Chicken Fried Steak

Chicken Fried steak maybe one the easiest things on this planet to make and for whatever reason people are intimidated by it! But I don’t think there really is any reason to be. So here it is.

CHICKEN FRIED STEAK

Steaks- (I use a cube steak, it more or less looks like ground beef but it is a steak however, you can use whatever kind of steak makes you happy but you will want it rather thin and to tenderize it if you chose not to go with the cube steak.)

Eggs- my general rule of thumb is you will need about 1 egg per 2 steaks. You can always add more egg but no reason to waste it!

Tad bit of water! To mix in with the egg

You favorite choice of bread crumbs (options include and are not limited to… panko, regular bread crumbs, dried bread sent threw a food processor, saltine crackers mashed into bits, pretty much whatever you want to use for breading is fine as long as you like the taste and the texture it creates.)

Butter

Oil

A hot skillet

So let us Begin!

First you are going to preheat your skillet to a fairly hot temperature about 300-350. I have made this before on both a stove top and an electric skillet, I like the electric just a bit better because mine is bigger but that is more or less the only reason.  Once your skillet is preheated add the butter and the oil, equal parts of butter to oil I start with about 2 tablespoons of each and if I need more I just add it as I need it! You want a good coating across the bottom of your cooking surface. Next you are going to whip your egg and water together in a container big enough to place your steaks (one at a time) to coat them on both sides, from the egg you take that steak right into your bread crumbs (I like Panko the best) one it is good and coated place it in the skillet and on to the next steak! With a temperature about 300 or so it will take a few minutes on each side.  You can check when to flip when the bread crumbs create a beautiful golden brown crispy deliciousness. Flip over and cook the other side a few minutes more and then pull out.

As a side not if your steaks are over ¼ inch thick and you do not like pink in your meat you will need to cook these longer to cook all the way through. However, you need to be careful not to burn your crust before you achieve your desired doneness level. This is why I like the cube steak; it cooks rather quickly without problems of burning the crust.

(After I flipped the fisrt one - to show the coloring)

Now I cheat a bit and use a packet of country gravy mix to put on top. Serve these beautiful steaks with cornbread or mashed potatoes and some veggies and a super quick and easy dinner on your table in no time!   

"Rob made Pot-stickers!"

Hello, my peeps.  ...or, a ...Becky's peeps.  Anyway...

Here's what happened:

We had these won-tons that Becky ended up not using in another recipe.  Plus, we had all these other ingredients at home, so I volunteered to make potstickers.  After all, they're yummy, and my buddy, Josh, had made pot-stickers before and said that it wasn't too hard and that I should try to do it myself sometime.  Well, I did, and Becky & Barbara can't stop eating or raving about them.  All I did was look up a couple recipes online for some pointers, and then (of course) I did my own thing, which was this:

Yummy! Ready to Serve!

Rob's Pot-stickers

1.25 lbs ground turkey
1.5 cups of whole leaf young spinach, finely chopped
3/4 cups finely shredded carrots
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped
1 egg
2 tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons ketchup
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ginger
5 shakes Szechuan pepper
3-4 shakes of cayenne pepper (coulda used more, I think)
3 shakes Chinese 5-spice

Watch out!!  Raw meat involved.

You'll also need:
1 12oz package won-ton wrappers
Water, to seal the won-tons
Coconut oil (for frying)
1.25 cups chicken broth



The following process takes a bit over an hour.

Directions:

The one I'm preparing here has
too much meat mixture.

1. Mix the first list of ingredients (from the turkey to the Chinese 5-spice) in a bowl until evenly mixed.
2. Drop a little less than a tablespoon onto a won-ton wrapper.
3. Wet the edges of the wrapper with water, and press them together.(Repeat until you run out of meat mixture or won-tons.)
4. Coat the bottom of a large frying/sauce pan on medium heat.

Repeat the following steps until all the won-tons are cooked.

5. Place several potstickers in the pan, leaving room to turn them over.
6. Cover and cook for 90 seconds, or so.
7. Turn them over, and cook for another minute
8. Add a quarter cup of chicken broth.
9. Cook uncovered for one more minute. (Total time in pan is 3.5 to 4 minutes.)
10. Breifly rinse and scrape the pan out, and place it back on the stove.
11. When dryish, add bit more coconut oil, and cook another batch.

Brown on one side, flip, brown, add broth.  These are spaced a bit too closely.

Then Eat.  ...and eat.  ...and eat.

Asian Chicken Noodle

So, a lot of times, you may see a recipe that looks pretty plain, or sounds pretty plain, and that's what I thought about this one when I first saw it in Jamie Oliver's cookbook. But  I finally gave it a try cause it said it was quick, and I was blown away by the flavor. So, if you're going to try at least one of my recipes, try this one. It's been picky eater approved.

Asian Chicken Noodle, adapted from Jamie Oliver's Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

Ingredients
Olive Oil
Ginger
Chinese Five Spice Powder
Szechuan Pepper
Onions, diced
Carrots, thinly diced
Chicken, chopped
Chicken Broth
Snow Peas
Bell Pepper (Choose your color), chopped
Rice Vermicelli (Thin Rice Noodles)
Spinach
Sunflower seeds, Poppy Seeds, Seasame Seeds

While you see salt on the oven, I didn't use it.

1. Put a skillet or wok with some oil olive on the oven at medium high heat
2. Once the oil is heated, put in your onions and carrots, and ginger. This is the stage where I also put in a pot on the stove with water for the rice noodles. Put in some salt, and watch the pot for boiling.
*Rob prefers his carrots to not be crunchy, so I cook this for a little longer than normal. You obiviously, will choose your own path.
3.  Before I add the chicken, I put in a lot of the Chinese Five Spice and a little less of the Szechuan Pepper.
4. Add chicken, cook until it is no longer pink, only white
5. Add chicken broth, let cook for a few minutes
6. Add snow peas, bell pepper, let cook for a few minutes.
7. Typically the water has boiled now. When the water is boiling, put in the rice noodles, however they cook very quickly, so keep your eye on them.
8. When the rice noodles have cooked, put them in a strainer, and allow to cool a moment. Add to skillet.

9. Add spinach and seeds.

You may now serve your dish! I would suggest using a bowl to serve them in. Also notice how full your skillet is. This is a hardy meal!

Cajun Chicken and Red Beans and Rice

I wouldn't say I've had much experience with Cajun food. In fact, I've had very little. I'd say the only thing that makes this remotely "Cajun" is the fact that I bought a seasoning mix at Penzey's called "Cajun Seasoning." So there you go, it's 100% legitimate.

Cajun Chicken
Chicken, diced
Salt
Cajun Seasoning (I really like the one at Penzey's)
Black Pepper
Diced Onions
Lemon Juice
Olive Oil

1. Heat oil in a skillet on medium high heat.
2. Put in onions to cook for a while
3. Season chicken with Cajun Seasoning, a little Salt, and black pepper
4. Cook chicken until there is no more pink

Red Beans and Rice (While Chicken is Cooking, or Start Before)
Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
Carrots, really diced
White Rice
Chicken Bullion Cube
Cajun Seasoning
Red Bell Pepper, really diced

If you have a rice cooker:
1. follow typical directions, only add one cube chicken bullion, a TBSP cajun seasoning, and the carrots.
2. Add the beans and the bell pepper after it finishes cooking.

If you do not have a rice cooker, follow rice directions on packages, only subsitiuting chicken broth (having dissolved your bullion cube in water) for water. Add beans and bell pepper when finished.

The feedback on this one was pretty positive. Rob said I should make it every four weeks, and that was really a compliment. If you have any cajun recipes, send them my way, because my first try had some great results.

The Red Velvet Revolution

Sometimes when I hear people gushing over Red Velvet Cake, Crackers, Bars, etc,  and they say things like "Red Velvet! How decadent!" I can't help but think "You're lying to yourself! It's only yellow cake with a tablespoon of coco powder and red dye!"

There I said it.

Chocolate Cupcake Experiment 1

I've decided one of my life goals is to make a delicious, white sugar free chocolate cupcake. This happened about two weeks ago when I made some cupcakes with Josh, and they were delicious. And they were gluten free. Not only were they gluten free and delicious when they came straight out of the oven, they were just as good the day after. Then I went to one of my favorite restuarants, known for their desserts, and spent 3.75 on a chocolate cupcake. I had a bite, and I thought to myself that the frosting was amazing, but that I felt I had made something a week before that was very similar to this fancy cupcake.

And *Poof*! The idea was born. Why should I let the bakeries have all the fun? Why can't I make a really, really, really good cupcake at home? Why can't I make a gluten free cupcake that tastes good, and doesn't have white sugar? (I'll post maybe some health related links on sucrose and fructose, maybe...) So, here are the results from experiment numero uno!

This Recipe is adapted from the cookbook Chocolate Cakes by Elinor Klivans. 

1 CUP Gluten Free Pantry All-Purpose Flour (This is a good one so far)
1/4 CUP UNSWEETENED Hersey's Special Dark DUTCH-PROCESS COCOA POWDER
1/2 TSP BAKING SODA
1/8 TSP SALT
1/4 CUP SALTED BUTTER (ROOM TEMP) *Salted is just what we had, oh well*
1/2 CUP CORN SYRUP
2 TBSP XYLITOL
2 TBSP Honey
2 LARGE EGGS
1 TSP VANILLA EXTRACT (ESSENCE)
1 CUP BUTTERMILK

1 CUP CHOCOLATE CHIPS
2 CUPS GANACHE, COOLED TO SPREADING CONSISTANCY

Preheat oven to 350.
1. Cream butter for a minute. Add Xylitol, cream.
2. Add corn syrup, and honey until smooth.
3. Add eggs one at a time, blend until smooth.
4. Add vanilla, blendn until smooth.
5. Put dry ingredients in a sifter.
6. Alternately add buttermilk and dry indredients. Start and end with buttermilk.
7. Add chocolate chips, stir in.
8. Pour into muffin pans, pour until each cup is 3/4 full.
9. Backe for 20-25 minutes based upon your oven. Cupcakes are done when insert a toothpick and it comes out clean.

They look really good, don't they? Lies! Well, they were really good when they first came out.

I know what you're thinking, "Corn syrup?! That's not healthy!" Well, unless I'm mistaken, and I could be, Corn Syrup or Glucose Syrup is different than High Fructose Corn syrup. High Fructose Corn Syrup is the dangerous one, and it shares some similarities with white sugar. Regular Corn Syrup is very low on Fructose, and actually not all that sweet.

Now for the ganache, which I royally blundered:

2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1 TBSP butter
A whole bunch of chopped chocolate
1 TSP vanilla

I don't know what I did wrong, but doesn't it look pretty? Lies!

You're supposed to slowly heat the cream with the butter, so that it doesn't form a skin, but that it melts the butter. Once it reaches about 175, and has tiny bubbles, you're supposed to take it off the oven, let it cool for half a minute, and then pour in the chocolate chips, and whisk it all together. Then whisk in the vanilla. Then let it to set for a half hour, and then frost the cupcakes.

I don't know what I did wrong, I only know that something seperated. So if it looks grainy in the pictures, that's probably because that's the seperation. I think we even tried to add cornstarch to fix what we had done, maybe that did it?

Special Note: I have been baking with Jacque Torres 60% chocolate, and it is very good chocolate. Pricey, but it's good. I'll post our chocolate contest later.

The verdict: It tasted great out of the oven.
Two days later: The frosting is chocolatey, the cupcake is a little dry, and it's time to go back to the drawing board.

A Song lyric comes to mind about the frosting, "Gotta Keep Em' Seperated"

Next experiment: Sour cream?

It doesn’t get much easier than a Homemade Honey baked Ham!

After feeling pretty tired all day (my norm these days) my sweet husband took the kids for a walk so I could take a nap. I woke up at 6:15 thinking if I don’t get dinner on the table soon we won’t be eating until midnight. So tonight’s dinner was ham and potatoes and the longest part of the process is the potatoes.

The potatoes I am cooking are your standard casserole potatoes (also known in my book as funeral potatoes)

2 cans cream of chicken soup

8oz Sour cream (~1/2 normal container) – I use reduced fat but use whatever works for you!

Green onion (however much you like)

~ 8 oz cheddar cheese

1 bad shredded frozen hash browns (~2lb)

***(Can you see I am really not much of an exact measurer!!!)***

Throw the first 3 ingredients  into a pot and heat until warm and bubbly at that point add  ¾ of your cheese and let heat until it is all melted and incorporated! Slowly add the hash browns and stir them until all mixed together. After it looks like a delicious mess dump into a large casserole dish and spread around till even. Top this wonderfulness with the rest of your cheese and place in a pre heated 375° oven for about 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly and you don’t want to wait anymore!

That was the hard part! On to the Honey Baked Ham!!!

My husband always asks when I cut up ham if it is precooked! As a general rule of ham, if it is pink and smells like you would want to eat it already it is precooked! We generally will buy small loafs of Ham in the meat section of the Grocery store they typically are NOT precut and are in about 2 lb packages!

For the Ham you will need a HAM cut into pieces no thin then ¼ inch and really not thicker then ½ inch. Really what you want is them cut as even as you can managed just so they cook (warm through) evenly! The only other thing you need is Brown sugar and Honey!
Cut the ham and put in a baking dish! (I ended up using ¾ of my ham because I used a tiny baking dish) It is ok if they over lap a little but you don’t want them completely covering one another! When all the ham is in there sprinkle on some brown sugar for my small baking dish I used 3 Tablespoons. Then take your honey and lightly squeeze a drizzle all over your ham and brown sugar! Remember this is a light flavoring not a main star so go light on the sweeter stuff, I always find it easier to add then take away!

Stick it in the same oven your potatoes are working in let them go! They will be down about the same time. If you have small children or a picky husband who like his veggies then you could make a veggie and if you are a bread lover like me feel free to add some rolls or what not (roll recipe to com e in the future) But it is all delicious so ENJOY!

(Dinner working away in the oven)