Biscuits and Gravy

This is a picture of the biscuits and gravy I made yesterday morning. As my entire family slept.  At first I was jealous of them, but then I thought, Awwww, I love them so much...I'll make them some biscuits and gravy for when they (finally) wake up! 

These two recipes are both wonderful!  The biscuits are so crumbly and they just seem to melt in your mouth.  And the gravy is just perfect - not too heavy or thick, and with just a little bit of spiciness to it.   It's THE best sausage gravy recipe that I've ever made. 

Here's how to make it:

Biscuits

3 c. flour

2 T. baking powder

3/4 t. salt

1 T. sugar

3/4 c. shortening (I use Butter Flavor Crisco)

1 c. milk

Directions:

-Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.  Mix together dry ingredients, and cut in shortening until the mixture is crumbly.  Gradually add milk and mix just until combined.  Place dough on a floured surface and roll 3/4 inch thick.  Cut out biscuits with a biscuit cutter, or a glass!  I use a glass because I have never had a biscuit cutter.  :)  Bake 9-10 minutes on an ungreased baking sheet.  Do not overbake. 

Sausage Gravy

1 pound ground pork sausage
1 12-oz. can evaporated milk
1 cup all purpose flour
hot sauce (I use tabasco)
Salt to taste
3-4 cups water

Directions:
-For this recipe, I always use my cast iron skillet.  Which I LOVE.  It's about 10 years old now, and it is my favorite skillet.  Of course this recipe can be made in a regular skillet as well. 
Place the sausage in your skillet, and turn the heat to medium.  Shake a few drops of hot sauce into the raw meat as you break it up.  For some reason, it's not the same if you add the hot sauce after the meat is cooked.  It needs to be added when the meat is still raw. 
When the meat is brown & crumbled and the fat is rendered, stir in the flour.  Completely coat the flour with the rendered grease.  You don't want to see any of the white flour.  It should be like brown crumbly pieces of sausage and coated flour. 
Now add the evaporated milk, and some of your water, maybe a cup, stirring constantly.  Break up the flour crumbles as you go.  It should get very thick very fast.  Keep adding water and stirring, until you reach the desired consistency. 
Add salt to taste.  You can also add pepper, but I like it with just the salt and hot sauce.
Ohhh it's sooo delicious!  Try it!

Pumpkin Muffins

There are so many wonderful things you can make with a can of pumpkin!  Today I have for you a fantastic recipe for Pumpkin Muffins, or Pumpkin Bread if you'd rather.  My 10 year old daughter, instead of a cake, wanted these for her birthday!  The other kids were a little confused... but she was perfectly delighted with these!  I tend to think of pumpkin as more of a fall/winter thing, but these are just so great year-round.  Also they freeze very well and are really handy to have on school mornings.  Make some!  They're so easy.

Pumpkin Muffins

2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup chopped nuts, optional

Directions:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all ingredients together thoroughly.  Using a whisk works pretty good.  Pour the batter into a greased muffin tin - about 10 muffins.  You can also make bread by pouring it into a greased loaf pan.   For muffins, bake 20-25 minutes.  For bread, about one hour, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.