Sausage Gravy

 It’s getting stupid cold already here in MN and we actually had snow yesterday. It didn’t amount to much but there was a dusting on the deck and trailer and parked vehicles. A favorite in this house is biscuits and gravy for breakfast. Using the oven and the stovetop helps heat the house! I’ll add my modifications too. 

If I’m being honest, I also use this recipe for the sausage gravy when we do country fried steak. The only difference is that I’ll use Italian sausage for that. 

Sausage Gravy

From The Pioneer Woman with my modifications 

Ingredients

1 lb. breakfast sausage  - 1 1/2 lbs.
1/3 C. flour - 1/2 C
3 - 4 C milk (2% or whole) - 4 C + some as needed
1/2 tsp. Lawry’s seasoned salt - 1 tsp. 
2 tsp. ground black pepper - 2 1/2 - 3 tsp. 

Instructions

With your fingers, tear small pieces of sausage and add them in a single layer to a large heavy skillet. Brown the sausage over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Sprinkle on half the flour and stir so that the sausage soaks it all up, then add more little by little. Stir it around and cook it for another minute or so, then pour in the milk, stirring constantly.

Cook the gravy, stirring frequently, until it thickens. (This may take a good 10 to 12 minutes.) sprinkle in the seasoned salt and pepper and continue cooking until very thick and luscious. If it gets too thick too soon just splash in another 1/2 cup of milk, or more if needed. Taste and adjust the seasoning. 

Spoon the sausage gravy over warm biscuits and serve immediately.

Biscuits & Gravy Crockpot Casserole

Crockpot cooking is the best way to cook while camping besides the grill or campfire. It’s a no brainer for an easy breakfast. I could have sworn I already shared this recipe but I cannot locate it so here it goes.. 

**Let’s get one thing straight right off the bat, if you’ve got left over sausage gravy from a previous meal, use it! Don’t waste your time making new gravy if you don’t have to. Skip the sausage in the crockpot (it’s already in your gravy).**

Biscuits and Gravy Crockpot Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 lbs. ground breakfast sausage
• 8 eggs
• 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
• non-stick cooking spray (or vegetable oil)
• 1 pkg. refrigerated canned biscuit dough
• ¼ cup salted butter
• ¼ cup all purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1½ tsp ground black pepper

Instructions

Prepare the Sausage, Egg, & Biscuits Casserole:

1. Brown sausage in frying pan, drain well, and set aside. -skip this if you have left over sausage gravy
2. Coat inside of slow cooker generously with nonstick cooking spray (or wipe down with vegetable oil).
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs lightly then add cooked sausage and shredded cheese; stir to combine. -again skip the sausage if you have it already in a sausage gravy
4. Pour egg mixture into prepared slow cooker and season generously with salt and pepper.
5. Using kitchen scissors (or a paring knife), cut refrigerated biscuit dough into bite-size pieces and arrange pieces evenly on top of egg mixture in slow cooker.
6. Cover with lid and cook on high for 2 hours (or on low for 4 hours) or until egg mixture is set and biscuit pieces are cooked through.

Prepare the Gravy:  -skip if you have left over sausage gravy

1. Melt butter in saucepan, then add flour and whisk over low-medium heat until slightly golden brown.
2. Slowly stir in milk, salt, and pepper, and stir frequently over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to low-medium and simmer until thickened to desired gravy consistency.

Serve the Biscuits & Gravy Breakfast Casserole:

1. Use a serving spoon or spatula to scoop a generous-sized individual serving of casserole onto a plate (or into a bowl).
2. Ladle gravy over the casserole on the plate and
3. ENJOY!

Crockpot Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole

This is the best crockpot breakfast we’ve ever had! It has now become a staple dish in our home/camper! The best part is we use a crockpot liner so it’s an easy breezy clean up! Just spray the liner bag instead of the crockpot itself! 

Ingredients

32 oz bag frozen Tater Tots (Extra Crispy)

1 pound ground breakfast sausage

6 large eggs

2 tablespoon heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 cup shredded colby jack cheese

Instructions

1. Spray slow cooker well with nonstick cooking spray

2. Add about ⅔ of the bag of tater tots in bottom of slow cooker crock

3. Whisk together eggs with cream, thyme, garlic powder, salt and pepper

4. Pour over tater tots in slow cooker

5. In a skillet over medium high heat, brown sausage while breaking apart with spatula until cooked through

6. Add cooked sausage on top of eggs and tater tots

7. Top it all off with remaining tater tots and 1 cup of cheese

8. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6 hours 

Ultimate Sunday Breakfast Casserole

 This is a new favorite in our home and it really is a comfort food too! We usually have leftover sausage gravy as we love biscuits and gravy for breakfast in our house and when I stumbled across this recipe on TikTok I knew I had to try this! 

Ultimate Sunday Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

1 lb breakfast sausage

1/3 C flour

3-4 C milk

1/2 tsp seasoned salt - gravy 

2 tsp ground black pepper - gravy

1 lb frozen diced potatoes 

1 can buttermilk biscuits, each biscuit cut into 4ths

2 C shredded sharp cheddar

6 eggs

Salt & pepper to taste - eggs

Gravy: (I personally use my left over sausage gravy to make this recipe)

Brown 1 lb of breakfast sausage, add 1/3

cup of flour, mix well ensuring the sausage is covered in the flour. You’ll want to cook that for a minute or two. Slowly pour in the milk, stirring constantly. Continue stirring until it comes to a boil and thickens up. (I start with 3 C and add as I see needed based on the consistency, too thick - add a small amount of milk and stir - do this until you reach the consistency you prefer) Season with seasoned salt and pepper. 

Potatoes, Eggs, Biscuits, Cheese

 

In a separate skillet, brown about 1 lb of frozen diced potatoes in some butter. Season however you like. 

Once the gravy and potatoes are done, grease a 9x13 baking dish. Layer the potatoes on bottom. Add a 7.5 oz can of biscuits cut into 4ths. 

Whisk together six eggs, seasoned with salt and pepper. Pour over the potatoes and

biscuits. Spread 1.5 cups sharp cheddar

cheese, then pour the gravy on. Top with

another 1/2 cup of cheese. 

Bake at 375 for about 40 minutes or until biscuits are fully cooked. Enjoy!

Breakfast ‘Casserole’

 This is a delicious breakfast that the whole family loves! This recipe is from Bran Appetit.

Breakfast Casserole

Makes: 12-18 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/2 – 1 pound sausage
• 1 package crescent rolls
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 5 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 Tsp oregano or rosemary
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 
  
• 
  
• Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place a skillet over medium heat and add the sausage. Break up the sausage as it cooks, letting it brown completely.
3. Unroll the crescent rolls and spread them out in the bottom of a 9×13 pan, pressing the seams together to make one large sheet of dough.
4. Spread the sausage over the dough.
5. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the sausage.
6. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk, oregano or rosemary, salt, and pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the top of the casserole.
7. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes until the crust is golden and the eggs are set.

Biscuits and Gravy

My most favorite breakfast next to pancakes!!!


Ingredients:

For the biscuits:

▪ 2 cups flour

▪ 1 tablespoon baking powder

▪ 1 teaspoon salt

▪ 1 stick cold salted butter, cut into ½-inch slices

▪ ¾ cup cold 2% milk

For the gravy:

▪ 1 pound bulk breakfast sausage or links with casing removed

▪ ½ cup flour

▪ 4 cups 2% milk

▪ ¼ teaspoon salt

▪ ⅛teaspoon pepper

▪ Cayenne (optional)

Step 1 First prepare the biscuits. Heat the oven to 400°. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Use a pastry blender* or two butter knives to cut the butter into the mixture until it has a coarse, pea-size texture. Add the milk and stir the mixture until it forms into a shaggy dough.

Step 2 Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Use your fingers to gently flatten it into a %-inch-thick rectangle. Fold the dough over itself and flatten it once more. Repeat three or four times, working quickly so that the butter remains solid.

Step 3 Flatten the dough a final time, then use a 3-inch biscuit cutter or a drinking glass to cut out 10 dough rounds. Transfer them to a 12- by 17-inch baking sheet and bake them until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 4 While the biscuits cook, make the gravy. Brown the sausage in a medium skillet over medium heat. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan.

Step 5 Slowly sift the fl our into the pan as the meat continues to cook (see “Amy’s Tip” on previous page). Use a wooden spoon or a spatula to work the fl our into the meat.

Step 6 Add the milk, then let the mixture simmer, stirring constantly, until it begins to thicken. Add the salt and pepper and let the gravy continue to simmer as you stir, until it reaches the consistency of a creamy soup. Be sure to maintain medium heat so that the mixture doesn’t boil. If the gravy becomes too thick, thin it with more milk, adding a small amount at a time.

Step 7 Add a few pinches of cayenne, if using, and more salt and pepper, if needed, and stir in well. To serve, put a biscuit on a plate and ladle the gravy alongside or on top.

 

 

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

These muffins are really good. The glaze really adds the little pop of lemon flavor which I love.


Lemon Poppyseed Muffins (From: Dorie Greenspan)

• 2/3 cup (134g) sugar
• grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 cups (256g) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (150g) sour cream
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 stick (113g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups. Alternatively, use a silicone muffin pan, which needs neither greasing nor paper cups. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.


In a large bowl, rub the sugar and the lemon zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and hte fragrance of the lemon strong. Whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whish the sour cream, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice and melted butter together until well blended. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the wish or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don’t worry about being thorough-a few lumps are better than overmixing the batter. Stir in the poppy seeds. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.


Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold. Cool the muffins completely on the rack before icing them.


To Make the Icing:
Put the confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl and add about 1 1/2 T of the lemon juice. Stir with a spoon to moisten the sugar, then add enough additional lemon juice, a dribble at a time, to get an icing that is thin enough to drizzle from the tip of the spoon. You can then drizzle lines of icing over the tops of the muffins or coat the tops entirely, the better to get an extra zap of lemon