Chicken Fried Steak

Chicken Fried Steak is a great Sunday dinner.  It is crunchy and has a wonderful flavor.  The recipe is easy and I baked it instead of frying it which makes it a little healthier.

 

 

 

 

Chicken Fried Steak

 

 

 

Pre Heat oven to 350 degrees.

 

I started by cutting up a sirloin round steak into portions about the size of you palm.  I then took a mallet and pounded out the steaks on both sides.  I seasoned them and set them aside until I was ready to coat them.

 

I used one bowl for an egg wash which had in it 2 eggs, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and hot sauce.  

 

The second bowl had flour, corn flakes, Cajun seasoning, chipotle seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, sriracha seasoning, and salt.  A few shakes of each will work.

 

I took the steak and put it into the egg wash then in the flour corn flake mixture until it is coated completely.  I sprayed the bottom of a glass bake dish with nonstick spray and put the steaks in the dish along with a few pats of butter around the steaks. 

 

 

 

 

They went into the oven for 35-45 minutes.  The inner temperature of the steak should be 140 – 160 degrees. 

 

 

 

Gravy

 

While the chicken fried steaks are cooking I made up some gravy for them.  I took some sliced mushrooms, a garlic clove, sliced onions, Worcestershire sauce, steak sauce, and butter.  Cooked them  on low heat until the onion is translucent. 

 

 

 

 I then added 2 tsp at a time of Wondra flour and stirred until it absorbed all the butter and juice.  I then put in ½ cup of half and half.  Stir that until it is smooth.  When that comes to a boil I turned down and let cook for a few minutes.   After a few minutes it will start to thicken and if not I added another spoonful until it was as thick as I needed.  If it is too thick you will need to add some more half and half.

 

 

Let the chicken fried steak cool for a few minutes before serving when it comes out of the oven.  Top with Gravy and enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another Chicken fried steak recipe

 

Fish Chowder

This Fish Chowder recipe is an easy dish which tastes delightful and is very good for you.  It is full of flavor and is a favorite of everyone even people who don’t love fish.  Below is the history of Chowder for those that are interested.

Fish Chowder

The picture above is taking out just the fish and vegetables.

I started this fish chowder recipe with a can of creamed corn and poured that in the bottom of a glass baking dish.  

I then add three pieces of tilapia filets resting on top of the corn or you can use any type of white fish.  I love tilapia because it is light and doesn't have bones.

I seasoned the Fish Chowder with paprika, chili powder, onion powder, garlic, Italian seasoning, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. A couple of sprinkles will work.   You can add any extra ones you like or omit the ones I named if you don’t like them.

The next layer of this Fish Chowder recipe consist of layering mushrooms, sliced onions, and peppers on top of the fish.  I topped it with cilantro and put it in the oven for about 30 minutes.  When it came out I put cheese over the top and when it was melted the Fish Chowder was done.

I took the Fish Chowder for lunch the next day and it was wonderful.  It would be a way to get you kids to eat fish without tasting the fish.

Enjoy

Chowder History

http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/ChowderHistory.htm

Chowder has its roots in the Latin word calderia, which originally meant a place for warming things, and later came to mean cooking pot. A simple dish of chowder, in the past considered to be "poor man's food," has a history that is centuries old. Vegetables or fish stewed in a cauldron thus became known as chowder in English-speaking nations, a corruption of the name of the pot or kettle in which they were cooked. Different kinds of fish stews exist in almost every sea-bound country in the world.

Tuna Fish Cakes

Tuna Fish Cakes

These Tuna Fish Cakes turned out amazing. This recipe was inspired by my brother’s suggestion to come up with a recipe to use all those cans of tuna fish in the pantry.   So this tuna recipe is that way but it may be a reason to go buy more tuna fish.

Tuna Fish Cakes

I started the tuna fish cake recipe with two cans of tuna fish in a large bowl but it is fine to just half the recipe for just one.

I diced up very small celery, yellow pepper, onion, and one whole jalapeno (about 1/2 cup total). Add this to the tuna and stir. Next add 2 eggs, sriracha sauce to taste (leave it out if you don't like hot and spicy), finely shredded cheese (whatever amount you want), whatever seasoning you like and then bread crumbs or some other crumble mixture. (crackers, pretzels, bread crumbs, or crumbled potato chips) I used seasoned stuffing that I finely ground in the food processor. Use enough to make the patties stick together. They will be kind of crumbly but squeeze them together good.

Heat a pan with a little oil or nonstick spray. Drop in the tuna fish cake patties when the pan is hot and cook on that side a few minutes. You can make then whatever size you want, small for an appetizer or large for dinner. Try not play with the tuna fish cakes too much because they will fall apart. Flip very carefully and cook on the other side a few minutes. Shut off stove and sprinkle with cheese and let melt. I used mozzarella but you can use whatever you like or have on hand.

When the cheese is melted on the tuna fish cakes they are ready to eat. Very quick meal with a very inexpensive high protein tuna recipe product.

Enjoy




Fish cake recipe

Jambalaya

This is a wonderful dinner for those cold nights. It is easy to make and I usually start with a box of Jambalaya mix and add a few other ingredients. Only takes about 30 minutes to be table ready.

Jambalaya

I start the Jambalaya with the box mix because it is easier than trying to season to get it spicy so I let them do the hard work. I pour in the mix with a couple cups of water and let that start boiling. I will cut up the sausage into bit size pieces and put it into the mix. You can use any combination of sausage or sea food you would like. I will usually pick precooked sausage or cook it before I add it to the pot. I then add a can of diced tomatoes, green chilies, black beans and some diced peppers. If this sounds too spicy leave out the green chilies or if it needs more add some jalapenos.

When the Jambalaya comes to a boil you need to simmer it for about 15 minutes or until the rice is done.

Serve the Jambalaya with corn bread or crackers.

Enjoy


Slow cooker Jambalaya

Penne Alfredo

This is a wonderful meal that will satisfy every member of the family.  It is easy to make and can be whipped up in about 20 minutes.  Have fun with it and enjoy the left overs that seem to taste even better than the night you cooked it.

Penne Alfredo

 

 

I started with boiling some Penne noodles. 

 

 

 

In another pan I sautéed in 2TBS of butter some red and yellow peppers, onions, and mushrooms.   I added some salt, pepper.  When the veggies were soft and translucent I added this to the penne noodles and let it sit while I made the Alfredo Sauce. 

 

I added a stick of butter to the pan and melted it. When the butter was melted I added 2 cup of heavy cream and 3 cups of Parmesan cheese.   I added some more salt and pepper and some other seasonings I like.  You can add them or others you like if you don’t like or have the ones below.

(paprika, garlic, onion powder, Italian seasoning and oregano

 

 

 

 I combined the penne noodles to the Alfredo sause and tossed.

When the Alfredo sauce I added to the Penne noodles was warm I add some fresh peas and chopped ham.  I kept it on medium heat until it was hot through.  You can add it all to a bake safe dish and top the Penne Alfredo with the cheese or a sprinkle of some bread crumbs of your choice and put it in the oven for a little bit if you like.  If it seems too dry add a little more cream.  There should be plenty left for lunches or dinners for the week.

 

 Enjoy

 

 

Other Penne Recipes

Goulash

This is the Flashback dinner recipe.

This goulash  recipe that my mom made on a regular basis and I still love it today. It is one of the best comfort foods of the past. You can make it a variety of ways so don’t worry about following the recipe just sub out what you don’t have in the cupboard for what you do. Cooking is not a science so don’t worry about measurements either. Here is the recipe.

Goulash

I started with a pound of ground beef and fried it up with some peppers, onions and celery. You can add or omit any of the veggies above.

I added some frozen meatballs I had in the freezer too and cut them in half. When that was warm I added some spaghetti sauce, can or two of tomatoes. Now you can use whatever red sause or tomatoes. Tomatoe paste, puree or any other will work. Can spaghetti sauce works well because it has lots of seasoning in it already. If you would like to make sauce from scratch I have added a link to a recipe for that below.  You can add salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, oregano, basil or just some Italian seasoning. You can add any other seasoning you like. Let it simmer for a bit so the flavors can get happy together.

Boil some noodles. This choice is up to you so whatever you have you can use. I used egg noodles but the original goulash my mom made called for plain macaroni.

When they are done add them to the sauce and toss.Warm it and it is ready to serve.Add some cheese on top when you dish it up. This is wonderful old fashioned goulash.

Enjoy


Old fashioned from scratch spaghetti sause recipe

Chicken Fried Rice

This great chicken fried rice recipe is easy to make and everyone will love it. Great to have left overs because it taste better the next day.

Chicken Fried Rice

In a large frying pan cook on medium heat onion and celery with the boneless, skinless chicken of your choice. I use chicken thighs or you could use chicken breast or tenders. Use any amount of onion and celery that you like or omit if you don’t like them.

Make rice (minute or long grain) according to package directions. When it is finished you put it into a large frying pan and start to recook the rice.

Add the chicken and veggies to the pan of the fried rice and flip or stir until hot. Add chicken stock so it doesn’t get too dry before it cooks through.

Sever the chicken fried rice with the Chow mein recipe here on the blog.
 

Chicken chow mein recipe

 

 

You should add a bag of frozen or a can of mix vegetables, mushrooms and seasoning.

Some seasons you could add are ginger, parsley, tai, and soy or chili sauce.

Taste every 5 minutes to make sure it is seasoned to your liking and enjoy this wonderful comfort food of chicken fried rice.

Enjoy




The history of fried rice

Liver and Onions

 

I know Liver and Onions is not the most wanted recipe but it can be made to be very tasteful.  Just season with lots of different flavors and it will be wonderful.

 

Liver and Onions

 

I fried up ½ pound of bacon with some onions and peppers.  Take out the veggies and bacon set them aside.

 

 

Start by putting egg wash or yogurt in a dish and bread crumbs or crushed up pretzels in another dish. 

 

 

 

Put liver in liquid and roll in crumbs.  Heat back up the pan of bacon fat.  When hot put in the coated liver.

 Cook for about 10 minutes and flip.  Cook for about 10 more and you can flip it one more time if you need.  When there is 5 minutes left put the liver, onions, bacon and veggies in the pan together.  Heat them so everything is hot.  This is truly the best liver and onions recipe you can find.

 

 

 

Enjoy

 
Liver and onion recipes

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

My deal of the week was finding gluten free cookie mix for .99 a box.  Decided to try it because I am trying to eat more gluten free foods but I need dessert.  The box had flour and brown sugar in it so I added the rest and made a wonderful gluten free chocolate chip cookies.  The box mix was gluten free but it may not be if you add products with gluten in them to beware about what you might want to add to the cookies.  If you don't have the gluten free cookie mix you can use gluten free flour and brown sugar as the subsitute. 





Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Start by pre heating the oven to 350 .

I took out the gluten free cookie powder mix and put it in a large bowl.  I added a stick of butter and one egg.  1 tsp of vanilla extract will make it sweet.

I mixed in 1 cup of chocolate chip and 1 cup of diced pecans but you can add any amount or kind of chips you would like.  Only rule is there can't be more chips than batter.

Bake the gluten free chocolate chip cookies for 10 minutes and let sit until they are not soft anymore and transfer them to a cooling rack.





Enjoy




More Gluten Free Cookies

Pot Roast

This is a wonderful pot roast recipe because the crockpot does most of the work.  It can be loaded in the morning and it will be ready for dinner.  Makes for a wonderful comfort meal on cold nights plus extra for leftovers all week.  It can be made with any kind of vegetable you like and remember to not add anything you don’t like but more of the ones you do.

 Pot Roast

Take your cut of meat and season it with whatever you like.  I use a grill rub and paprika.  Next sear it on both sides which will only take a few minutes or if you don’t have time that is fine just skip the next part, add enough water directions.

**(Sear definition: Grease a pan and heat it up so it is really hot.  Drop the meet in it and leave it for about 5 minutes until the meat turns brown but watch so it doesn’t burn. Flip it and do the other side and do the same.  This is done to hold in the moisture of the meat but is not a necessity.)

Put roast in the bottom of the crock pot. 

If you seared the meat take the frying pan that you used and add a little water.  Stir it so all the bits on the bottom have come off the pan and pour it over the Roast in the crock pot.

Add enough water, bouillon or some other fluid to cover the meat.  (Apple juice would work)

You can then add any or all of the following: potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, Brussels sprouts, zucchini, peppers, squash or sweet potatoes.  If I have forgotten a vegetable you love go ahead and add it. 

Season well with whatever you like, cook on low or high depending on your slow cooker for 5-7 hours or until the meat is 160 degrees.  I like to cook it until it until the pot roast falls apart easily.   This is such a wonderful slow cooker recipe.

**(I use salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, basil, cumin, paprika, paprika, chili powder, and whatever looks good at the time.)

 Enjoy



Roast Beef Recipe

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Corned Beef and Cabbage is a really good dinner with lots of left over options. One of my favorite is a Ruben sandwich the next day.  It can be cooked on the stove, in the oven or in a slow cooker.  I usually pick the slow cooker because I think it is the easiest.

 

 

 

Corned beef and Cabbage



 

 

 

 

Put the Corned Beef in a crockpot and pour some chicken bouillon in the bottom to cover the meat.  Season with whatever kinds of season you like.  I used garlic, celery salt, paprika, cumin, and salt and pepper.  One teaspoon of each will work or more if you want it a little spicier.  The Corned Beef has a flavor packed as well and you can sprinkle that over the meat if you like. 

 

 

I slice up usually 6 red potatoes, 1 pound of small carrots and ½ a head of cabbage cut up. 

 

 

Put the veggies on top of the corned beef and cabbage and cover.  Cook on high for at least 3 hours but I think 5-8 is a better.  The corned beef should have an internal temperature of 145 degrees. 

 

Enjoy



Other slow cooker corned beef recipes

Crispy Chicken

This crispy chicken is baked in the oven and is so moist yet crunchy on the outside.  I used a rub which was very spicy and it was still there when we ate the chicken.  It is a great alternative to fried chicken.






Crispy Chicken

The rub I created was made of about 4 Tbs of each of the following ingredients except salt for 3-5 pounds of chicken.  Paprika, chili powder, garlic power, oregano, ground rosemary and tyme, Tai chili powder, poultry seasoning, celery salt, black pepper, Chipotle seasoning, and no salt Mexican seasoning.  I put in only 1Tbs of salt.

I rubbed the chicken with all the spice that I mixed up.  I rubbed it well on the both side.

I put the chicken in the oven and baked the chicken.  It is the heat of the oven that makes it crispy chicken so frying is not needed.

Bake on 350 degrees for about 60 minutes until the meat is 170 degrees.  During the last 20 minutes of cooking you can add a sauce of your choice to the chicken.  I added bbq sauce to the crispy chicken and it was out of this world. 

The Crispy chicken recipe was delicious and the skin was crunchy like it was coated but I did not.

Enjoy


Other Chicken recipes

Beet Salad

This is a wonderful beet salad that is a great cold salad that is full of protein.  It is easy to make and will last refrigerate for up to a week. 

Beet Salad

I used 1 can of beets but you can cook fresh beets.  You will need 3-4 Bulbs for this salad.  I don't always have the time or you may not be able to get them all year round.

I then added one can of garbanzo beans drained and 1/4 a red onion diced. 

I put a little olive oil and the juice of half a lemon.   I seasoned it with salt, pepper and rosemary. 

You can add any amount of shredded parmesan or Romano cheese.  Add any additional seasoning you like.  Taste along the way and add more seasoning if you want.

Stir and let it the beet salad sit in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.

Enjoy

 More Beet Salads

Beer Cheese Soup

This is a wonderful beer cheese soup that will warm you up and give you the extra protein you need to do all that spring cleaning.  I you don't want to add the beer you can just add a little more chicken broth to equal that amount of beer you would normally add.  Either way this soup is wonderful.  I paired it with some cornbread.  That recipe is in this blog if you want to look that up too.

 

 

Beer Cheese Soup

 

 

 

 Sauté onion and garlic together for a few minutes then add 1 cup celery and carrots to the pan and cook until soft.  Add 1tps hot pepper sauce, ½ tsp cayenne, ½ tsp salt and pepper or more if you like any of these ingredients.   

 

Add 3 cups of chicken broth, and 2 cups of beer, 1/3 cup butter and stir to combine.  Add slowly while stirring 1/3 cup flour. 

 

 

Add 4 cups of milk or half and half.  Stir until mixed well.  Add 6 cups of shredded cheddar cheese or more if you like it creamy.   Then add 1/3 cup of cream cheese and 1/3 cup of sour cream.

 

Last thing to add to this beer cheese soup is 2 TBS of Worcestershire Sauce, 1 TBS Dijon mustard, and 1 tsp dry mustard.

 

Simmer the beer cheese soup for 10 minutes and serve.  I made cornbread to go with the recipe that is in this blog a couple of days ago.

 

Enjoy

 

Best soup recipes