iamaneviltaco

This was my favorite food as a child. I decided to try to update it a bit for grown ups, and convert it from a traditionally breakfast-centric food to something you can serve for dinner. I'm taking this to another level, with the optional ingredient. I call it optional, but it really makes a hell of a difference. It's only optional if you can't afford it or can't buy it for some reason.

Ingredients
Biscuts (big, flaky ones. You can make your own, but really the ones in the tins are just easier for the same results.)
1 lb breakfast sausage
6 tblsp flour
3.5 cups whole milk (skim really doesn't like to work for this, the flavor is off)
~1 to 1.5 cups yellow pearl onions. to steal a phrase from my nemesis, you can eyeball this. It's really to your own tastes.
~1 cup button bellas, or chopped crimini mushrooms (baby bellas, but I think crimini sounds cooler. the button bellas are way better for this, though, because then you have bite sized onions and mushrooms. it makes for a nicer presentation.)
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1 tsp ground sage
1 tsp paprika
optional (but not really) a shot of burbon
ground pepper to taste, it'll need a decent bit

Put the sausage, onions, mushrooms, and garlic in the biggest pan you can find. Mix it up, break it up, smush it around, and generally show it who's boss. Brown the sausage well, making sure none of the insides are pink (since you're breaking it up as you go, this should be easy). When it's good and browned, add the flour. Some people say add it slowly, I'm an advocate of dump it all in and stir like your life depends on it.

You want to let the flour cook for a few minutes. I'd say at least 2-3. You want it good and toasted, so your gravy doesn't taste like unbaked bread.After you've good and toasted the flour, start adding the milk. You want to do this a cup at at a time, and stir it nice and well to break up the flour, and thicken. add some milk, let it cook for a minute or 2, then add another. When you're at 3 cups, you'll need to adjust the last bit of milk for a thickness you like. I suggest a half a cup. You may be ok with just the 3, or go up to 4. It's all a matter of preference at that point.

After you've added all of the milk, add in the spices, and the shot of burbon. Cook for an extra minute or 2, to let the alcohol cook off and let the flavors mingle.

Split the biscuts in half, and spoon a big helping of this stuff over them. You can garnish with fresh chopped parsley, to break up the color a bit and give it some life. A quick sprinkle (half a pinch) of paprika wouldn't go bad for presentation, either.