A Thursday Feast.
There is only one word that can describe tonight’s dinner.
I also find it amusing that I just posted my top 5 favorite workouts yesterday. I could wax poetic about the irony of my posting this under “Fit Bites,” but that would be quite unlike me, now wouldn’t it?
First off, I get the feeling that you guys think that Mr. How Sweet and I eat like this everyday. That is not the case. We actually eat pretty healthy throughout the week. We may have a meal like this once a month, if we’re lucky. But I have no idea why you would think we eat like this daily…
Moving on.
Today I had this overwhelming sense to cook a meal chock-full of comfort food. I literally couldn’t get home fast enough to do it. Cooking like this is my therapy. While we usually eat home-cooked food every weeknight evening, I don’t always cook it that night. Many times, I cook ahead on the weekends. This is a must, since we both have jobs.
But sometimes, I just crave that feeling of putting an entire meal together in the kitchen. A meal that is still hot and goes directly from the stove to your stomach. Maybe it was my maternal instinct that I will probably never have kicking in? I really just wanted to cook for my man tonight.
The problem was I couldn’t decide on what I wanted to make. Something sinful. Something comforting. I knew smashed potatoes had to be involved. So I consulted my favorite comfort-foodie friend and she suggested chicken fried steak.
For hours, I pondered the idea. I have never made chicken fried steak. Yikes. It scared me. In fact, just the name alone kind of disgusts me. I didn’t share that part with her though. :) But we never ate chicken fried steak growing up. Would I like it?
Finally, I decided.
Chicken fried steak it was. I figured that I probably wouldn’t even like the steak, but would go to town on the mashed potatoes. Â I knew Mr. How Sweet would love the steak, so I sucked it up and decided to make it for him. After all, I love cooking for my loved ones. That is where I get the most joy out of cooking.
But then I saw it. And smelled it. And I took a bite…. and I couldn’t stop eating it. This was all mid-cook, by the way.
I made the smashed potatoes. Butter, heavy cream and all.
And then green beans for the token veggies. Not that I had any.
Okay, I had one. But just because it was swimming in a lonely pond of butter and sea salt.
Oh, and she also convinced me to make a gravy.
A cream gravy, nonetheless.
This meal literally changed my life. I didn’t even have a proper plate because I had tasted so many bites by the time Mr. How Sweet got home that I was no longer hungry. That happens all the time. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
And then I died and went to Heaven.
But I came back to life. Because this can’t be the only time I’d ever eat chicken fried steak.
And I think Mr. How Sweet wants to get married again. I haven’t seen him this happy since he found his old Conway Twitty cassette tapes.
(Don’t worry. Only 2 sticks (okay… maybe 3) of butter were harmed in the process of making this meal.)
38 Comments on “A Thursday Feast.”
That is definitely a comfort food meal – can’t remember the last time I had chicken fried steak! I bet it was delicious
My mom use to make this all the time growing up. She would even make them into chicken fried steak fingers! Gravy is mandatory!!!
Oh, my godddddd. That is literally the most awesome comfort food meal ever. :D Loving your narrative!
thank you for making and posting this recipe! i have been thinking of making marshall CFS for awhile now, great to know i have a recipe to go to when the time comes.
I’m not sure if I’ve ever had chicken fried steak before! I may have to try it!
You had me with the photo of the butter, then really reeled me in with the rest of the comfort food. YUM… just YUM
ohmigosh i need you to come here and make this for me now!
never doubt me again :)
I never will!
mmmm, that looks so good! But, isn’t that why we work out so hard, so we can enjoy a meal like this once in awhile?
that is TRUE comfort right there! i have NEVER had chicken fried steak but it looks darn delicious!!!
wow that looks amazing!! And I also graze the whole time I cook so I’m not that hungry once dinner is done. I think my husband would marry me all over again if I made that for him!
THAT is a Southern meal if I’ve ever seen one! LOL And even though I’ve never had much desire to try chicken fried steak you make me want to change my mind.
Love it. haha This had me laughing. :) Vegetables are so much easier to swallow either swimming in cheese or butter. Or both!
Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm OMG. I wonder if this would work with a portabella ;)
I don’t really understand what a chicken fried steak is!!? It looks freakin’ awesome though!!
holy crap! I never had chicken fried steak growing up either but I recently had it for breakfast at a local restaurant and seriously I was in love. So good!
Lady, I just adore chicken fried steak. There’s just something about it that makes the world a happier, better, more peaceful place.
I think as a new Southerner, perhaps I should learn how to cook. This may or may not help me snag a cowboy.
So I also think that you need to explain to me WHAT this is. I literally had to keep reading “chicken fried steak” out loud and think, “Chicken? Or steak? Which is it?” I kind of feel like Jessica Simpson with the whole Chicken of the Sea thing.
Please clarify.
I actually have always wondered the same thing… It’s steak that is fried like chicken.
That photo of the the butter is fabulous! You may have out done Paula Dean tonight. And now i’m craving mashed potatoes…
That looks so delicious. My hubby loves chicken fried steak but I’ve never made it! I need to try sometime. Butter and mashed potatoes = best
Jenn
Mmmm! perfect comfort food :)
There’s a restaurant in my hometown that serves this exact meal. It’s delicious. I haven’t been there in years, but whenever I would go there I’d always order it. Then get rolled out by dining companions :)
Yay butter!
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Nick would definitely be happy if I made a meal like this. Cooking ahead is a mus for me too. I didn’t know you did that but it makes sense now, because I’m always wondering how you have time to do all this cooking! Either way, it’s always impressive and I’m coming over for dinner one night ;)
Can you adopt me for a week so I can eat all this wonderful stuff you make? Oh and get great work outs too? Lol! Seriously this looks amazing!
I usually dont have stick butter in the house. I know… I use the “other” not so amazing stuff but I’m sure I will make friends with real butter in baking and pastry school. :-)
Wow! Excellent meal!!! Even if it does mean an extra trip to the gym! I haven’t had it in a LONG time! Yum! Thanks!
What a yummy meal!! I am SOOOOO a meat and potatoes kinda girl… so this sounds like something I would adore. And know what, I have NEVER had chicken fried steak!! :)
Be blessed-
Amanda
As a Texas girl, you just made my heart soar. I have had more sophisticated meals than chicken fried steak, but no meal has ever brought more comfort and nostalgia. I have yet to attempt cooking it myself, but it is a goal of mine to host a “homesick texan” dinner party, centered around the meal you just created. And yes…there is NO substitute for cream gravy! If you’re gonna do it, do it right. Looks like you did!
I’ll take a big bowl of the mash taters and that gravy. Oh Yes.
It’s weird, when I was growing up chicken fried steak was one of the few meals that my mom made that I absolutely refused to eat. I would throw a FIT about it, and then one time I complained that I didn’t feel good and she made me eat the entire thing (even the fatty bits) and the next day we found out I had a severe bladder infection. She felt so bad that I never had to eat chicken fried steak again. And… I never have. But that looks kind of delicious, so now I’m wondering if I was just a big brat.
This was even better as a leftover. I didn’t think it was possible to taste any better.
Mr. How Sweet now has a new favorite meal. I would like this made everyday next week, please.
Ahahaha, Conway Twitty. I love it. Also, this meal reminds me of my grandma’s house and I love it. So glad you’re a chicken fried steak, gal – I haven’t had it in forever, I need to whip some up!
Looks great! Sometimes we all have to indulge.
Looks so good! What recipe did you use?
I didn’t really use one – I just bought cube steaks, seasoned them, dredged them in flour then pan-fried!
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