Country Fried Steak With Colcannon and Southern Style Beans

OK folks, this one is, granted, a little time intensive (but very easy) and heavy on the fat and calories. But it's so damn good, you've just got to try it at least once. This dish combines Southern Comfort Food (country fried steak and beans) with an Irish comfort food (colcannon).

Country Fried Steak With Colcannon and

Southern Style Beans

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cooking time: 1 hour

Serves: 6-8

Total time from prep to plating: 2 hours

Ingredients:

Country Fried Steak

Six cube steaks
1/2 cup of flour
3 eggs
1 cup plain bread crumbs
6 tbs. canola oil
2 packages sausage gravy mix
1 (12 oz.) can of evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups water
1 tbs. Lawrys's seasoned salt
1 tbs. Mrs. Dash

Colcannon

4 lbs. potatoes
1 head of fresh cabbage
1 stick of butter
1 Cup of milk
Freshly ground pepper
1 package (16 oz.) bacon
4 scallions (finely chopped)
Chopped parsley leaves for garnish

Southern Style Beans

1 lb. fresh string beans
2 tbs. butter
2 tbs. crumbled, cooked bacon



Whippin it all together:

Start with cooking the entire pound of bacon. I like to microwave my bacon. It's easy and less messy. You are looking for your bacon to be a little chewy/a little crisp. For six slices, I mike on high for five minutes. When done, chop finely and set aside in a bowl. Next move on to the taters. Peel and cube your taters and get them boiling. Next cut up your cabbage. First cut out the core. Then cut into "slices". Once you have them sliced, shred as best you can. Place them in salted water and bring to a boil until it turns a darker color.

OK while you're waiting for the veggies to boil, cut the ends off of your string beans and place them into a steamer.

Next start the prep for your Country Fried Steaks. Crack your three eggs and add a little bit of water and beat them like a horse in the home stretch. Place your flour and bread crumbs in seperate bowls. Add the oil to a large skillet and pre-heat on medium. First put your cube steak in the flour, then the egg wash, then the bread crumbs and then into the hot skillet. Cook until brown on one side, then flip.

Back to the taters and cabbage. Once the cabbage changes color and once the taters are soft (test with a fork). Drain both, thoroughly. Transfer the taters back into the pot you cooked them in, or into a large mixing bowl. Add the one stick of butter and the milk and beat with an electric mixer on high. Don't beat them like you are making mashed potatoes. In other words, don't beat them until you have a nice fluffy bowl of mashed potatoes. Beat for about a minute. It will still appear a little lumpy. Now add the cabbage and freshly ground pepper and beat for another minute. Now add the scallions and all but 2 tbs. of the bacon and mix with a spoon. Garnish with parsley.

Your beans are probably done by now. So take them out of the steamer and place in a large bowl. Add the butter and bacon and mix thoroughly.

Once your cube steaks are browned on both sides, set to drain on a plate with paper towels. In the same frying pan, reduce heat to low and add the two packages of gravy mix along with the can of condensed milk. Add the water slowly and work out the lumps. Keep adding water until you reach the consistency you desire. Put the gravy into a gravy boat. Put on top of the finished cube steak. Plate everything else up and garnish with the parsley.

This dish requires a lot of prep time, but believe me, it is so yummy, it's worth it. Bon Apetitè!

25 Minutes To The Table

This is really, really easy (only 25 minutes start to finish) and tasty.

Lemon Velvet Chicken with


Mock Mashed Potatoes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 6-8, with leftovers

Total time from prep to plating: 25 minutes

Ingredients

Lemon Velvet Chicken

1 cup of flour
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
big old zip lock bag
2 lbs. of chicken tenderloins
2 tablespoons butter
juice of 1 lemon
1 jar of Classico Alfredo sauce

Mock Mashed Potatoes

2 16 oz. bags of frozen cauliflower
1 cup of Shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack Cheese
1/2 cup of sour cream
2 tablespoons of butter
1/2 teaspoon of seasoned salt
1 package of Beano

Place cualiflower in a microwave safe bowl and cook for 8 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and mike another 3-4 minutes until tender. Place in food processor for 30 seconds until smooth. If you are like me and don't have a food processor, you can use a mixer but it will be really, really hard to make it smooth.

While your cauliflower is cooking in the mike, take your chicken tenderloins and rinse them off. Take the flour and seasoned salt and place in a large zip lock bag. Put your tenderloins in, close and mix thoroughly. Pre-heat a large skillet to medium high and add the butter. Place the chicken in and cook 4-5 minutes, turning so that they are brown on both sides. Cut the lemon in half, and squeeze the juice over the meat. Stir in the Alfredo sauce, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer 6-8 minutes. Serve with a green salad on the side.

Plate everything up and enjoy. Please take the beano according to the directions so that your family will still love you in the morning. Bon Apetitè!

It's easy like a hammock in the summer time.

Another Easy Dish

This dish was really, really good. Usually if I make something that has this type of ingredients in it, the kids usually stick their noses way up in the air. They absolutely loved this and had seconds. In reality, this is more like a chicken stew but it is really tasty.

Classic Chicken in Red Wine

Prep time: 30 minutes.

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 6-8, with leftovers

Total time from prep to plating: 1 hour

Ingredients:

1 lb. thick sliced bacon
2 tbs. olive oil
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (sliced lengthwise in two)
kosher salt
ground black pepper
1 (1 lb) bag frozen pearl onions
6 lg. cloves of garlic
1 lb. sliced bella mushrooms
6 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
5 carrots, peeled and cut into two inch pieces
1/3 cup all purpose flour
4 sprigs fresh thyme (stripped from the branches)
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
2 cups full bodied red wine (I used a merlot)
3 tbs. red wine vinegar


Get your veggies ready first - taters, carrots, shrooms, thyme and garlic (pass the cloves of garlic through a press) set aside in seperate bowls.

Using a dutch oven (or just a big old pot) put the olive oil in and bring to a med-high heat. Cook the bacon until crisp, then set aside on paper towels.

Generously season your cutlets on both sides with the kosher salt and pepper. Place in the pot with the bacon drippings and brown on both sides. Cook in two batches. Set aside.

Pour off about half of the drippings and add the oinions, garlic and mushrooms. Cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Stir in the potatoes and carrots. Stir in the flour to coat the veggies.

Pour in the wine and chicken broth, stir until you can no longer see any lumps of flour. Add the chicken, thyme and bay leaves. Now crumble your bacon in as well. Bring to a boil, then cover and let simmer for 40 minutes.

Uncover and cook for another 10 minutes, this will allow the stew to thicken a little more. Remove from the heat and add the red wine vinegar, stir.

Plate it up and serve with buttered rye bread. Plate up and Bon Apetitè!

It's easy like Sunday morning.

Pork And Tater Stew

This is a pretty easy one to make and the kids loved it, which is always a good sign. It makes plenty and you'll have leftovers as well.

Pork And Tater Stew

Prep time: 15-20 minutes.

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 6-8, with leftovers

Total time from prep to plating: 1 hour

Ingredients:


2 lbs. of pork tenderloin
2 cups of all purpose flour
Olive oil
6 Large Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 yellow onions
2 cloves of garlic
1 red bell pepper
3 cups orange juice
2 cups Coke or any other cola
10 oz. bag of yellow rice
1 box of frozen green peas

Cut up your taters, onions, peppers ahead of time. Put your flour into into a large mixing bowl. Cut up your pork tenderloin into small medallion like slices.


Lightly coat the medallions in the flour. Put enough olive oil into a large heavy pot or Dutch oven and put on medium high heat. Place the floured medallions into the pot and cook for about 5 minutes until slightly brown. Now put your yukon gold taters into the pot and cook for another five minutes, stirring often, until slightly browned. Now add the onions and red pepper and pass the two cloves of garlic through a garlic press. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Add the coke and OJ, bring to a boil, then put on simmer for 45 minutes.


Now get your rice ready, because it will take about 25 minutes. So 20 minutes into the simmering of the stew, bring your rice water to a boil. Add the rice, then simmer for 20 minutes. Now add about 3/4 of the box of frozen peas and simmer for 5 more minutes.
Season to taste.

Plate up and Bon Apetitè !

End of Summer BBQ Fiesta

Well, it's getting to be that time of year. Summer vacations are winding down, you're getting the kids ready to return to school (or if you live in Florida like me, they already started school). So how about having a big old party this weekend and have this fairly easy and incredibly delicious BBQ Fiesta? Right now most of the ingredients in this recipe can be found at their freshest and that just adds to the flavor and presentation of this great meal. One warning, wear loose fitting clothing. You'll be needing the extra room

End Of Summer BBQ Fiesta

Prep time: about 30 minutes

Cooking time: about one hour

Serves: 6-8

Total time from prep to plating - 1 hour 30 minutes.


Ingredients:

About 4 pounds of skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut in half - what I mean by cut in half is cutting them length-wise. So that you wind up with two thinner breast of the same circumference than you started with.
1 or 2 packages of Johnsonville Brats
About 15-20 medium to large shrimp, skewered
3 lbs. of red potatoes, cut into bit size chunks
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
1 yellow or vadallia onion, cut into slices
3 tbs. of fresh basil, cut into small, small pieces
1 tbs. of fresh oregano, cut into small, small pieces
1 tbs. of dried oregano
2 tbs. of Mrs. Dash
2 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. butter or margarine
1 bottle of terriaki sauce
Aluminum foil
5 carrots, cleaned and sliced into strips


Roasted Red Potatoes:

First deal with you taters. After cutting them into bit size chunks, place in a bowl. Add enough olive oil (about 2 tbs.) to coat them. Add the Mrs. Dash and dried oregano and mix thoroughly. Place on a cookie sheet and cook at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Next up is pre-boil your brats. You can do it in water. I prefer half beer/half water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for five minutes, take off heat and let sit for 15 minutes. Whatever you do NEVER, EVER puncture your brats with a fork unless you want a tastless weenie.

Now fire up your grill. Hopefully you are using real charcoal (not gas). But if you are, oh well do what you must. Get that grill up to temp.

Place your shrimps on a wooden skewer (soaked in water for at least an hour) (or you be lazy and buy them that way). Place them in a shallow tray and coat with the terriaki sauce, set aside.

After cutting your chicken breasts in half, place in a bowl and cover with terriaki sauce. Toss them about and get everything covered. Set aside.Now you should have all your veggies and your fresh spices cut up and ready to go.

Take your aluminum foil and place three overlapping layers on a counter. Place your terriaki glazed chicken breasts out in a single layer on the foil. Spread half of your fresh oregano/basil over the chicken. Then layer the peppers, carrots and broccoli over the chicken. Top off with the rest of your fresh oregano/basil. Fold up the foil at the ends and at the sides fold up. Take another sheet of foil to wrap and form your little cooker. Do not close too tightly.Place the foil cooker on the BBQ for 45 minutes.

Next place your onions in frying pan and sautee with the butter until translucent .When you take the foil cooker off the grill (be careful it'll be hot as hell!) place on a cookie sheet. Unfold the foil and place the chicken veggie combo into a serving bowl. Place your brats and your shimp skewers on the grill. These will only take about 3-4 minutes on each side.

Plate it up and bon apetitè !



If you try this recipe, please rate it from 1 to 5 stars. It's not so much for me, I know these recipes are good or I wouldn't put them up here. But for others who may see these recipes, they can get feedback. Thanks!

Easy Speasy Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken Cacciatore

OK boys and girls, this one is soooo easy. When you're plating up this dish, your family or guests' mouths will be watering and they will love it. You'll feel like Bobby Flay, even if you don't look like him.


Prep Time : 10 minutes

Cooking Time : 20 to 25 minutes

Serves : 4 to 6

Total time to plating and serving: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

8 ounces fettuccini, cook al dente
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
4 (about 1 pound) skinned, boneless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic - smashed - which means that you take a big old knife. Place your garlic cloves (I prefer the already skinned ones that come in a bottle and are available at your local supermarket in the refrigerated produce section). Take the flat end of the knife and place it on top of the clove to be smashed. Take your right or left hand (depending on if you are right or left handed, of course), ball it up into a fist and smash it into the flat end of the knife, making your clove now smashed. :-)
2 cups (about 8 ounces) fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 (26-ounce) jar roasted garlic pasta sauce. I like Classico roasted garlic sauce but use whatever floats yer boat
1 slice of mozzerella or provolone cheese for each breast

DIRECTIONS:

In a shallow dish, combine the flour and Italian seasoning. Coat the chicken with the mixture. In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, brown the chicken in hot oil; remove the chicken from the skillet and place on a paper towel to absorb the excess grease. Add the mushrooms, garlic and onion to skillet; cook and stir until tender. Add the pasta sauce and chicken. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked. Top each chicken breast with cheese.

Serve with hot pasta. I am making the assumption that you know how to cook pasta. That could be a big mistake on my part.

Cooking pasta - take a large (8 quart) cooking pot, fill it 3/4 way full with water. Add about two tablespoons of Kosher salt and bring to boil. When your water is boiling, add the pasta slowly and reduce heat to simmer. Give the pasta a good stir every now and again to make sure that it isn't sticking together or to the pot itself. You want your pasta to be firm but not crunchy and definetely not mushy. So how do ascertain this desired degree of "doneness" for your pasta you may ask? Well, I'm glad you asked. After about five minutes, you simply take a large fork and fish out a piece of pasta. It is going to be hot as hades, so I suggest blowing on it to cool it off a bit. Then taste it. If it's firm and not crunchy, it's done. Take your pasta off the stove and strain in a collander. Once strained rinse with cold water to remove excess starch.

Now plate everything up and serve to your impressed and hungry guests. Bon apetite` .

This is the type of pot that you want to cook your pasta in. It doesn't have to look like this pot, per se, but you want it to be big. Why big you may ask? I'm glad that you asked. The reason you want a big pot is so that the water molecules have enough room to move around the pasta to cook it thoroughly and evenly. If you use a small pot and jam a 16 oz. package of pasta into it, you'll wind up with mush, that will be better to put to use as wallpaper paste than to serve to your guests.

The Regular Food Guy Chef

This blog is all about me and my recipes. Regular guy food that guys can easily make along with step by step instructions. And since us guys are visual, I'll have pictures of how to prep, cook and serve each meal. Impress your girlfriend, wife, mom, whoever. This should be fun.
Bon Apetite!