Pop's Sausage Gravy

This is my dad's recipe. He makes biscuits and gravy every special occasion. My own recipe was originally inspired by this but has a number of changes.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. Jimmy Dean pork sage sausage
• 1 tsp. dried or fresh sage
• 1/4 of a large onion, chopped
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp powdered chicken base or bullion
• 6 cups skim milk
• (optional) 1 Tbsp Lipton onion soup mix
• (optional) 3 slices cooked, chopped bacon

Instructions

1. Fry sausage and sage with onion over med-high heat until thoroughly browned. Drain and set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a dutch oven over low heat - don't let it brown.
3. Add the flour, pepper, salt, and crushed red pepper and make a roux.
4. Cook for awhile over medium heat until the roux is just browned, using a whisk to make sure nothing sticks ot the bottom of the kettle.
5. Add the milk and chicken base powder all at once and heat over medium heat using a whisk until thickening starts.
6. Add the sausage, and continue to cook until thick.
7. If it gets too thick, add milk just a little at a time until it's just the way you like it, and serve hot over biscuits.