I'm from the mountains of Western North Carolina where sausage gravy is an art. There are as many ways to prepare it as there are ways to prepare potatoe salad. I have to make a big confession(hope my mom is not listening), I NOW USE MIXES!!!!!!! I take one bag of mix, prepare it as the directions say(microwave) and add 1/4 cup of crumbled precooked sausage and VOILA---sausage gravy. Haven't heard a complaint yet from my dh who grew up on cat head biscuits and saw mill gravy----shhhh, secret, I also use frozen Mary B. biscuits.