Alabama Cat Head Biscuits with Sausage Gravy

Ingredients

• 3.3 teaspoons double-acting baking powder 
• 0.5 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 2 cups flour all-purpose
• 2.5 tablespoons flour all-purpose
• 2 teaspoons sage fresh minced
• 0.3 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1 cup buttermilk 1% low-fat
• 2.3 cups milk 2% divided reduced-fat
• 1 cup onion chopped
• 0.3 pound pork breakfast sausage reduced-fat
• 1 teaspoon butter unsalted
• 0.3 cup vegetable shortening 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking sheet
• paper towels
• oven
• knife
• whisk
• blender
• measuring cup

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 45
2. Weigh or lightly spoon 2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.
3. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients (through salt) in a bowl; cut in shortening with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.
4. Add buttermilk; stir just until moist.
5. Turn dough out onto a heavily floured surface; knead lightly 5 times.
6. Roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness; cut with a 3 1/4-inch biscuit cutter.
7. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
8. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes or until golden.
9. Cook sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 10 minutes or until browned; stir to crumble.
10. Remove from pan, and drain on paper towels.
11. Add butter to drippings; cook until butter melts.
12. Add onion; cook 12 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in sausage, 2 cups milk, sage, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper.
13. Combine 2 1/2 tablespoons flour and 1/4 cup milk, stirring with a whisk until well blended to form a slurry. Stir slurry into sausage mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes or until gravy is thick and bubbly.
14. Cut biscuits in half. Spoon gravy evenly over biscuit halves.