White sauce gravy

My mom has used this recipe for many years and shared it with me in a recipe book she made for me for my wedding. I absolutely love this recipe and it can be used for so many things! Add sausage for biscuits and gravy or just use the gravy on potatoes or chicken fried chicken. The possibilities are endless!! 

This recipe makes a pretty good amount. If your cooking for 2 people or only need a little bit you can cut the recipe in half and you get the perfect amount. Or you can make the full recipe and freeze half for later in a ziplock freezer bag.

Ingredients
1/2 cup or 1 cube of butter or margarine
1/2 cup flour
3 or 4 cups of milk
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a sauce pan over low heat,  once melted add flour until smooth and lump free. ( if mixture gets to stiff, don't add anymore flour and add more butter until smooth. Mixture should look like a smooth paste. Pour a small amount in and stir with a wire whisk, until it's mixed well. Then add a little bit more milk and stir until blended. Keep repeating this step until it is all blended. ( I like to start with only using 3 cups of milk, then if it's to think I add the last cup. It is easier to thin the gravy then to try and thicken it). Turn up the heat to medium and continue stirring. Don't stop stirring or the flour sill stick to the bottom and make your gravy lumpy and it will burn. Stir until the milky mixture turns thick. Then remove from heat and stir occasionally to keep from sticking to the bottom. Gravy will thicken as it cools. At this point, if the gravy is to thick you can add the last cup of milk, a little at a time, until the desired constancy is met. Add salt and pepper until it taste like you like. ( I use a lot cause I really like the flavor it adds!!) Enjoy.

NOTE: If you get lumps, don't worry. Just stir your gravy with a wire whisk and that should smooth it out OR you can strain it through the a strainer and throw away your lumps. Best way to avoid lumps is to make sure you don't add the milk to quickly and make sure you have fully mixed in the milk until the mixture is smooth, before adding more. And DONT STOP STIRRING :)