Chicken Fried Steak with Cream Gravy

I love chicken fried steak!  I order this quite often when we dine out, but so easy to fix at home.  Add some mashed potatoes and sweet corn and you have a super delicious dinner.  Although, this time I served with Skillet Braised Brussel Sprouts Skillet-Braised Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Shallots.

• 4 cubed steaks (2 lbs.) (I call these minute steaks)
• 2 teaspoons House Seasoning, divided (*See recipe below)
• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 cup heavy cream

Season steaks with 1 teaspoon house seasoning.

In shallow boil, mix together the flour and remaining 1 teaspoon house seasoning.  In separate bowl, beat together buttermilk and egg.

Dredge steaks in seasoned flour, shaking off any excess, then dip into buttermilk mixture, letting any excess drip off, and then dip again into the flour to coat.

In a large skillet (I like to use cast iron), heat the oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers.  You want it real hot.  Cook the steaks until browned, about 3 minutes per side.  Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Drain all but 3 tablespoons of the oil from the skillet.  Add 3 tablespoons of flour from the bowl of seasoned flour and whisk until browned, about 2 minutes.  Add the broth and cream and bring to a boil.  Stir until thickened, about 2 minutes.  Taste and add more house seasoning, if needed.  Serve.

Makes 4 servings.

House Seasoning:  1/2 cup salt, 2 tablespoons pepper, and 2 tablespoons garlic powder.  Mix together and store in a spice jar.  I use this with several different recipes.  You can double the recipe or make half this amount.  

“God’s Word provides the ingredients we need to thrive spiritually.”

Amish Cook’s Poor Man’s Steak

This is an old classic recipe.  So delicious!!  I actually made 5 steaks, but you could make however many you want in whatever size you want.

• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1 small onion, chopped (I used dried onion)
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of mushroom soup (I used golden mushroom, but I think cream of mushroom with roasted garlic would be good too.)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 (4-oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9-inch square baking dish and set aside.  (I used a cast iron skillet.)

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, bread crumbs, onion, eggs, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Knead the mixture with your hands until it is smooth and uniformly combined.  Shape the meat mixture into a loaf and cut into 6 slices.  Or you can slice it into however many patties you want.

In a greased skillet, fry the meat slices until browned on each side. Drain off the excess grease and transfer the browned slices to the prepared baking dish.

In a medium bowl, combine the mushroom soup, water, and milk.  Stir until smooth.  Pour the soup mixture evenly over the meat slices and sprinkle with the drained mushrooms.

Bake uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes, until the meat slices are cooked through and the sauce is bubbling.

Serves 6.

“Christ’s cross provides the only safe crossing into eternity.”

Prime Rib

I have made prime rib many, many times and never put it here on my blog, so here goes.  This is so easy to make and super delicious.

• Standing rib roast (3 to 7 ribs (estimate 2 people per rib), bones cut away from the roast and tied back to the roast with kitchen string.  (I used a boneless roast this year.)
• Salt and pepper

Remove roast from the refrigerator 3 hours before you start to cook it.  Sprinkle it with salt all over and let it sit.

Cut bones away from roast and tie them back on to the roast with kitchen string.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  Pat roast dry and sprinkle it all over with salt and pepper.

Place roast fat side up and rib bones down in a roasting pan.

Brown roast at 500 degrees temperature in oven for 15 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.  To figure out the total cooking time, allow about 11-12 minutes per pound for rare and 13-15 minutes per pound for medium rare.

The actual cooking time depends on so many things.  Shape of the roast, how chilled it is when it goes into the oven, and whether it is flatter or thicker.

You need to use a meat thermometer.  Roast in the oven until thermometer registers 115 degrees for rare or 120 -130 degrees for medium.  (The internal temperature of the roast will continue to rise after you take the roast out of the oven.)

Check the temperature of the roast using a meat thermometer an hour before you expect it to be done.

Once the roast has reached the temperature you want, remove it from the oven and cover it with foil and let it rest for 30 minutes before you carve it.  (It continues to cook as it sits so don’t let it sit any longer than that.)

Put it on a carving board and slice into 1/2″ to 3/4″ thick slices.

“Trials can be God’s road to triumph.”

Cheesy Avocado Quesadillas

I have to say, these are so good they are addicting.  Very easy and a quick supper on the table in no time.

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix
• 1 (4-oz.) can chopped green chiles, drained
• 8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
• 1 (16-oz.) can refried beans, heated
• 2 avocados, peeled, halved, seeded and sliced
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Brown ground beef in a skillet over medium heat and cook until browned, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks.  Drain excess fat and stir in taco seasoning and green chiles; set aside.

Top tortilla with refried beans, ground beef mixture, avocado and mozzarella, and then top with another tortilla.  Repeat with remaining tortillas to make 4 quesadillas.

Place quesadillas onto the prepared baking sheet.  Place into oven and bake until the cheese has melted, about 8-10 minutes.

Makes 8 servings.

“We rest well when we’re in the loving arms and perfect will of God.”