Fathers Day for Michael

  Okay, I'll admit it! I spoil him, and yes I dote on him. Well, most of the time. Why you ask? Because he usually does the same with me. He almost always gives in to my every whim! Gotta love a man like that. So I made him a breakfast that he usually makes for me or at family and friends homes when we travel on vacations. This simple breakfast, which Michael has named "Breakfast Gumbo" and has been making for years, has many variations. It is really just a breakfast casserole  or scramble of sorts, with no special recipe or given set of ingredients. Yes, I served him breakfast in bed. Why not? He does this for me on many occaisions. Sometimes it's eggs benedict, or this gumbo, or just sunny side eggs on toast with bacon and home fries. Where is it written that only women can be served breakfast in bed?

  When confronted with "Honey, what would you like for dinner tonight?", I couldn't believe his request was Cube Steaks and Gravy. Okay, I do believe the meat and potatoes request, though I would have thought the request would be a great big juicy steak. What a surprise. Just a simple, old fashioned, southern dish? This is a favorite from my roots. My grandmother made it for my mother, who in turn made it for me, and now I have been making it for many years as well. So shall we begin?

Put each in a pie plate or vessel of your choice; flour, cracker

meal, and eggs for dredging your cube steaks.Lightly sprinkle steaks with salt,

pepper, and garlic powder on both sides. Dredge steaks, first

in flour then eggs, and then cracker meal. Set on waxed

paper lined plate as each are dredged. 

Heat 1/4 cup neutral oil (cannola) in a deep skillet and over medium high heat.

Brown on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of oil 

from pan and whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour to make a rue. Cook rue until lightly browned,

then slowly add 2 cups of milk, whisking constantly to make a smooth gravy, scraping up any

brown bits on bottom of pan. Add in a tablespoon of worchestershire sauce, and salt and pepper

to taste. Return steaks to the pan of gravy. Cover and simmer over very low heat for 45 - 60 minutes.

Homestyle Cube Steaks and Gravy

from the kitchens of my mother and grandmother

Ingredients

1 1/2 to 2 pounds cube steaks or 1/2 inch round steaks (pounded with a meat mallot)

1/4 cup oil

2 beaten eggs

1 cup flour

1 cup fine cracker meal

2 cups milk

1 tablespoon worchestershire sauce

2 teaspoons garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Put each in a pie plate or vessel of your choice; flour, crackermeal, and eggs for dredging your cube steaks.Lightly sprinkle steaks with salt,pepper, and garlic powder on both sides. Dredge steaks, first in flour then eggs,and then cracker meal. Set on waxed paper lined plate as each are dredged. Heat 1/4 cup neutral oil (cannola) in a deep skillet and over medium high heat. Brown on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of oil from pan and whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour to make a rue. Cook rue until lightly browned, then slowly add 2 cups of milk, whisking constantly to make a smooth gravy, scraping up any brown bits on bottom of pan. Add in a tablespoon of worchestershire sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Return steaks to the pan of gravy. Cover and simmer over very low heat for 45 - 60 minutes.

Serves 6.

Notes: The gravy can also be made with the addition of either onions or mushrooms, or both together.
This is best served with sour cream mashed potatoes, though you can certainly serve it with rice or noodles.
 
 
 





Carla and Michael