Huh.
I thought it was South Carolina.
Same thing…
Ornery does not necessarily imply
unteachable/unwilling to learn.
Ornery… Cantankerous… Supremely stubborn…
It’s all just another synonym for thick headed.
I know me…
Sure! Is she willing to share the recipe?
I asked… She obliged… Here ya’ go:
Sausage Gravy ----
1 pound sausage (you can add more, but never less… never…)
**Note: Do not scrimp here; use the best stuff you get a hold of
**Note2: Down here, that means either homemade, from a good butcher or a pound of Neece’s.
**Note3: Only consider using one of the mass produced national brands at your own peril.
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 to 4 cups whole milk (more to taste or if needed)
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper (more to taste)
And… Biscuits (obviously); warmed and split for serving
Brown the sausage in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat till crumbly
Reduce the heat to medium-low
Sprinkle on half the flour and stir so that the sausage soaks it all up
Add rest of the flower little by little, stirring until the roux begins to set up (about another minute or so)
Pour in the milk, stirring constantly
Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until thickened (This may take a good 10 to 12 minutes.)
Sprinkle in the seasoned salt and pepper to taste (and more is usually better when discussing pepper)
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
Hm.
Maybe I'll have to try this "cream grits" then.
Now ask me how often I've had polenta.
From that I’m going to hazard a guess on the polenta as it being a never kind’a thing.
Well, since you got me (or I got you) onto the topic of “proper” grits…
I got Tam to give up the recipe for those as well, so here goes…
Grits - AKA: “Cream Grits” (not to be confused with “Water Grits”)
2 cups Milk
2 cups water
1 to 1-1/2 tsp salt (kosher is better)
1 cup regular uncooked grits (not “quick grits”)
1 cup of either whipping cream or half-n-half (depending on how decadent you’re feeling)
1/4 cup butter (no one said it was low fat)
1 to 2 tsp ground black pepper (and more is generally better)
Bring first three ingredients to boil in large sauce pan
Gradually stir in grits
Reduce heat; simmer stirring occasionally, until smooth and thickened
(10 to 15 min for fine ground grits; 20 to 30 for coarse or stone ground grits)
Note: scrap the bottom of the pot with a spatula fairly regular to keep the milk from scorching
Stir in remaining ingredients, continue simmering another five-ish min
Adjust the liquids and or reduce the butter if you want them to be thinner
(but why would you do that?)
Dish it out and top with any type of cheese, meat, cooked veggies or sauce that strikes you.
Do not - ever - for any reason – add sugar or a sweetener; grits is a savory dish.
(and it’s even better as a dinner side then as a breakfast dish)
Ohhhh.....
Okay!
Because I was thinking more.... oatmeal.
Which (in my world) you wouldn't
serve with anything except brown sugar.
LOTS of brown sugar.
No... More.
Nope… not like oatmeal and certainly not like “cream-of-wheat”.
Grits are more like rice than anything else.
Now as for oatmeal, brown sugar is the classic, but I like that to be a mite less sweet.
A little bit of honey or –even better – ginger syrup.
Oh, and fruit, particularly chopped mangos