Chicken Fried Steak with Creamy Gravy

I'm still on my comfort food kick, so Chicken Fried Steak was on my menu last week. This meal was one of my favorite dishes that my Mother made when I was a kid, and I still love it. I don't make it much any more, but I still love this crispy, breaded steak served with mashed potatoes and lots of creamy gravy. Mmmmm, it doesn't get much better than this, if you are craving comfort food. Mom also made steak by dipping it in just flour only and then frying it, which is also tasty. But real Chicken Fried Steak has a nice crispy coating from dipping it in flour, then a milk mixture and the flour again. I don't usually use a recipe for this meal, but I've written out directions for those of you who maybe haven't tried making this before. You can use round steak and tenderize it yourself, or you can buy individual steaks that have already been tenderized at the store. Here's my method.

CHICKEN FRIED STEAK with CREAMY GRAVY

from Lynda's Recipe Box

1 1/2 pounds bottom round steak, cut into serving pieces and pounded about 1/2 inch thick with a meat mallet

about 1 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 - 1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder, optional

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup milk

canola oil for frying

1. Pound steaks with a meat tenderizer until thin, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.

2. Season steak with salt and pepper.

3. Place flour, salt, pepper, garlic and paprika in a plate and mix. Pour beaten egg and milk in another bowl that is wide enough to dip the meat into.

4. Heat a skillet, and about 1/2 cup canola oil, to medium or medium high heat

5. With a fork, or your hand, dip each steak into flour mixture, and then shake off the excess.

6. Then dip steak into the egg/milk mixture and then back into the flour. Lay on a clean plate.

7. Place each steak into a frying pan in the hot oil. Do not crowd the steak. Fry 2-3 minutes until golden and then turn the steaks over and cook until golden, another 2-3 minutes.

8. Remove steaks to a paper towel lined plate to drain. While making the gravy, I place the steaks in the oven, which is heated to the lowest heat setting. Place the steaks on a wire rack on a baking sheet, just to stay warm and crispy while making the gravy.

GRAVY: Drain all but about 3 tablespoons of oil from the skillet. Leave all the brown crispy stuff in the skillet. Add 3 tablespoons of flour to the oil and stir until combined and creamy. Cook this roux until it is lightly golden, a couple of minutes. Turn heat down, if needed. If the roux looks oily, add a bit more flour. Stir in 2 cups of milk, whisking until it bubbles and there are no lumps. Cook gravy until thick and creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste. If needed add more milk. I ended up using about 2 1/2 cups of milk total, but it depends on how thick you like your gravy. Now ladle gravy over hot mashed potatoes and Chicken Fried Steak. At this point I like to add more black pepper. I like this gravy well peppered, but go by your own tastes for this. Groan and enjoy!

NOTE: Start the mashed potatoes first, so they can cook while you make the steak and gravy.

Also, in these photos, the steak appears a bit darker than it really was.

Chicken Fried Chicken Breasts with Cream Gravy

Sometimes I get really strong cravings for certain foods, especially comfort foods. Fried chicken would be one of the strongest. It was one of my favorite meals growing up, plus anytime I go to the grocery store, the deli is cooking it and the aroma calls to me. But it's not as good as homemade. I don't indulge often, and sometimes when it's just my husband and me, I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. They are so handy, plus they cook quickly, making this a treat that I can even make during the week. Crisp on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside and topped with cream gravy and mashed potatoes on the side- that's good eating. Let me tell you, this meal satisfied my craving nicely -until the next time, that is. This is more of a method than a recipe, so measurements are approximate. I don't make this often, but this is one of my favorite comfort meals. Enjoy!


CHICKEN FRIED CHICKEN BREASTS with CREAM GRAVY


2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup flour, seasoned with salt and pepper

1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon milk

4 tablespoons oil(could need more, depending on size of skillet-oil should cover the bottom of pan about 1/8 inch deep )

Place each chicken breast between plastic wrap(one at a time) and pound with the flat side of a meat tenderizer, or a rolling pin, to an even thickness. Should be about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Place on a plate. Place seasoned flour in a shallow bow. Mix egg and milk in another shallow bowl. Season chicken lightly with salt and pepper. Take one piece of chicken and dredge in the flour, shaking excess off. Then it goes into the egg, again shaking off excess. Dredge it again in the flour and lay it on a plate. Repeat with other chicken.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When oil sizzles, place chicken pieces in oil and cook until golden and you can see the chicken turning white around the edges, 3-4 minutes. Turn chicken over and continue cooking, another 3 minutes or so. Remove chicken from skillet to another pan. Place in a 200 degree oven to keep warm while you make the gravy.

CREAM GRAVY

Remove all but about 1 tablespoon oil from the skillet, but leave in any brown, crispy pieces from the chicken. Add 1 1/2 tablespoon of flour to the oil and stir, letting the flour cook and brown a about 1 minute. Whisk in about 1 cup milk. Keep whisking as it begins to cook and thicken. The longer it cooks the thicker it will become, so you may need tot add more milk. Season with salt and plenty of pepper. I like lots of pepper in cream gravy. This makes about 1 cup of gravy, so you may need to double it if cooking for more than two or three people.

NOTE: If making mashed potatoes, start them first, before you start the chicken, because they will take longer to cook.

Homemade Sausage Gravy for Biscuits

About one month ago Son Number 2, bought his first home and moved out. We now just have our daughter at home. Son Number 2, Kyle, needed to do some work to his bathroom floor, so my husband took off work the week after Christmas. How does this relate to Sausage Gravy you might ask? Well, with my husband off work, and both of our sons cutting and laying floor tile, I was busy cooking up a storm for my hungry guys. Forget the diet foods that normally come after the New Year; I made comfort foods and stick-to-your-ribs, type foods for my hard working guys. Thus the Sausage Gravy. This easy dish is perfect for breakfast of course, but also lunch or an evening meal. Served with some creamy scrambled eggs, it's a wonderful meal. Here's how:

First, you need to brown the sausage in a large skillet, breaking the meat apart as it browns. I used Jimmy Dean sausage and there was very little fat in the pan. You can drain the fat off the sausage, if desired. I drain off the extra fat cuz I don't need it. I do not make a roux with this gravy, I just add the flour directly to the meat. The extra fat will not be missed. Trust me.

Just Sprinkle the flour over the meat and then stir it in until there is no flour showing. Continue to stir the sausage and flour for a minute, making sure it does not burn. Pour in part of the milk.

Stir until the gravy thickens, and then add more milk as needed. The gravy does need to cook and thicken a couple of minutes, long enough to cook the flour, and let the gravy thicken to your desired consistency. I usually end up using at least 2 1/2 cups of milk, or more. It's delicious! Sometimes you just need a plateful of Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits smothered in Homemade Sausage Gravy. It really hit the spot for my busy family. Give it a try!

HOMEMADE SAUSAGE GRAVY WITH BISCUITS- (biscuit recipe here)

1 pound of breakfast sausage

3 Tablespoons of flour

2 1/2 cups milk, or more

salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet(12 inch), brown the sausage. While it cooks, break the meat apart and turn the meat over as it browns. If the sausage starts to burn, turn the heat down. At this point, I drain off any fat in the skillet if there is any, but you may leave it if you desire.. I'm just for using less fat, if possible! When the sausage is done, sprinkle the flour over the sausage. Stir the flour into the meat and keep stirring for a minute or two, while the flour browns with the sausage. The flour will stick some, so it's important to keep stirring. Now, stir in 1 cup of milk and stir until thickened. It will be very thick. Add 1 1/2 cups more of milk. Cook and stir until thickened, several minutes. Now, taste the gravy to determine how much salt and pepper is needed. Each brand of sausage is different as to how much seasoning is added. I do like plenty of black pepper in my gravy. This will serve 4-6. If you desire a larger batch of gravy, add more flour in the beginning, and more milk. Enjoy!