Claire & Natalie of The Sun Flights and I talk about breakfast a lot on our tour Roam To Ramble. I'll go as far to say it is one of our favorite meals. Since we've been on the road for the last two months it’s been a challenge to maintain a healthful diet. From the late nights, long drives, and unfamiliar territories, we try our best to eat well and are working on a project to share our experience. I have found that starting your day with a hearty breakfast really helps when you're on the road. If you have access to a kitchen while traveling, it doesn't take much to whip up some killer biscuits and gravy.

Like most meals, I prefer ‘em homemade. We have been talking about biscuits and gravy for quite some time. Dehydrated and exhausted, Natalie and I labored one morning to make some of the best biscuits and sausage gravy I've ever had. The gravy was made of the drippings from the sausage and we added some mushroom stock. It was killer. These biscuits are super simple and a breeze to make with a food processor, though I kneaded them by hand this time around.

It’s hard for me to remember my first biscuits and gravy, and at this point I've had it so many times, I've lost count. It's one of those iconic diner plates. One of the best was at a truck stop in Omaha Nebraska called 11-Worth Cafe. It was 7am when my best friend and I rolled in before our long drive to Colorado. It was a real local joint with all the early birds, well on there 2nd or 3rd cup of coffee, working their way through cigarettes and gossip. The joint was so famous for their sausage gravy, that you could even buy it vacuum sealed. Making biscuits and gravy also works well for a crowd, as you can prep everything beforehand. Though waking your friends up with the smell of fresh biscuits and sausage on the range is one my favorite ways to greet the day.

BISCUITS & SAUSAGE GRAVY

Biscuits

3 cups flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 1/2 stick (3/4 cup) cold butter, cut into 8 pieces

1 1/4 cup buttermilk

red pepper/chili powder to taste

In a bowl add flour, baking powder and salt. Knead or in a food processor, add butter until a crumbly mixture forms. Add buttermilk and seasoning. Roll or press dough into 1-2 inch balls and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden. Makes about 20 biscuits.

*The dough is pretty fool proof and can be as simple or as dressed up as you'd like. I used butter for this batch but animal lard takes it to the next level, giving it a more savory depth (lamb lard being one of my favorites). Substitute lard in equal parts (3/4 cup).

Sausage Gravy

1 pound good sausage

2 tablespoon flour

1 cup whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes

2 teaspoons Black Pepper

pinch of salt

Cook sausage until brown. Remove meat, keeping the drippings in the pan. On low heat slowly stir in flour and whisk until smooth. Continue whisking and cook mixture until flour begins to brown. Add milk, cream and seasonings. Drizzle gravy over biscuits and enjoy! Also, a soft boiled egg on top is always a good idea. Makes about 2 cups gravy.

*I love using my cast iron skillet for this recipe. After cooking the sausage and scrapping up all the crusty bits on the bottom, really makes this gravy that much better. I also like to sauté mushrooms with the sausage or adding a little bit of stock if I have it around. You can make your gravy as creamy or as thin as you prefer by adjusting the flour and milk.