The Buttercreme Baker

Chicken-Fried Steak Revisited

Those of you who read my blog regularly may remember that I posted a recipe for chicken-fried steak a while back. Not totally satisfied with that particular take on the classic dish, I continued my search for the perfect recipe.

The search is over people. The triple breading in addition to the bock beer makes for a really crispy crust, even under all of that gravy. For the spicy gravy, you absolutely must use fresh cracked pepper, trust me, it makes all the difference in the world.

Chicken-Fried Steak (Adapted from contributor Bugsbunnyfan on Recipezaar)

 

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons pepper, freshly ground

1 teaspoon cayenne

2 eggs

1/2 cup cream

1/2 cup bock beer or strong lager

2 cups vegetable oil

4 round steaks, tenderized (about 1/2 pound each)

1/4 cup unsalted butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 1/3 cups milk

salt, to taste

1 teaspoon cracked pepper

Prepare the flour spice by blending the flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a shallow dish. Set aside.

Prepare the batter by mixing the eggs with a whisk, in a large dish. Add the cream, and beer. Whisk to blend.

Set aside. In a deep, heavy skillet (cast iron preferably), heat the oil to 350 degrees. While the oil is heating, prepare the round steaks by dredging them in the flour mixture, taking care to evenly coat the meat. Shake off any excess.

Dip the meat into the batter, and then again in the flour mixture, evenly coating the batter so it is dry on the outside. When the oil temperature reaches 350 degrees (when a drop of batter sizzles when dropped in it), gently slide two steaks into the hot oil. Cook the steak about 5 minutes per side until the batter is nicely browned. Drain the cooked steak on paper towels and keep warm. Repeat with the other steaks.

Hold the cooked steaks in a 225 degree oven until all four are done. Pour cracked-pepper gravy over the steaks and serve.

CREAM GRAVY

Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan.

When the foaming subsides, whisk in the flour. Continually whisk until the flour cooks, becoming a fragrant light brown.

Slowly add the milk, continuing to whisk to keep lumps from forming.

Season with salt and fresh, cracked pepper.

Simmer gravy for 10 minutes to cook and reduce. Serve hot.

 

Soup to Nuts

There's nothing more satisfying than a good Autumnal soup. I'm all about simplicity and this recipe for Pasta e Fagioli is just that.

1 lb ground beef

½ medium onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

28 oz diced tomatoes

16 oz red kidney beans

16 oz white kidney beans

15 oz beef stock

1 ½ t oregano

1 t pepper

2 ½ t parsley

1 t hot pepper sauce

8 oz spaghetti sauce

6 oz pasta

Brown beef in a skillet. Drain fat and add to crock pot along with everything except for the pasta. Cook on low for 7-8 hrs or on high for 4-5 hrs. During the last few minutes, cook pasta in a separate pot and add to soup in individual serving portions. Garnish with shaved parmesan.

\

On Sunday, my church held a "50 States Rally" to raise money for our choirs. I was asked to design a cake incorporating the significance of the rally along with the musical aspect of the day.

The choir, states, and ribbon were all made out of modeling chocolate, both white and milk. The states were hand-painted to resemble a topographical map.

Alaska and Hawaii were also represented in this cake, both were chocolate.

 

Olé

I so love a good taco salad, any variation will do. Whether it's made with crisp, fresh tortilla chips, blue corn tortillas or in this instance, Doritos, it's hard to make a disappointing one.

The spicy seasoned meat is also interchangeable. The ground beef that I used can easily be replaced with ground turkey, small inexpensive cuts of stew beef or cubed chicken breast.

Feel free to experiment with cheeses as well, there are so many tasty options I feel guilty using just cheddar on this one. It features Fajita seasoned lean ground beef, sharp cheddar, and mixed leafy greens on a cheesy foundation of Doritos. Not exactly haute cuisine but, it's quick and very satisfying.