Chicken fried steak recipe... some comfort food Texas style

Where are those yeast rolls?

Chicken fried steak is in the top of the list for comfort foods. There is nothing like a well prepared chicken fried steak, smothered in some creamy pepper gravy. All that sitting on top of some smashed potatoes, with some fried corn on the cob and don't forget those big ole fluffy yeast rolls and you have a rib sticking, soul satisfying dinner. This also fits into the category of budget minded meals. Because the main course is a "cheaper" cut of meat.

Now it doesn't necessarily fit into the healthy "category", but there are a few ways to lighten up this meal... a little! But why!

So get ready to have a Texas style chicken fried steak dinner (or lunch)... guess it is time for a cowboy style "MJM Mouthgasm".

Chicken Fried steak recipe

1-2 pounds cube steaks

Flour station:
Flour
egg wash (2 eggs, 1/4 cup milk, 1 T - Worcestershire sauce, dash of nutmeg, dash of MJM seasoning beaten together)
Flour

MJM seasoning
Kosher salt to taste

Pre-heat a fry pan with peanut oil or you can use vegetable/canola oils.

Season the cube steaks with the MJM seasoning and salt. Next dip the cube steaks in the flour, coating both sides well, then dip into the egg wash. Using tongs, grab the cube steaks and dip back into the flour, coating well. Pick up the cube steaks with the tongs and when the oil is hot in the pan, carefully put the cube steaks into the pan, making sure not to splash yourself with the oil.

At this point, cook until golden brown on one side then flip the cube steak with the tongs and finish cooking. Remove from the fry pan and place on some paper towels to drain for a minute or two. You can keep them warm in a 300 degree oven while you are making the rest of the cube steaks. Once the cube steaks are cooked, remove the pan and drain the residue in the pan into a pie tin or something that won't melt or burn. Wipe the pan with some paper towels and place the pan back on the burner...

Now it is time to make the gravy...

3-4 T of butter
3-4 T of flour

1 - cups chicken stock
1 - cup beef stock
1/2 cup milk or half n half

Kosher salt and white pepper to taste
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Dash of nutmeg

Take the butter and melt in the fry pan. Next, take the flour and whisk it into the melted butter. You are now making a roux. Cook the roux over a medium heat for a couple of minutes to cook the flour. Don't let it get brown. Next, warm your stocks, it is best to add hot fluids to the roux, so it does not get lumpy. Whisking constantly, add the stocks to the roux. After a minute or so, add the milk to the gravy. Season to taste and let simmer for a few minutes.

O.K. hopefully you followed the links above so you could make the smashed potatoes, fried corn and the yeast rolls. Because if you did, it is time to "chow down"! Hey you made plenty, so I hope that you invited over some friends or maybe your neighbors! Invite somebody over and share this meal... that is what is important... sharing with others. What a great meal to share, too! You might want to serve a little wine with that and there is no better choice than a nice bottle of Beaujolais or an American Merlot.

On a side note... lately there is definitely change going on. Anytime there is change, there usually is a little discomfort. Think about it, if you go to the gym, after you work out, aren't your muscles sore? But after a day or so, the soreness goes away and you are a little bit stronger. The same goes with our spiritual gym. When we work out in the spiritual gym, you know, dealing with life's challenges, we are going to be sore or feel some discomfort.... things like losing our jobs or downsizing our business. Maybe it is losing our homes, cars and some of the luxuries that we enjoyed in the past. First off, those are all just material things... yea, I know, we all like those things and we will be able to enjoy those things again. But sometimes our destinies have different plans. God or whatever your higher power is, is always watching over you. Protecting you from life's challenges, that is if you have faith and trust. So deal with the soreness but don't get discouraged and don't be angry or stressed! These are the times where "gratitude" or what I like to call... "Gladitude" is so important to have. As one of our Prophets once quoted... "It is easy to be happy in times of wealth, health and nobility"... "but it is a true king who is happy in the worse of times".

Come on my friends, let's start showing "Happiness". Choose to be grateful. Don't get trapped in the past... it is the past. If you keep thinking of the past losses, that will only create more future losses. Start imaging what you want in life. Start imaging yourself in your "Dream Job"! Start dreaming of your new home... one that is nicer and better than the last home! Start dreaming of your new car! START DREAMING again. Life is constantly changing so there is no way that things will stay the same. The choice though is up to YOU, on which way your life will go.

Frank Sinatra once sang a song and the words are words to live by... that is if you have fallen in any way... "Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over... AGAIN"! That's right my friends... if you are blessed with this day, then you do have a chance to start all over again... don't forget that!

Until next time... start creating the life that you love, YOUR LIFE! Peace 2 U!