Country Gravy with Sausage - Video Recipe

Breakfast is heavy. I grew up in the South where calories are king, and Country Gravy with Sausage was often the first meal of the day.

During my childhood weekend mornings, my Dad would get us kids started with this Southern staple for breakfast. There was nothing better than tearing up hot biscuits and drenching them in Country Gravy with Sausage.

And it is easy to make, if you use ready-to-bake biscuits. Now this is an extreme shortcut for biscuit purists, but some mornings I'm just too lazy to make homemade ones.

If you have a biscuit recipe then pair it with my Country Gravy with Sausage recipe. But if you are drowsy and cheap, then this recipe with store bought biscuits will do just fine.

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I use cheap ground breakfast sausage that tends to be quite fatty, but all that rendered grease will be put to tasty use when mixed with flour and whole milk. Of course, it's okay to pour out some of the grease, but do leave a little, as it adds so much lush flavor to country-style gravy.

You can even use any lean sausage meat substitute as well, but be sure to drizzle in some tasty oil for a richer gravy.

I use whole milk and regular white flour as the gravy base. Again it's okay to lighten things up with low fat milk, or even a milk substitute. You can use healthier whole wheat flour instead of traditional bland white flour.

Okay to use milk substitute like Almond Milk. 

All the ingredients are cheap enough as I get it all from my local 99c only Store and Dollar Tree. Breakfast sausage comes in 8 to 12 ounce packages. You can use as much sausage in the gravy as you like. And milk and flour are cheap enough.

The recipe comes together quickly, in the time it takes to bake biscuits for about 15 minutes. Just brown the sausage as the biscuits bake.

Once the sausage is cooked through, then sprinkle in flour and cook for a few minutes. Finish up by stirring in milk. Along with a little salt, I like a lot of black pepper in my Sausage Gravy, so don't be skimpy with it.

You don't want to serve this calorie bomb too often, but, boy does Country Gravy with Sausage hit all your flavor buttons.

Country Gravy with Sausage - Video

Play it here. Video runs 2 minutes, 27 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Ingredients (about 2-3 servings)
5 biscuits - I used ready-to-bake. Okay to use your favorite biscuit recipe.
Breakfast pork sausage - about 8 to 12 ounces.
2 cups milk - whole or low fat. Okay to use milk substitute like Almond Milk.
1/4 cup of flour - white or wheat.
Salt and plenty of pepper to taste.

Directions
It takes about 15 minutes to prepare the gravy - about the same time it takes to bake biscuits. So you can start both at the same time. If the biscuits take longer to bake, you can keep the gravy at low heat, until ready to eat (stir in a tablespoon of milk at a time if gravy thickens too much.)

 Typical store bought biscuits cook in about 15 minutes at 350 degrees. 

While biscuits bake, in a large pan or pot, over medium heat, add raw pork breakfast sausage. As sausage browns, break it apart into smaller pieces. It's okay to use formed sausage patties or links, just break them up as they cook.

It's best to get the sausage nice and brown, at least on one side. The caramelizing adds a lot of flavor to the gravy. Cook the sausage all the way through for about 5 minutes (depending on the size of sausage pieces.)

 Breakfast sausage tends to have a lot of fat, so it's up to you how much rendered grease you want to keep in the pan. It's okay to pour out some grease to lower calories, but do leave a tablespoon for extra richness and flavor.

Next sprinkle on a quarter cup of flour. Stir into the cooked sausage and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

Slowly pour in the milk and stir to mix well. Keep stirring so any flour lumps break down. Once the gravy is brought up to a low simmer, it should begin to thicken in a couple of minutes. Once the gravy is thick and hot it is ready to pour over biscuits.

Almond milk version

My gravy recipe is for a thick one. You can add a tablespoon of milk at a time to thin it out some, if that's the way you like it.

Biscuit cooking time may vary, depending on the type you buy or make, so time the baking so both gravy and biscuits are done about the same time. You can get the gravy started first, as it is easy enough to keep warm, or just heat up at the last minute.

Serve hot biscuits covered in my delicious Homemade Sausage Gravy. Some like to tear their biscuits apart first, then spoon on the gravy. I just lay out a couple of them and cover it all with Sausage Gravy.

Cherries and Yogurt - Video Recipe

Fresh fruit and yogurt go well together in my latest recipe video, Cherries and Yogurt.

Pre-mixed yogurt with fruit is too sweet for me. It is easy enough to slice and pit cherries to mix into yogurt. I use about 3 to 4 cherries per small yogurt container. The fruit and yogurt mix will keep a few days in the refrigerator -- if you can resist finishing it off in one sitting!

This isn't so much an original recipe as a recipe reminder of how easy and nutritious it is to add fresh fruit to yogurt.

Cherries are notoriously expensive, but for a month or so they come down in price, and I always get a few large bags during the summer season. At first appearance, they are around $2 per pound but wait a week or two and the price quickly drops.

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I like to add them to yogurt or as a mealtime dessert -- I'll also nibble from small bowls throughout the day. They are especially good in yogurt, like almost any seasonal fruit would be. And if cherries are too expensive or hard to get, you can substitute with your own local fruit stand favorites, or even can/jar cherries.

Fresh cherries are a little messy to work with though, so you want to rinse off any surfaces that the cherry juice pools on, and especially clothing or kitchen towels.

It's easiest to slice around the cherry pit and twist cherry halves apart, then dig out the cherry pit. Once you get going it only takes a few minutes to get a cup full. You can go online to get a special device that pits them as well.

Anytime I find fruit on sale at my local 99c only Store, I immediately think of a light breakfast. My most common homemade yogurt with fruit including strawberries, pineapple, sliced mango, blackberries or blueberries.

As for yogurt I just use plain. Vanilla and other flavors are usually too strong and often have added sugar. But, if you like a certain type on sale then use it.

Sometimes an unusual brand will show up on sale like this creamy French-style yogurt called "oui" made by Yoplait. It was so good I got half a dozen jars. They also had a lemon-flavored that held up well with the addition of sliced cherries.

"Oui" is advertised as "French Style," whatever that means. But it is milder tasting - less sour than typical yogurt, with a slight almond flavor.

As with any new find at a 99c only Store, I will try it in the car parking lot, and if it's good then I will go back and get a whole bunch more. I've learned you gotta be impulsive there or it may be gone an hour later -- snooze you lose!

So do check out my latest stop-motion animated video. There's really nothing to this recipe and anyone can make it. Sometimes less is more, for a perfectly delicious recipe.

Cherries & Yogurt - Video

Play it here. video runs 56 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Easy Breakfast Burrito - Video Recipe

Got leftovers? Then I have a recipe for you for a simple Breakfast Burrito made with scrambled eggs. If you have some leftover pinto beans, a bit of Mexican rice, and don't forget the jar of cheap salsa - then that's all you need for this cheap$kate recipe. So check out the recipe video below to see how it all comes together.

Easy Breakfast Burrito - VIDEO

Play it here, video runs 35 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Cans of pinto beans are cheap anywhere you shop for them. I get mine from my local 99c only Stores.

Make a fresh pot of pinto beans and you will have leftovers. I like to freeze a few single serving ziploc bags for breakfasts that feature this legume. 

You can mash them for Refried Beans, or leave them whole. You can add beans right into the scrambling eggs, or add them separately.

My Mom's Mexican Rice is a standby for me - click here for her recipe. First, saute rice in a couple tablespoons of oil for a few minutes, this gives rice a nice texture and extra nutty flavor.

Add a little onion and garlic and cook until soft. Then finally add water and a tablespoon or two of tomato sauce or paste. Cover it, and when done spoon some on a heated tortilla; the red-hued fluffy rice is the bed your beans and eggs will reside on.

And I always have an opened jar of cheap salsa to spice up the Breakfast Burrito. What's your favorite jarred salsa? I have a few and get them when they are on sale.

If you are flour averse then use smaller corn tortillas for Breakfast Tacos.

I've published a Breakfast Burrito before, but I made it with Mexican Eggs (a combination of chopped tomato, onion, jalapeno) I often saute veggie Chorizo then scramble in some eggs for a spicy breakfast burrito or tacos.

As you can see, there are a hundred ways to make my easy-to-build Breakfast Burrito. All you need to do is freeze some leftovers and go from there.

Ingredients (about 2 burritos)

• 2 flour tortillas - okay to use wheat tortillas. Substitute with corn tortillas for Breakfast Tacos.
• 1/2 cup cooked pinto beans - fresh-made or from a can. Okay to use whole beans, or mash for Refried Beans.
• 1/2 cup Mexican Rice - okay to use regular rice, or just leave it out.
• 3 eggs - I used medium size eggs. Okay to add more eggs or less, to suit your taste.
• Salsa - I used store bought. Up to you how much to use.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• 2 tablespoons oil - one for refried beans and one for scrambling eggs.

Extra toppings: sauteed chorizo, potato, and cheese.

*Adjust topping amounts, including beans and rice, to suit your tastes.

Directions

Scramble eggs. While eggs scramble, heat up beans and rice in a microwave or in a pan on the stove top.

If you like chorizo then saute that first, then go to scrambling eggs. You can mix eggs into chorizo, or keep it separate.

You can make Refried Beans by mashing them with a fork in a tablespoon of oil and some bean sauce. Mash until desired creaminess is reached.

While eggs finish up, heat tortillas for a couple of minutes to soften and make folding easier. Also bring salsa to room temperature.

Just make the Breakfast Burrito any way you like. If you like a lot of egg then load it on. If beans are your thing, then leave out some egg and stuff the burrito with pinto beans. And don't forget the salsa!

Avocado & Cheese Omelet - Video Recipe

We get some crazy sale prices on avocados out here on the West Coast, everything from a couple of dollars per large avocado, to six tiny ones for a buck.

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I usually make a guacamole, or add sliced avocado to my burgers, sandwiches and of course salads. Sometimes I load an omelet with avocado and melty cheese -- what a decadent way to start the day!

You can see how easy and quick it is to make by watching my Avocado & Cheese Omelet recipe video right here:

Play it here. Video runs 1 minute 51 seconds.

My local Latin grocery has the best avocado deals closest to home. They come in all sizes, but the smallest ones are cheapest and just big enough for a single serving. I find large avocados just too much of a good thing, unless I'm throwing a taco party, where no avocado will go to waste.

I get cheese at my local Dollar Tree and 99c only Stores. You can use any favorite cheese you have on hand, or find on sale. The main thing is that the cheese is soft enough to melt. I've used everything from string cheese to cheddar and mozzarella.

Eggs aren't as cheap as they used to be, but are still a good value, at least nutrition-wise. And sometimes I can get a dozen, or half dozen, medium eggs at my local Dollar Tree.

For this recipe I made a damp, French-style omelette. First mix all the eggs, then you gently scramble until they just start to firm up.

Spread out the eggs to cover bottom of omelet pan, and while egg is still damp, add slices of avocado and cheese. Finally fold omelet to close it. At this point you continue cooking until omelet reaches desired doneness. I like mine a little damp in the middle, but you can cook it all the way through, too.

It's okay to use any favorite omelet cooking style you like. If you are worried about damp egg omelet, then just cook it firm, like an old school truck stop diner. This omelet is more about the yummy avocado and cheese embellishments.

When avocados come on sale, do try my delish Avocado & Cheese Omelet.

Ingredients (one large omelet)

• 3 eggs - okay to make it a 2 egg omelet. I used medium size eggs.
• 1/2 avocado sliced - I used half an small avocado per omelet.
• Cheese - about a slice, but add as much or little as you like. Okay to use any favorite cheese, like: mozzarella, Swiss, Jack, string, cheddar, or plain American.
• Butter - about 1 teaspoon. Okay to use a favorite cooking oil.
• Salt and pepper to taste. I find that cheese is salty enough for me, so I just sprinkle on some pepper.

Directions
Open and remove avocado seed. Slice into avocado halves and scoop out flesh. It is up to you how thick to slice avocado.

Prepare cheese if necessary. Slice or crumble cheese.

Add 2 to 3 eggs to a bowl, I made mine with 3 medium sized eggs. Whisk eggs to blend well.

Over medium heat, add a teaspoon of butter or fave oil to omelet pan. Spread oil or butter over bottom of pan.

Pour in beaten eggs into medium/hot pan. Lightly scramble eggs. Let the omelet cook until eggs are starting to firm up, but still wet. It takes a minute or two, depending on heat of pan and how many eggs you used.

Spread out eggs to cover bottom of omelet pan as eggs firm up.

I sprinkle on the cheese first so it will melt, then add slices of avocado.

Gently fold the omelet in half. Cook omelet to desired doneness, about another 30 seconds to a minute. It's up to you how well done the omelet turns out.

Just slice into the thickest part of omelet to check for preferred doneness. Of course, you can cook the omelet any way you like. A hot omelet will continue to cook until eaten.

I finish the Avocado & Cheese Omelet with a little black pepper and fresh sliced green chives (optional.)

It's okay to use your fave omelet cooking technique, like just letting egg firm in pan without scrambling, adding cheese and egg, then folding it in half. Click here to see my truck stop diner-style omelet.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.