Ok, tonight I am making Chicken Fried Steaks and Creamed Pan Gravy with Biscuits and being from the south, I do have some opinion on what this dish should really be. Growing up in Tenn. I have had many a dinner of chicken fried steak and for my taste, the white milk gravy is the way to go. ut there are others, like my grandfather, who refer a red eye gravy with their steak. So it is with some interest that I make tonight's dish, that I see calls for a brown gravy.
In all of my years of cooking, I have never actually made this item before, so in a way I am looking forward to it, or at least my dinner guest is, since I am a vegetarian. I let might guest pick tonight's dish and, although she knows I am not a meat eater, she picked this anyway, cause as she likes to tell me "A person needs to eat meat to be healthy"............I am not convinced, but here we go :-)
Ingredients
1 1 /2 pounds (1/2-inch thick) round steak
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon sweet paprika (I got paprika, but could not find "sweet" paprika at all at the store)
1 teaspoon salt, 1/3 palm full
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
2 eggs beaten
2 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups beef broth
1/4 cup half-and-half or cream,
1 package bake-off biscuits, prepared according to package directions
Waxed paper
Directions
Preheat large, heavy skillet over medium high heat.
Set steaks on to a waxed paper lined work surface and cover with another piece of waxed paper. Pound steaks to 1/4-inch thick. Pull steaks off work surface and set to the side. Line work surface with more waxed paper. Pour 1/2 cup flour into 2 piles on opposite sides of the work space. Add cornmeal, paprika, salt and pepper to 1 pile of flour. Beat eggs and water in a pie plate or shallow dish.
Cut steaks into 4 portions and coat in flour, eggs, then seasoned flour and cornmeal.
Add 2 tablespoons oil to hot pan and cook 2 steaks at a time. Brown steaks about 2 minutes per side, or until cooked and remove from the pan. Add 2 tablespoons more oil and repeat with remaining 2 steaks. Remove steaks to serving platter and pour off all but 2 to 3 tablespoons of drippings. Add 2 tablespoons flour to drippings and cook 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and season with salt and pepper. Whisk half and half or cream into gravy. When gravy bubbles, remove from heat.
Serve steaks and warm biscuits with gravy on top
The Verdict..........
Well my guest, she thinks this is the best thing I have made so far. I had a biscuit with some of the gravy and I have to admit, it is pretty good. I am taking her word that the steak is great.............her word and the cats too, they ate some steak and seemed to really enjoy it.
I will also say that as a side item, I mashed some potatoes to go with the steaks, as, I think when you have chicken fried steak, the only acceptable side dish is mashed potatoes.
I will also say, that although I liked this brown gravy, the southerner inside of me, is still wanting the white milk gravy.
Overall though, this was a success and was made in around 25 minutes.
In other somewhat Rachael Rayish news, this weekend, I am hoping to purchase a set of her cutlery, since the knife block I had, is like a twenty dollar set I got years ago and really is not getting the job done. So a trip to Crate and Barrel is in order or a trip to some place that I can find that sells Rachael's stuff.
Until tomorrow, I hope you all have a good evening.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Dinner with the Works
Wow, cooking everyday is taking a toll, it is work......enjoyable work.......but work all the same. Tonight it is Super Stuffed Potatoes with The Works. I have to say that going into the meal, i was a little exciting, since I am a big fan of the stuffed potatoe. I think because of all the various ingredient options it leaves open to you.......so here we go!!!!!
Ingredient
2 large potatoes Russets are the best for baking, just jab it a few times with a fork.
EVOO(as always:-)
4 slices center cut bacon, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
2 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, colby or smoked chedder(I use a mixture of all three)
Salt and black pepper
Preheat a small nonstick pan over medium high heat. Rub potatoes with a drizzle of oil. Place potatoes on a microwave safe plate and microwave on high for 12 minutes, rotating once. While potatoes cook, add chopped bacon to hot skillet and brown until bits are crisp. Add scallions and cook scallions together with bacon 1 minute more. Transfer bacon bits and green onions to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Allow potatoes to cool enough to be handled, 5 minutes.
Preheat broiler to high.
Cut potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh into a small bowl. Smash potato flesh together with sour cream until combined using a potato masher. Stir in cheddar cheese, bacon and scallions and season with salt and pepper, to your taste. Scoop filling back into potato skins and place on a cookie sheet. Place potatoes in oven and brown under broiler, 6 inches from heat 5 minutes
The verdict............well being a veg-head, I tried one without the bacon and it was fantastic, very filling and definitely a comfort food.
As for my unused bacon, my cats enjoyed it, so two paws up for rachael from them.
So until tomorrow's meal, everyone have a good night..............
Ingredient
2 large potatoes Russets are the best for baking, just jab it a few times with a fork.
EVOO(as always:-)
4 slices center cut bacon, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
2 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, colby or smoked chedder(I use a mixture of all three)
Salt and black pepper
Preheat a small nonstick pan over medium high heat. Rub potatoes with a drizzle of oil. Place potatoes on a microwave safe plate and microwave on high for 12 minutes, rotating once. While potatoes cook, add chopped bacon to hot skillet and brown until bits are crisp. Add scallions and cook scallions together with bacon 1 minute more. Transfer bacon bits and green onions to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Allow potatoes to cool enough to be handled, 5 minutes.
Preheat broiler to high.
Cut potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh into a small bowl. Smash potato flesh together with sour cream until combined using a potato masher. Stir in cheddar cheese, bacon and scallions and season with salt and pepper, to your taste. Scoop filling back into potato skins and place on a cookie sheet. Place potatoes in oven and brown under broiler, 6 inches from heat 5 minutes
The verdict............well being a veg-head, I tried one without the bacon and it was fantastic, very filling and definitely a comfort food.
As for my unused bacon, my cats enjoyed it, so two paws up for rachael from them.
So until tomorrow's meal, everyone have a good night..............
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Corner Bistro
Ok,today I made Greek Shrimp and Linguine for dinner. although I am getting this from one of rachaels books, i actually remember watching this show when it aired and it looked fantastic when she made it, so i looked forward to trying this out myself.
Ingredients
1 pound linguine
Salt
1 pound medium to large shrimp deveined and peeled
Pepper to taste
1/3 cup evoo
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Couple pinches red pepper flakes
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
2 sprigs oregano, finely chopped
Handful pitted kalamata olives, chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 cup feta cheese in crumbles
Place a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Salt water and cook pasta to al dente. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper.
While the pasta water comes to a boil, heat evoo in a deep skillet with garlic. When garlic is brown, remove and reserve. Add shrimp and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Add red pepper flakes, lemon zest, oregano, olives, and wine and cook together a couple of minutes more. Remove from heat. Add a cup of starchy pasta cooking water to sauce and some lemon juice. Remove the sauce from the heat. Drain pasta and add to the skillet. Let pasta soak in juices for a minute then toss with parsley and feta. Use tongs to pull pasta from skillet, giving it a turn to twist in as many ingredients as possible. Then, use the tongs to remove and arrange the shrimp and ingredients that may remain in the pan, distributing them evenly among the portions.
The verdict.............this is a really tasty dish that really does bring a "corner bistro" feel with it. Sophisticated and yet was easy to make, took me around 20 mins from start to finish.
My friend realy dug this, so much so, that I noticed she took all the leftovers home with her done up in my good tupperware :-)
Kudos to Rachael on this one, i have to say, I may have found a new favorite Rachael Ray dish...........
Ingredients
1 pound linguine
Salt
1 pound medium to large shrimp deveined and peeled
Pepper to taste
1/3 cup evoo
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Couple pinches red pepper flakes
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
2 sprigs oregano, finely chopped
Handful pitted kalamata olives, chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 cup feta cheese in crumbles
Place a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Salt water and cook pasta to al dente. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper.
While the pasta water comes to a boil, heat evoo in a deep skillet with garlic. When garlic is brown, remove and reserve. Add shrimp and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Add red pepper flakes, lemon zest, oregano, olives, and wine and cook together a couple of minutes more. Remove from heat. Add a cup of starchy pasta cooking water to sauce and some lemon juice. Remove the sauce from the heat. Drain pasta and add to the skillet. Let pasta soak in juices for a minute then toss with parsley and feta. Use tongs to pull pasta from skillet, giving it a turn to twist in as many ingredients as possible. Then, use the tongs to remove and arrange the shrimp and ingredients that may remain in the pan, distributing them evenly among the portions.
The verdict.............this is a really tasty dish that really does bring a "corner bistro" feel with it. Sophisticated and yet was easy to make, took me around 20 mins from start to finish.
My friend realy dug this, so much so, that I noticed she took all the leftovers home with her done up in my good tupperware :-)
Kudos to Rachael on this one, i have to say, I may have found a new favorite Rachael Ray dish...........
Monday, June 22, 2009
Turkey Gone Italian
Well, tonight I am making Turkey Cutlets with Rosemary and Cornmeal-Dusted Ravioli. I read over the recipe and I was curious if I could do this in 30 minutes of less. But before I launch into the ingredients, I want to say that tonight's dish called for pasta and i wanted to say that if you can, always try to get a 100% Whole Wheat pasta. Just read the label on the back and compare it to the white pasta and you will see why. Les calories, carbs, more vitamins, fiber, protein, etc.....basically the 100% Whole wheat, still has all the good stuff that the process white pasta, gets removed. Also make sure it says 100% Whole wheat and not just "Whole Wheat" cause sometimes, that is a bit deceiving.......so read the label!!!!
Ingredients
12 to 14-ounce package fresh ravioli filled with cheese, spinach or mushroom and cheese
Salt
1 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated or ground
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/3 pounds turkey cutlets
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, chopped, the yield of a few sprigs, stripped
Coarse black pepper
Fresh bay leaves, 1 for each cutlet or small dried bay leaves
2 lemons, zested and juiced
1 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth(if you have both available, use the vermouth...better flavor..........trust me on this one)
Place a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add a healthy dose of salt to boiling water to season it. Add ravioli and cook to package directions for al dente. Pour cornmeal onto a plate and combine with grated cheese, then season with nutmeg and black pepper. Heat a medium nonstick skillet over moderate heat and add 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Drain ravioli. Dust hot, cooked ravioli with cornmeal. Add coated ravioli to the skillet and brown on both sides, 3 or 4 minutes total.
While pasta is working, preheat a large skillet for cutlets over medium to medium high heat. Season turkey cutlets with chopped rosemary, salt and pepper. Choose small fresh or dried bay leaves or halve large leaves with kitchen scissors. Press a small bay leaf or 1/2 leaf into each turkey cutlet. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil to the pan; 2 turns around the pan in a slow stream. Turn cutlets over as you set them into the pan so that the bay leaf faces down. Cook the cutlets in a single layer, working in 2 batches if necessary. Saute the cutlets 4 or 5 minutes on each side. Transfer to a warm plate. Add the lemon zest and juice to the pan and deglaze the pan with wine or vermouth, pulling up any pan drippings with a whisk. Add remaining tablespoon butter to the pan, whisk it in and pour the pan sauce down over the cutlets. Serve the cutlets along side the fried ravioli and a small green side salad.
The verdict............why awesome of course........this is an extremely tasty dish, although it took me forty minutes to prepare......but that was mostly due to my getting distracted by my friend. Speaking of which, she really liked this dish too;-)
The view from the feline community........well they just ate this up, turkey cutlets, pasta and all...........they are already lying in the sun trying to digest......
If you get a chance, this is a must try :-)
Until tomorrow
Ingredients
12 to 14-ounce package fresh ravioli filled with cheese, spinach or mushroom and cheese
Salt
1 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated or ground
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/3 pounds turkey cutlets
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, chopped, the yield of a few sprigs, stripped
Coarse black pepper
Fresh bay leaves, 1 for each cutlet or small dried bay leaves
2 lemons, zested and juiced
1 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth(if you have both available, use the vermouth...better flavor..........trust me on this one)
Place a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add a healthy dose of salt to boiling water to season it. Add ravioli and cook to package directions for al dente. Pour cornmeal onto a plate and combine with grated cheese, then season with nutmeg and black pepper. Heat a medium nonstick skillet over moderate heat and add 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Drain ravioli. Dust hot, cooked ravioli with cornmeal. Add coated ravioli to the skillet and brown on both sides, 3 or 4 minutes total.
While pasta is working, preheat a large skillet for cutlets over medium to medium high heat. Season turkey cutlets with chopped rosemary, salt and pepper. Choose small fresh or dried bay leaves or halve large leaves with kitchen scissors. Press a small bay leaf or 1/2 leaf into each turkey cutlet. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil to the pan; 2 turns around the pan in a slow stream. Turn cutlets over as you set them into the pan so that the bay leaf faces down. Cook the cutlets in a single layer, working in 2 batches if necessary. Saute the cutlets 4 or 5 minutes on each side. Transfer to a warm plate. Add the lemon zest and juice to the pan and deglaze the pan with wine or vermouth, pulling up any pan drippings with a whisk. Add remaining tablespoon butter to the pan, whisk it in and pour the pan sauce down over the cutlets. Serve the cutlets along side the fried ravioli and a small green side salad.
The verdict............why awesome of course........this is an extremely tasty dish, although it took me forty minutes to prepare......but that was mostly due to my getting distracted by my friend. Speaking of which, she really liked this dish too;-)
The view from the feline community........well they just ate this up, turkey cutlets, pasta and all...........they are already lying in the sun trying to digest......
If you get a chance, this is a must try :-)
Until tomorrow
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Snacks as supper part 2
Well I am back from the weekend trip and it was a blast. We ended up driving on into St. Louis, staying at the Merriot at UnionStation, going to the zoo, eating at Hard Rock Cafe.......it was a great time and filled with a bit of romance to boot. So I am in a great mood and today am making Spinach Artichoke Calzones. So let's leap right into it shall we.....
Ingredients
2 cups part skim ricotta
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated or a few pinches ground
A few grinds black pepper
1/2 cup (a couple of handfuls) grated Parmigiano, plus extra, for sprinkling
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
1 (15-ounce) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 (10-ounce) tubes refrigerated pizza dough
2 cups shredded mozzarella
Garlic oil (You can buy a bottle of this or just take 1 or 2 cloves chopped and heated in 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil)
2 cups tomato sauce, marinara or pizza sauce for dipping
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl. Roll each pizza dough out on a cookie sheet, and halve each cross-wise. Spread 1/2 cup mozzarella and up to 1/4 of filling on each rectangle. Work on just half of the surface of each rectangle of dough, then fold dough over top of filling and pinch edges firmly to seal. For a half-moon "pizza parlor" look to your calzones, mound filling into a half-moon shape, fold dough over top trim edges of dough to follow the rounded shape, then seal edges.
Tie strips of dough scraps in knots, brush with garlic oil and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake knots with calzones.
If your dough tears, remove a little of the filling and repair. Repeat the process, spacing the calzones evenly on baking sheet. Bake the calzones for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown all over. Serve calzones with warm tomato or pizza sauce for dunking.
The verdict........these were pretty good, not the best of Rachaels dishes I have made so far, but it was rather tasty, plus a nice vegetarian dish to boot. Of course for those who like a bit of meat in their calzones, you can also add some pepperoni, ham, sausage........really any standard pizza topping you can add to the recipe.
This took about 15 mins to make and was super easy. This would be a great dish to have the kids help out with to teach them a bit about cooking.
I have to say that Rachaels cooking style with her recipe's is very relaxing and helps to really strip away any stress you may have, it is very therapeutic.
Until tomorrow......
Ingredients
2 cups part skim ricotta
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated or a few pinches ground
A few grinds black pepper
1/2 cup (a couple of handfuls) grated Parmigiano, plus extra, for sprinkling
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
1 (15-ounce) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 (10-ounce) tubes refrigerated pizza dough
2 cups shredded mozzarella
Garlic oil (You can buy a bottle of this or just take 1 or 2 cloves chopped and heated in 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil)
2 cups tomato sauce, marinara or pizza sauce for dipping
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl. Roll each pizza dough out on a cookie sheet, and halve each cross-wise. Spread 1/2 cup mozzarella and up to 1/4 of filling on each rectangle. Work on just half of the surface of each rectangle of dough, then fold dough over top of filling and pinch edges firmly to seal. For a half-moon "pizza parlor" look to your calzones, mound filling into a half-moon shape, fold dough over top trim edges of dough to follow the rounded shape, then seal edges.
Tie strips of dough scraps in knots, brush with garlic oil and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake knots with calzones.
If your dough tears, remove a little of the filling and repair. Repeat the process, spacing the calzones evenly on baking sheet. Bake the calzones for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown all over. Serve calzones with warm tomato or pizza sauce for dunking.
The verdict........these were pretty good, not the best of Rachaels dishes I have made so far, but it was rather tasty, plus a nice vegetarian dish to boot. Of course for those who like a bit of meat in their calzones, you can also add some pepperoni, ham, sausage........really any standard pizza topping you can add to the recipe.
This took about 15 mins to make and was super easy. This would be a great dish to have the kids help out with to teach them a bit about cooking.
I have to say that Rachaels cooking style with her recipe's is very relaxing and helps to really strip away any stress you may have, it is very therapeutic.
Until tomorrow......
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