Homemade Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

Gravy:
1 lb. Ground Pork Sausage
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
Place sausage in an iron skillet. Cook over medium - high heat until evenly brown. Remove sausage, drain and set aside.
Pour off most of the fat from the pan, leaving about 2 - 3 tablespoons. Return pan to medium-low heat and add flour. Using a whisk or fork, stir vigorously until roux forms, scraping bottom of pan. Reduce heat to low and let roux cook at least 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mama Jo always burns hers a little on purpose.
Add milk in a stream, whisking the whole time. After adding about 2 ½ cups, turn heat to medium and continue cooking, stirring constantly. Bring gravy to a boil and cook to desired thickness. Add more mile if a thinner gravy is desired. You may also add some of the cooked and crumbed sausage to the gravy.

Biscuits:
2 1/4 cups self-rising flour
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup milk
Combine and mix ingredients together. Pour onto a floured board (or counter top). Knead the dough; roll out with a rolling pin or work out with your hands until dough is not sticky (add a little flour if necessary). Cut biscuits with a cooking cutter - or mold with your hands.
Bake on a cookie sheet at 425º for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

FYI: The less you handle the biscuit dough, the better the biscuits!