Biscuits and Gravy

Warning: this is not a post about weight loss or health. It's a story of true, unadulterated love between me and my momma's biscuits. Read at your own risk.



Flour, crisco (always called "lard" in the mountains, even after they removed the pig) and milk when mixed together and baked makes biscuits. Flour, grease (preferably donated by pigs) and milk, when stirred in a pan makes liquid biscuits -also known as "sawmill," "country," or "milk" gravy...hmmm???

Is it "biscuits and gravy," or "gravy and biscuits?" I suppose the first one you say is the part of this delicious treat you love the most. For me, it's biscuits and gravy.  Here in the south, it's a treat to have it for breakfast, but more often now-a-days, it's one of those "breakfast for dinner" meals we like to have. This used to only be possible for us by visiting my mom's house, my mother-in-law's house, Hardees, or Cracker Barrell. (By the way, that list is in order from my favorite to my least favorite gravy).

Apparently, our family's relationship with biscuits and gravy goes way back. I'm sure if my Papaw Green were alive today, he would not be the greatest fan of this "treat." He told a story of how he and his cousin took their "bucket" of biscuits and gravy to school and they argued all the way about who was going to carry it. I don't remember if they both wanted to carry it, or if neither wanted to carry it. But either way, the next day, their aunt made them their own individual buckets of biscuits and gravy. This "bucket" was a lard bucket, like what we get Crisco in. And think about it, there were no microwaves in the 1920's...COLD GRAVY - YUCK. I can't imagine anything worse to eat.

Skipping ahead about 60 years, when I was about 13 or 14 years old, my mom had started to work outside the home and I decided I wanted to make breakfast for my dad on his day off. So, I thought, what would make him happier than biscuits and gravy? Nothin'. Well, turns out LAUGHING at my gravy has made him very happy for many years. It's been a running joke in the family that I made play dough to go on the biscuits. As you can guess, it was very thick and not even "fit for dogs." I can't remember what we had for breakfast that day, I think I lost my appetite. Probably toast and jelly...I make a mean toast. I won't even get into the biscuits/rocks story.

Well, as you probably know, the freezer section of the grocery stores are filled with all kinds of biscuits now that are pretty close to the real thing and those are the only ones I buy now (no canned biscuits with gravy please). I usually get the "thins," because they have less calories (and mom always pulls the middle out of her biscuits anyway because they are too "doughy" for her). But I'm the first to tell you, there's nothing like a big "cat head" biscuit, as my dad and brother call them. When mom makes her skinny biscuits, she always adds a big lump of dough to the side of the pan for my brother.

 Anyway...mom and dad gave us some fresh spicy sausage when we visited last week, so I couldn't wait to cook some for supper one night. Well, the aromas of mountain mornings and grease and sausage frying obviously made me think of sausage gravy and I just couldn't imagine pouring all that fat in the garbage, and the dog can't eat it 'cause she gets pancreatitis, so here I go at another attempt to make gravy. I added my heaping spoonful of flour and immediately it started browing and clumping and I thought "so much for that, better luck next time," but decided to stick with it and added some milk, and stir stir stir stir...hmm it was starting to look a little like real gravy. I turned the heat down to low and kept whisking it about in the pan and Jay says "are you making gravy?" with a laugh in his voice. I responded "not sure." Well, to everyone's surprise, I whipped up the best breakfast that's ever come from my kitchen I do believe, except it was for dinner. I guess that counts.

Now, you may be asking, where's the recipe? I really can't say I have one, I just do what mom does and "throw it in there." If you google "biscuits and gravy," you will surely see the Pioneer Woman's blog post with  how-to, step by step (photos included) instructions (but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not use the canned biscuits that she begs not to be judged for). I love her, but *sigh*.

I hope you enjoy your biscuits and gravy and get that same warm, comforting feelings of home that I do every time.

p.s. I'm pretty sure if you take these same ingredients and fry it, you get doughnuts!!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is by far the best recipe I've tried for Chicken Tortilla Soup. It's not low fat, but if you substitute low fat cheese and milk, it will be. If you are looking for low carb, use about 1/4 cup of the mesa flour instead of 1 cup. I took some out before adding the flour, to make a lower carb version, and it was equally as good, just not as thick.

1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic or 1 tsp (or TBSP if you are in love with garlic like I am)
2 cups frozen corn
Jalapeno pepper, diced (I used the ones that are in a jar and just chopped it up a little more, about 8 slices)
salt - pepper to taste
2 TBSP oil for frying (I used coconut because it's the latest craze)
4 (15 oz) cans chicken broth
15 oz can diced tomatoes (petite are best)
10 oz rotel (original)
1 pack taco seasoning
10 small corn tortillas or 1 cup mesa flour (I've done it both ways, and it's less work with the flour; also, use less than a cup to start with, you might not want it as thick)
1  to 1 1/2 pounds of cooked chicken tenders (I diced them up and cooked them with salt, pepper and garlic in some oil)
1 cup milk
12 oz Mexican blend cheese

Saute onion, garlic, jalapeno and corn in oil, with salt and pepper
Add chicken broth, bring to boil. Add tomatoes, Rotel, taco seasoning and cooked chicken.
Add tortillas (cut into strips) or slowly add mesa flour, whisking in a little at a time)
Boil for 20 minutes until tortillas are dissolved. Reduce heat. Add 8 oz cheese, simmer 10 minutes. Add milk. Simmer 10 more minutes. Stir often or will stick.
Serve with chips and more cheese.