Cube Steak and Funky Fries

It's another 100 or better degree day outside and although I wasn't out sweating myself to death in the heat, I was hanging out at a check stand with a 5" fan blowing cool air at me while the doors let in a hot breeze from the out side. Sweat beaded at my brow and lip as I panted my way through customer after customer, loathing each and everyone of the ice carrying, beer buying bastards. I want to sit in this heat and hydrate myself with an ice cold Bud Light Chulata while watching my daughter run through the sprinkle, who wouldn't want to spend a Sunday doing just that? Well not me because my ass is at work while my daughter is at the water park with my sister and her kids.

When I arrived home, I stripped from my heavy uniform and into my favorite cut off jeans and tank then plop myself in front of the nearest air conditioner. My daughter, beyond tired with blood shot eyes and droopy lids comes to me "Mommy I'm starving to death". Didn't I hear that the night before?

After negotiating the purchase of carry out, I gave in and headed to the kitchen. My daughter special requested her Funky Fries and what goes good with those is none other then some cube steak.

1Tbs Roasted Potato seasoning mix
1Tbs Veggie oil
1Tbs Bacon Bits
3 Medium Potato's
4 cube steaks

The roasted potato seasoning mixes come in different brands and variety, my personal favorite is Bacon and Chive. I get out a large bowl and combine the seasoning and oil then stir. Then cut the potato's into four the long ways and add to the seasoning and oil and toss or stir. I like to place them in an old ice cream bucket and tumble. Then set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. I use a 10" frying pan and place it on the stove at med-low temp. I have a flat top stove so temp will vary with stoves and pans. I lightly coat the bottom of the pan with PAM fat free butter spray, just to ensure there is no sticking, then place the cube steaks on the pan.

Take a cookie sheet and lightly spray that with the same PAM spray, place the potato's on the sheet and insert in oven.

Flip steaks as needed until cooked thoroughly. The potato's should only take 20-30 minutes and be a golden brown, we like our potato's a bit crisp so I leave them in an additional 5-7 minutes.

This meal takes about 5 minutes prep and 30-35 minutes to cook.

It's a favorite in this household and I have no problem getting my daughter to eat her plate clean. Adding a veggie as a side is always good, I prefer to use something less filling like green beans or steamed broccoli.

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Chicken in the Red

It was 7pm on a hot Saturday evening. Dinner hadn't been served and my daughter was complaining that she was starving to death. I hate cooking on these types of evenings because the food is usually heavy, making me miserable and all the more tired. My beer is usually not as satisfying afterwards because the food is still in digestion. I also hate cooking in these types of evenings because the kitchen heats up the house, causing the sticky sweat which makes me feel gross and yucky. There was no quick grab and nuke meals in the freezer, not that I promote that eating habit and there wasn't much for left overs in the fridge. It was time to rummage through the cupboards. The concoction that I gathered and created became a favorite in the household.

2 whole chicken breasts: boneless, skinless, and trimmed
1 jar of spaghetti sauce (whatever style, brand, or type you prefer)
1 small can of sliced mushrooms
1 small sweet onion
2 cups of egg noodles
1 loaf premade garlic bread

I cut the chicken breasts into three sections then placed them directly on a 10" frying pan set on medium; I have a flat top stove and temperatures will vary with different stoves. I poured the jar of spaghetti sauce into the pan, along with the can of mushrooms after I drained the water. I shopped the onion into eight parts and separated the layers as I placed them in the pan. Cover with lid and let be.

I then started the water, using a 4 quart pot and brought to a boil. I stirred in the noodles and let set on high until noodles were soft, but not fully cooked.

I preheated the oven to 350 degrees.

When the noodles were ready, I stirred them in with the sauce and chicken, adding tasteful amounts of salt, pepper, garlic salt, and onion powder. I recovered and placed the garlic bread in the oven. Chicken should be cooked when noodles are introduced to the pan. If they are not, let cook a bit longer. Setting the temperature to low, I allowed the pan to simmer for 5-7 minutes until the garlic bread was a golden brown crisp.

This dish served two adults and one child with left overs.

My daughter called this "Chicken in the Red".