns. You should be able to drag your spoon across the pan and have a clear path for a few seconds. Something like this:

Leave over very low heat until ready to serve over biscuits or hotcakes. In our family, we like sliced tomatoes and mustard on top !