One Wheeler's World

I love breakfast.  Hands down, my absolute favorite breakfast is biscuits and gravy.  I grew up in an area where you can get an amazing breakfast of biscuits and gravy at most any restaurant.  Couple that with the fact that my dad makes some of the BEST country gravy EVER, and I was definitely a country gravy spoiled girl.

My days of spoiling ended when I moved to Reno.  To my dismay, restaurant after restaurant left me feeling a little sad and a lot disappointed when my meal was placed in front of me.  Can you say BLAND?  Eventually, I was hit with a realization.  I was going to have to learn to make it myself. 

It took a while, but I finally managed to pull of a fairly decent gravy.  And then after a visit back home during which I scrutinized every detail of how my dad made his gravy, I was gleefully able to say that I made a really delicious country gravy.  And Hubster and I both happily moved on with our country gravy happily ever after.

Then it happened.  Some friends introduced us to this wonderful  little diner-esque restaurant in town.  This place gets rave reviews across the internet, has been voted Best Breakfast in Reno many times, and was even named by one site as the Best Breakfast in America.  I took Run there one morning for a special breakfast with just Momma.  I perused the menu, contemplating the expansive list of breakfast offerings.  As the waiter approached our table, I decided to give this place the true test and ordered that old-time favorite.  The first few bites left me puzzled.  It was the strangest country gravy I’d ever tasted.  It was bad, but it wasn’t at all what my taste buds knew to expect.  I inspected the gravy a bit, tasted it again and again, really focusing on the flavor I was experiencing.  When the waiter came to check on us, I inquired, “Is there bacon in here?”  I felt my heart pitter-patter a bit when he said that, in fact, there WAS bacon in the gravy.  Bacon AND sausage!  Oh, my!  As I ate my breakfast that morning, I was a happy, happy girl.

Sadly, my country gravy bliss didn’t last.  A couple weeks ago, I treated the family to a nice homemade breakfast of my awesome country gravy with biscuits.  Except that it wasn’t quite so awesome seeming any more.  That delicious concoction that I’d had all those months ago lingered in my mind, making my sausage only version seem just…boring!  Hubster said something about how maybe I should try making it their way sometime.  I shrugged and turned my attention back to eating.  A few bites in, I was still feeling a little let down by my usual favorite breakfast.  And then I was struck with a moment of brilliance.  I should try adding bacon to my gravy sometime, I thought.

And add bacon, I did!  As we sat down to breakfast on Easter morning, Hubster peered into the pan and asked with a glimmer of excitement in his voice, “Is that…BACON?”  Oh, yes, my dear husband.  It most definitely is!

All you need is a handful of ingredients, and you’ll be on your way to filling your belly with this same yumminess.
INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbsp Butter
1/4lb Ground Country Sausage
1/4lb Ground Italian Sausage
3 slices Bacon, cut into small strips
1/4 Cup Flour (More or less for desired thickness)
2 Cups Milk

Melt butter.
Add sausage and bacon and brown.
Remove meat from the pan using a slotted spoon.

Add flour to grease and stir to make a roux.
Cook for a couple minutes to cook out the raw flour flavor.
Add milk.  Stir well until all lumps are gone.  Add sausage and bacon back to the pan.
Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
Adjust gravy to desired thickness by adding more flour or milk, as needed.

Slather it on your choice of gravy-delivery-receptacle.  We’re a biscuit family.  But you can definitely use this on country fried steak, pork chops, mashed potatoes, or whatever else sounds delicious to you.

ENJOY!

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