quick and easy meals for 1 or 2

Chicken fried steak

Let me tell you what Gammy and I did tonight. Our good friends Butch and Janie were over and we had Chicken Fried Steak, Mashed potatoes and white gravy!! I hate this stuff but it is a thing from the little Texas town (Stephenville) that we were lucky enough to spend some time in. I got a lot of help from Gammy and Janie about how to do the meat and gravy and stuff and the critics all said it was at least as good as “Jake and Dorothy’s”

Pre heat oven at 225.

Put 4 med sized potatoes cut up into about golf ball sized pieces ( I leave the skins on) in a pot of water enough to cover the potatoes, plus a little, on to boil with a dash or 2 of salt. When they are soft to a fork drain them, return to the pot and mash them up with about a half stick of butter. Put the pot in the oven.

We had for a veggie 4 ears of corn from the freezer section at the store. Butch did them on our grill. They were great! You could do them by boiling for about 10 minutes on the stove.


2 pounds beef I got some round that had been sliced across the grain so I didn’t have to “tenderize” it by pounding it or beating it with a tenderizer.
Salt and pepper to taste
About a cup and a half of flour
2 whole eggs, beaten with a little (about a half a cup) milk added
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk

Place enough of the oil to cover the bottom, and a little more, of about a 12 in. frying pan and set over medium-high heat.
Put the flour into a pie pan or big dish. Break the eggs into a bowl, add a little milk ( about 1 chug) Whup it up with a whisk. Dredge the meat on both sides in the flour, followed by the egg and finally in the flour again. As the meat is done with the egg flour thingy put it in the frying pan.

Fry each piece on both sides until golden brown, approximately 3-4 minutes per side. As the meat is done put the steaks on a large plate (or 2) and put them in the oven for later.

Whisk in, with the turner thingy that you handled the meat with, a big pinch or 2 of the flour left over from the dredging. Add the chicken broth and deglaze the pan. Whisk until the gravy comes to a boil and begins to thicken. Add the milk and whisk until the gravy gets as thick as you want it. Janie was helping me here and we decided we wanted not quite sticky thick, just thick, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Season to taste, with more salt and pepper, if needed.

Serve the gravy over the steaks and mashed potatoes.

We had a fun night and would you believe it?! Some good bread and some red wine!!!