Chicken Fried Steak, A Staple

Eating at the great grandmas is a walk back in time. Her cookware hasn't been updated since 1970 (unless of course it breaks such as the potato peeler) and the food hasn't been updated since 1950 when women stayed home to cook hearty meals for her hard working spouse and her slew of hungry children (all seven of them). Great grandma's food is Cracker Barrel but better. Like her chicken fried steak, taters with gravy, and bacon and butter laded green beans.

Modifications Made:
At great grandma's chicken fried steak is not made with tenderized beef steaks instead with tenderized (to oblivion) venison. Potatoes are always freshly peeled and boiled in water salty enough to be the sea. Green beans are from the can (number 10 for this many people) and never fresh as they have too much crunch. While great grandma can and does make excellent gravy with a slew of kids, grandkids, and great grandkids to feed, today's meals used instant gravy modified from instructions by the addition of huge scoop of chicken fried steak grease for flavor. And great grandma being great grandma she accommodated me by cooking one can of green beans, plain straight from the can, as I do not care for soggy bacon nor butter on my green beans.

Scaled for Likability: Great
Who in their right mind does not home cooked chicken fried steak? Nobody, that's who. This is a super fantastic meal I only eat every few months as it is the epiphany of unhealthy meals.

Papas a La Mexicana (Ranchera)

It is a crying shame that there are six hens and not a egg in sight. What am I supposed to do with homemade ranchero sauce? Thankfully with a few quick searches of the internet a recipe from my hometown newspaper was discovered: Papas Ranchera . Not once in the thirty years I lived in my hometown did I ever eat at a local food joint serving papas rancheras. No time like the present to remedy this cultural dish. Because this recipe is hidden behind a paywall (grrr...) I have included it here for you: Servings: 4-6 Ingredients: 1 pound potatoes, diced 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/2 large onion 1 1/2 medium tomatoes 3 jalapenos 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup juice from canned tomatoes Instructions: Fry potatoes in vegetable oil until lightly browned (about 4-6 minutes). Saute onions, tomatoes, jalapenos until soft. Add garlic powder and salt. Add tomato juice until vegetables are covered (may need to add water). Bring to a boil and then add po...

Better Than Campbell's Old Fashion Vegetable Soup

Went to the store with the hopes of gathering fresh produce for soup. With more than 45 people in line for two packages of any meat product and the produce section containing only avocado, orange, and most randomly, strawberries, I settled upon canned soup. Well not canned soup since that section was still void of food, too. Instead soup made from canned goods as the canned vegetable section had been mostly restocked. Soups like this 15 Minute Vegetable Soup are ideal in dire food situations such as current times. Modifications Made: Plain petite diced tomatoes omitted, frozen carrots instead of canned, green beans and corn undrained, peas omitted (gross, nasty little pods), one cup celery, three cups diced potatoes, one can tomato sauce, two beef and two pollo de tomate bouillon cubes, six cups water. Once onions were softened, carrots/celery/potatoes/juice of green beans and corn, sauce, bouillon cubes, water were added and allowed to simmer until carrots almos...

Sour Cream & Chive Scalloped Potatoes

Can't believe the Month of the Potato is over. There are so many more potato recipes saved. Guess I will have to work them into another month. Last week's scalloped potatoes were one of the best new recipes during the month of potatoes. With today being the last day in the Month of Potatoes, I decided to go out with a bang by cooking another batch of scalloped potatoes but this time sour cream and chive. The Best Scalloped Potatoes , or so they said. Modifications Made: Recipe was reduced by half. Mayo was omitted and one entire package of chives were chopped and added to sauce before pouring onto layers. Scaled for Likability: Good Betty Crocker Sour Cream and Chive Box Scalloped Potatoes were the standard for this recipe. These were a family favorite for years but have long since been discounted. Bummer. Trying to replicate this seemed easy enough. Alas, it was not. These had a nice texture but were too oily from the cheese ...

Eating Waffles

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