Bless my heart, oh how I love Southern biscuits and sausage gravy

For me, the phrase “summertime down South” conjures images of hot, lazy, days — ‘cause in the South we’re oh, so prone to say, “It’s not the heat, but the humidity...” I am proudly Southern born and bred, and, as a saying on one of my favorite T-shirts says, “Southern by the grace of God” is a sentiment I hold dear. (Bless my heart!)

Not all Southern summers are the same, as you well know — whether you’re a lifelong resident or a new transplant to our lovely area. This is my 26th summer here in Macon, having lived the previous 30 years in upstate South Carolina. One would think that I’d be acclimated to the intensity of our Middle Georgia weather — our six-month looooong summers. But, alas, I am not. Nor do I feel I will ever be acclimatized to the heat and the humidity.

Back home, at the foothills of the mountains in Travelers Rest, South Carolina — as well as in the mountains of east Tennessee, where I went to college at Carson-Newman University — the nighttime of summer offers a welcomed respite from the sticky weather as the temperature declines by about 30 degrees. I love Macon and am blessed to call Middle Georgia home, but I don’t think I will ever love our summers here.

As a child, I remember playing outside at night during the summer months with the neighborhood kids, running around, riding our bikes, catching fireflies and eventually making our way back to my house where we would all go swimming in our pool. Yes, our home was the gathering place, day and night. My parents lovingly and willingly played host to a houseful of neighborhood kids, baking endless batches of brownies, making hand-churned ice cream, and carving many watermelons to be enjoyed poolside. Watermelon seed spittin’ contests always followed!

I remember one time a neighbor commented to my mother that all the neighborhood kids were tearing up the front lawn. My mother responded by telling the neighbor that she was busy raising children … later she would raise beautiful flowers to adorn the yard. (Nice one, Mom!)

In celebration of my deep-rooted love of the South, and my great appreciation to my parents for my being “raised right” — which I KNOW was an exhausting job — I happily share with you a couple of my favorite recipes suitable for summer.

Biscuits and gravy — what does that conjure up for you?

Call me a “dog with a bone” or someone with a “bee in her bonnet,” but I’ve been a bit obsessed with biscuit baking for the last couple of months (okay — a LOT longer than that, actually). I’ve tried dozens of recipes and worked on several myself for creating different biscuits for different occasions.

Although the recipes vary greatly, one thing remains constant: White Lily flour. Gracious, goodness you can’t get any better for making biscuits, no matter the recipe, than using White Lily brand flour — and in most instances, the self-rising variety. Just as a side note, in case you don’t have self-rising on hand, simply take all-purpose flour and add 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt per cup of flour.

And just a little something extra for you today, a couple of recipes for some dee-licious homemade jams! Y’all enjoy your summer and try your best to keep your cool.

This story was originally published June 29, 2017 at 3:14 PM with the headline "Bless my heart, oh how I love Southern biscuits and sausage gravy."