For the past couple days I’ve been wanting Chicken Fried Steak not, Homemade Steak FIngers which David will make sometimes to make the Cube Steak streatch. But last night I was working and David didn’t fill like cooking them.

Instead thank the LORD for Aldis because I had a bag of there Meatballs in the freezer so David make Mac & Cheese with them. It wasn’t what I wanted but it was dinner and it kept the drama at bay and that’s all the matters to me.

Then today David got off early but I’ve been working. Charlie says he is working on his Drivers Licensee Class so he couldn’t clean the kitchen and Gerald is being a butt head and didn’t do it either. That leaves the kitchen and dinner to David which isn’t fair since he is the only one that actually worked today.

But in this house that is life. All I can say is put your big girl panties on and get’er done because I know everyone is going to become hangry and when they do that’s when everyone’s attitude comes out. Since MOM rules it’s time for Chicken Fried Steak Gravy and Mashed Taters. I would invite you to dinner but I don’t think you want to deal with these people which if truth be known I don’t either.

As I wait for dinner to be done I wanted to remind you there are some meals that are more than just dinner. They remind you of home. They remind you of family. And sometimes, they bring someone you miss just a little bit closer. That is what chicken fried steak does for me.

This week I have really been missing Suzanne. Some days the missing her just seems to hit a little harder than others. And when I was at WinCo and found cube steak on sale, chicken fried steak immediately came to mind.Chicken fried steak was one of Suzanne’s favorite meals when she was alive. So tonight, we’re having a little taste of home.

In our home Chicken fried steak is made with cube steak, and when David, Charlie or I are making it honestly we don’t measure much. We usually start with two eggs and beat them together. Just like my parents and grandparents did.

Then I put some flour in a dish and season it with Kinder’s The Blend, which has salt, pepper, and garlic. I dredge the cube steak in the seasoned flour, dip it into the egg mixture, and then put it back into the flour.

That’s it. I don’t have an exact measurement for the flour because I have always cooked this way. A pinch of this and a smidgen of that. Like my grandma Dorie I cook with love, not a measuring cup. Do you do that?

My dad was the same way. He taught me how to make homemade gravy, and there wasn’t much measuring involved there either. A little flour, some water, a little milk, and you made gravy. Sometimes Dad even cheated and used a package. Because sometimes you just do what works.

David is cooking tonight, and I’ve learned over the years that when David is cooking, sometimes it’s better for me to just stay out of the kitchen. I’m not saying his homemade gravy is terrible. I’m just saying that his mother apparently didn’t teach him everything my dad taught me. 😂

So tonight we’re cheating a little. Instead of making homemade cream gravy, we’re using Pioneer Country Gravy Mix. And you know what? That’s okay. Because were having gravy and that’s what counts when your having Chicken Fried Steak.

If there are nights when you have had a long week, you’re tired, and nobody wants to stand there making gravy from scratch. A package of gravy mix can get dinner on the table just fine. Normally, I would make homemade mashed potatoes.

But tonight nobody wants to peel potatoes. So we’re probably going with Idaho instant mashed potatoes. Are they the same as homemade? No. Do they have a place in my kitchen when I’m tired and don’t feel like peeling potatoes? Absolutely.

And after the week I’ve had, French fries are starting to sound pretty good too. But again no, one wants to peel potato. Now, I will share something about my dad with you My dad always believed there should be a vegetable with every meal. We might have green beans or corn tonight.

But when David is cooking, I pick my battles. I stay out of the kitchen, try not to notice how many pans he is using, and plan on cleaning everything up tomorrow. More times than not there isn’t going to be a vegetable unless I fix it.

If you aren’t someone who can cook by looking at a recipe and knowing about how much of everything you need, here is a measured version for a Easy Chicken Fried Steak you can follow.

Ingredients

• 4 cube steaks
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 cup milk
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Directions

1. Place the cube steaks on a plate and pat them dry.
2. In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk.
4. Coat each steak in the seasoned flour.
5. Dip the steak into the egg mixture.
6. Coat it again in the seasoned flour, pressing the flour onto the steak so you get a good coating.
7. Heat about 1/4 inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
8. Carefully place the steaks into the hot oil.
9. Cook for about 3–4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
10. Remove the steaks and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

Serve hot with plenty of gravy.

Homemade Cream Gravy– This is the way my dad taught me to make gravy, although around our house we never really measured it.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup pan drippings or butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. After removing the chicken fried steaks from the skillet, leave about 1/4 cup of the pan drippings in the pan.
2. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk it into the drippings.
3. Cook for about 1–2 minutes.
4. Slowly add the milk and water, whisking constantly.
5. Continue cooking until the gravy thickens.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. If the gravy gets too thick, add a little more milk or water until it reaches the consistency you like.

That’s homemade gravy. Nothing fancy. Just the way I learned to make it.

Homemade Mashed Potatoes– If you have a little more energy than we do tonight, homemade mashed potatoes are worth the effort.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into evenly sized pieces.
2. Place them in a large pot and cover with cold water.
3. Add a little salt to the water.
4. Bring the potatoes to a boil and cook until they are fork-tender, about 15–20 minutes.
5. Drain the potatoes well.
6. Return them to the warm pot and add the butter.
7. Mash the potatoes while gradually adding the milk.
8. Continue mashing until they reach the consistency you like.
9. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

And if you grew up like I did, you probably have your own way of making them that doesn’t involve measuring anything either.

I think that’s one of the things I love most about cooking. Food can take you places. Like a smell can remind you of your grandmother’s kitchen. A recipe can remind you of your dad standing at the stove. And sometimes a simple meal can make you think about someone who isn’t sitting at the table anymore.

Chicken fried steak is one of those meals for me because it reminds me of Suzanne. Having one of her favorite meals doesn’t take away the missing. It doesn’t make everything okay. But for a little while, it brings her a little closer. And sometimes that’s enough.

When you’re making homemade mashed potatoes, do you use canned cream, or do you use milk? Growing up, my parents always used canned cream. My grandmother used milk. I didn’t like milk in my mashed potatoes when I was a child, so I preferred the way my parents made them.

Now I use milk because opening canned cream usually means I have some left over that ends up sitting in the refrigerator until I finally have to throw it away. Isn’t it funny how time changes our tastes as we get older?

What do you use in your homemade mashed potatoes? Leave me a comment and tell me how your family makes them. And if you’re wondering what I mean by canned cream, well… you can leave me a comment and ask.