This afternoon I made one of my favorite meals: chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes. I bought the grass fed beef on special at Sprouts. Round steak is one of the tougher cuts of meat, so I tenderized it using a wooden mallet. I hammered at the meat on both sides to flatten the pieces. After that, I soaked them in citrus juice for an hour and fifteen minutes. I used lime juice, since I had bought fourteen limes for a dollar last week at Valley Produce. I made a glass of limeade to have with lunch using the leftover juice.
After letting the meat soak, I pan fried it in olive oil. First you dip the pieces into the flour, and then season them with salt and pepper. They fried up quickly, needing just five minutes on each side.
I served them with whipped potatoes. To make them, just boil some russet potatoes in water with an onion cut into quarters. After draining them in a colander, add some milk, and beat them on high with an electric mixer. Add butter, salt, and pepper to taste My mom always used white pepper, but I was out of it, so I substituted black pepper. This is a delicious, tasty, satisfying, and frugal meal. It's amazing how citrus changes the consistency of the meat. It was tender and easy to chew. You can also use apple cider vinegar. I am a huge meat and potatoes fan. The leftover drippings make an excellent country gravy.
I have been working on my knitted shawl each day. This is another La La Simple Shawl, designed by Laura Linneman. It is a free pattern on Ravelry.
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Beautiful shawl! (knitting and color). I love chicken-fried steak!! I first had it decades ago; we lived in Texas and a nice older lady in our apartment complex cooked it for us...good memories. So that is the trick...lime juice to tenderize. And onions cooked and mashed with the potatoes. I've heard of garlic but sometimes people don't like garlic...so onions sound great. Andrea
ReplyDeleteThanks Andrea. I love the color, too. It will shift into a burgundy. It's the second half of the skein I used on the last one with the grey and pink.
DeleteYes, any citrus juice will work to tenderize the meat. Onions give the mashed potatoes a hint of sweetness and a delicious flavor.
Can I come for dinner? LOL
ReplyDeleteThat recipe sounds delicious. And simple.
I love the color you picked for this shawl.
Sure, Nil. Too bad you don't live closer; that would be fun. It is a simple and delicious meal. It's old fashioned country cooking.
DeleteI love this shade of rose, too. Thanks.
You are making me hungry! ;)
ReplyDeleteI still have to deal with "cooking for one" syndrome on a regular basis. :( I tend to cook things like meat in batches, portion and freeze, then thaw as needed. Next batch cooking/baking weekend is in two weeks. Weather is cooling off a bit, size I am beginning to look forward to it. Technically, weather is warming up again, but it should begin the cooling cycle again after Hallowe'en. It has been a rather wild October for us!
Your shawl is gorgeous!
Taja
Hi Taja, Thank you. I am pleased with the shawl. That's interesting that you freeze your meals. I have a tendency to forget what is in my freezer, so I just make smaller portions. This meat was eaten immediately, though. I'd forgotten how delicious it is.
DeleteFresh is best--at times! lol Sometimes I like leftovers just as much!
DeleteAfter 25 years of caring for my parents and uncle, I am pretty disciplined about labeling freezer containers and actually using them. I used to cook, portion and freeze every three weeks to facilitate having dinner available by 7 p.m. That has extended to four or five weeks, with at least one week dedicated to using primarily freezer, refrigerator and pantry items, supplemented by a little fresh produce. Let's just say the variations can be rather interesting! ��
Taja
Wow! 25 years...that's a long time, Taja. You sound very organized with your cooking and meal planning.
DeleteThat sounds like proper tasty nourishing winter food.. And oh boy is it wintery today here.
ReplyDeleteHi Cherie, It was. I'm so happy to be cooking again. I hope you are staying warm. Enjoy your crafting...
DeleteLovely comforting food.
ReplyDeleteYes, Simple Living. It was very satisfying, too.
DeleteOh, that's delicious comfort food, Stephenie. That's the kind of meal my Mum would make, with carrots and peas, for dinner sometimes when I was growing up. Your shawl is going to be gorgeous, beautiful colour! Meg:)
ReplyDeleteHi Meg, My dad eats a lot of peas, too. I always forget about them. Thank you for the compliment on my shawl. I love the color, too.
DeleteThis post was delicious both in food and crafting beauty,
ReplyDeleteWhy thank you, Laurie.
DeleteChicken fried steak is my husbands favorite meal. Being a rotten wife I never make it for him! I should send him to your house!! The shawl is very pretty.
ReplyDeleteI can see why it's his favorite, Anita. I ate both of those pieces in one meal! I am still craving it. I thought it would last a few days. The tenderizing made a huge difference.
ReplyDelete