It's all about the gravy and let's talk SOS!

Ah yes Gravy! it's the food of Gods, Liquid gold, a sauce to dip just about anything in!

Growing up in CA we had gravy every Sunday morning. We had either, waffles or pancakes, bacon, sausage or salt pork, eggs and gravy.

Daddy would always cook Sunday breakfast, with my help of course. His thing was the gravy and to this day as I make gravy I feel his presence as I slowly brown the flour.

Yesterday I went out to breakfast, and the place will remain nameless for fear of a law suit, and I asked for a side of gravy. I took one taste and thought. OMG, someone has just given me paper mache' paste! It was soooo thick I could have stood a spoon straight up in that mess. This is what I find in most restaurant's when I order gravy. They all taste of uncooked flour and no seasoning. Yuk! If I could jar my gravy and sell it I would or better yet teach the cooks around town how to make gravy... It is not hard.

So what is the secret to good gravy? GREASE! Yes good ole' grease. Bacon, Sausage, or chicken grease. NO package stuff for me. Grease has flavor. For those of you who live in LA and make gumbo I am quite sure you make good gravy because making gravy is like making a good rue. So here is how I make Daddy's gravy.

Grease in the pan. Not cup fulls, unless you are going to feed a large group, but a tablespoon or so. Heat should be med-low.

Add flour and stir. You do not want a ball of four and grease. Just add enough flour so you can stir it around and it absorbs all the grease. Now you must stir and slowly brown the flour. Do not burn it! There is nothing worse than burned flour... Yuk!

You want to cook the flour and get a really nice brown color. This should take 5-10 minutes.

Next pour in some milk and stir. I use whole milk. (I have also used can milk with water, but it does not taste the same. I had to use this at a friends when there was no milk)
Add salt and pepper. Be careful of the salt because if you are using bacon grease, it will be salty. Keep an eye on this and stir often. Heat should be on low. This must cook for at least 30 minutes. If it gets too thick add milk and don't forget to taste.

When done I like to pour into a bowl and crumble crisp bacon or sausage on top.

How do I eat my gravy? With a spoon... :-) I pour it over biscuits, rice, toast and I love to dip my French fries in gray. Oh Yum! But I really like gravy on my pancakes. yes I said pancakes! You put gravy on biscuits don't you? Well it is sort of the same. So try it sometime. very Yummy!

SOS

No this is not a call for help, but you folks in the military know what this is huh?

I like to make SOS on a nice cold winter day for breakfast or lunch or even dinner. It is perfect anytime of the day or really any season of the year. I don't use chipped beef but sausage or hamburger.

Brown a pound of meat and break into Small pieces as you fry it.

Add Salt and pepper

When meat is nice and brown and crumbly add milk and pour a slurry of flour and milk into the meat to thicken. Or you can add flour to the meat, stir then add milk.

Let this cook for at least 30 minutes. You want all the flavors to come together and cook out any flour taste.

Serve this over anything or eat it straight out of the bowl!

So now you know my Daddy's secret, GREASE!!

Keep cooking with love and don't throw away your grease.... use it!

Kitchen Cutie