[Just Passin' By]

Here's an article you might find helpful, and it's got a recipe from America's Test Kitchen, as well. I posted the recipe, and the link to the article is below it.

Biscuits and sausage gravy

Makes 10 to 12 biscuits

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 -inch pieces and chilled

4 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2 -inch pieces and chilled

11/4 cups buttermilk (see Note)

Sausage gravy (recipe follows)

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Pulse the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, butter and shortening in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer to a large bowl. (Note: If you don't have a food processor, start with the large bowl and cut the butter and shortening into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or 2 knives, as you would piecrust.)

3. Stir in the buttermilk until combined.

4. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until smooth, 8 to 10 kneads. Pat the dough into a 9-inch circle, about 3/4 -inch thick. Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter dipped in flour, cut out rounds of dough and arrange on prepared baking sheet. Gather the remaining dough, pat into a 3/4-inch-thick circle and cut out remaining biscuits. (You should have 10-12 biscuits total.)

5. Bake until the biscuits begin to rise, about 5 minutes, then rotate the pan and reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. (The biscuits can be stored in a zip-top plastic bag for up to 2 days.) Split biscuits and serve with sausage gravy.

Note: If you don't have buttermilk, whisk 1 tablespoon lemon juice into 11/4 cups milk and let it stand until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

Sausage gravy: Combine 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon ground fennel, 1 teaspoon ground sage and 11/2 teaspoons black pepper in a small bowl. (Note: For a Texas touch, add up to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes.) Set aside. Cook 11/2 pounds bulk sausage in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the sausage and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour has been absorbed, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in 3 cups whole milk and simmer until the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

Nutritional analysis per serving, based on 10, biscuits and gravy: 623 calories, 45 grams fat, 38 grams carbohydrates, 16 grams protein, 82 milligrams cholesterol, 947 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber, 65 percent of calories from fat.

-- "The Cook's Country Cookbook" by the editors at America's Test Kitchen (America's Test Kitchen, $34.95)

http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/02...s-upscale.html