Country Fried Goodness

As always, the day our son starts school we go to work. I discovered long ago that hanging around the house after dropping off the boy only makes me lonely for him. He is now (officially) a sophomore in high school who says he doesn't want to go to school, but rises early of his own accord, bounces off the walls until it is time to leave, and comes home with funny stories about his teachers and friends. (These always do my heart good because I know he's really excited to begin anew, he just has to pretend he's not when his friends are around.) So, after we all put in a long day something extra good was in order for tonight's dinner: chicken fried steak.

Over the weekend I discussed making this with my mom, who was also contemplating the dish. This is a home style favorite that is quite simple, but never fails to satisfy. In addition, it's a good way to use up extra hamburger (or turkey burger) patties from the freezer. Start by dredging the patties in flour (liberally doused with salt and pepper). Next, dip them in a combination of beaten eggs and milk before putting them back into the flour for a final coating. Once covered, fry them over medium heat in a good layer of vegetable oil until they are crispy, brown, and oh-so-yummy.

Of course, chicken fried steak MUST have a potato side dish. Baked potatoes are good, but mashed are even better. There is just something about the creamy mashed potato texture with the slightly crunchy coating on the patties. In addition, since country gravy is also a must, mashed potatoes are naturally the best choice. For the gravy, I drain off most of the oil leaving the little crusty tidbits in the bottom of the pan before adding milk and flour. To keep the gravy from getting lumpy, put the flour and milk in a jar and shake them up well before adding them to the pan. From that point, it only takes a minute or two of stirring with more salt and pepper to make perfectly thick, creamy gravy. (Even though I just finished eating this, thinking about it makes me want another bite or two.)

As we munched down dinner tonight, I wondered why I don't make this more often. It is simple, tasty, and (best of all) it reminds me of growing up and home. Even Arizona's July heat can't trump those reasons to stand over the stove for just a few minutes.