Lodge Menu: Chicken Fried Steak

One of the anchors in the Lodge menu has to be Chicken Fried Steak.  It's probably the most requested meal by returning visitors and it's always served with mashed potatoes, cream gravy, green peas, salad, hot rolls and sweet tea.
This staple entree started with Mama Die in the Piney Woods of East Texas.  We don't know where she got it from, but she taught it to Grammie.  When my Dad transplanted his yankee roots to Texas in 1979, Grammie taught him (ironically, not her daughter, aka my Mom).  Grammie also passed on Beef Stew, but that's another entry.

Originally, the recipe called for round steak, beaten and tenderized, but that didn't work for Dad. It was messy and time consuming with all the fat trimming that took the fun right out of the kitchen.  So, a few years ago, Dad migrated to cube steak.  Sure, it's so finely chopped that it tends to fall apart, but you don't have all the violence that goes along with the other stuff.

Chicken Fried Steak
3-4 lbs Cube Steak
4 eggs 1/2 cup milk
1-2 packages of saltine crackers

Heat 3/4" oil in a deep cast iron skillet
Cut the steak into individual pieces (This is not a monster tenderloin from the Truck Stop)
Mix eggs and milk into deep plate
Generously crumble (but not crushed to dust) crackers into separate plate
Batter steak pieces in egg/milk mixture on both sides
Dip into cracker crumbs
Fry in skillet




Cream Gravy
Once the meat is fried, reserve 2 tbsp oil along with 2-3 tbsp of "crumbles" from skillet
Add above to 2/3 cup milk & 1/3 cup water along with flour to desired texture/taste
Shake ingredients in an airtight bowl
Pour into hot skillet and stir over medium heat... salt & pepper to taste

Lodge Tips:
Like Mexican Cornbread, the cast iron skillet makes a reappearance in a similar role.  The oil has to be hot enough to fry immediately.  Treat the battered pieces like pancakes.  Instead of bubbling, the top & edges start to turn dark when the bottom is ready to flip.  Feeds a flock of missionaries, inlaws, or van load of youth on a Sunday afternoon.

6 Months Old!

Dinner in Hannibal

One recent Monday afternoon the Morgans/McGarvey clan convoyed up to Hannibal for dinner and time with Matthew & Becca Johnson at their new house.  If you've not had the privilege of making the Johnson's acquaintance, you're missing some quality people in your life.  They've served the Missouri District in a number of capacities, most recently as District Youth President, and have still found the time to turn out two absolute darlings, Abriah & Jace.

Delicious home-cookin' was on the menu and the conversations flew fast as four very busy families tried to squash as much quality time into a few hours as possible before we all blew off in different directions (including Scott who was flying out the next day to Jordan).  Thanks so much for hosting us!

 

A Trip to the Holy Land

Last Sunday, the church hosted a "A Night in the Holy Land."  It was story-telling time and Pastor's birthday all rolled into one.  We sent out postcards to area pastors Dad works with in the community and to those who had supported their trip.  

We had a great turnout.  People we didn't know came because they were interested in the region and wanted background.  Mom put together a display of various odds & ends from the trip and Woody made an appearance in traditional costume.  I was shooting for an hour or so of stories and pictures, but it turned into a two-hour marathon!  Mom & Dad got a very pleasant surprise when Mark & Margie showed up unexpectedly.  They kicked in their perspective on the trip and we all had a rollicking good time.  Afterward, there was a desert table and reception for Dad's 64th birthday.  We even picked up some basboosa and baklava from the World Market in Columbia to give the night a little more authenticity.  Ma'a salama! (Goodbye!)

Coming Soon! Holy Land Presentation

How is Your Dad Doing?

I get this question from near and far and I leave you with this picture for my answer:

Dad, wrapping up his gutter screening project as darkness falls... With mom keeping a close watch.

Granted, at the same time she was trimming bushes in the front yard, not threatening him with the shears to get off the roof!

So, the news is this: No bleeding and no serious drops in strength in September.  His 12-step program is how quickly he can get up the stairs from the basement and not have to sit down at the top.  Earlier this year, we were hoping he'd make it to the end of October... now, we just wish he'd stay off the roof!

...Grateful folks over here at the Lodge...

Scott

Visitors

 

A few weeks ago, Mom & Dad came home to the scene above.  It didn't take long for those highly evolved scavengers to figure out what the squirrels could not; they not only got past the Dome of Intrusion, but the next night, the family knocked the entire bird feeder down!  This type of activity just could not continue at the Lodge and so entered Trap 1.  The morning light revealed our first capture, obviously a bit dejected at his predicament.

The score stood at one juvenile down and 3 more, plus the Momma to go.  Dad & I took a trip out to Sugar Creek Lake an dropped our friend off in a new neighborhood.  That night, I brought Trap 2 and, predictably, we got two more.  Another trip to the Lake for a double drop and that night we got Coon Kiddie Number Four!  He was also promptly delivered to his siblings' new home.  Amazingly, the momma hasn't been tempted by a smorgasbord of birdseed a' la bacon grease on a bed of rotting strawberries.  I can't imagine why.