Stewed Okra and Tomatoes

 Ingredients:

• 4 slices diced into small pieces bacon
• 1 small peeled and chopped onion
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 large can diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon chicken base
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 16 ounce bag of frozen, cut okra 
• fresh ground black pepper

Directions

Cook bacon slightly. Sauté onion and garlic with bacon until tender. Add tomatoes, chicken base, sugar and pepper. Stir well and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning if needed. Add the okra and simmer until okra is done, about 18-20 more minutes.

Pork Chops with Buttermilk Gravy

 Tyler Florence:

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons onion powder

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 pork chops, 3/4-inch thick, bone-in

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup buttermilk

Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

1. 
   
2. DIRECTIONS:
3. Put the flour in a ziplock bag and add the onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper.  Shake to mix evenly. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels to remove any moisture and then dredge them in the seasoned flour; shaking off the excess.
4. Heat a large saute pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat and coat with the oil. When the oil is nice and hot, lay the pork chops in the pan in a single layer and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown (closer to 4 minutes if they are thicker like an unpounded chicken breast). Remove the pork chops from the pan and add 4 sprinkles of seasoned flour to the pan drippings. Mix the flour into the fat to dissolve and then pour in the chicken broth. Let the liquid cook down for 5 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly. Stir in the buttermilk to make a creamy gravy and return the pork chops to the pan, covering them with the sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes until the pork is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy

Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy
Pioneer Woman



Ingredients:

Chicken Fried Steak:


1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 pounds cube steak (tenderized round steak that's been extra tenderized)
Kosher salt
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter


Gravy:


1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 to 4 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Mashed potatoes, for serving

Directions:


For the steak: Begin with setting up an assembly line of dishes. Mix the milk with the eggs in one; the flour mixed with the seasoned salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, paprika and cayenne in another; and the meat in a third. Then have one clean plate at the end to receive the breaded meat.

Work with one piece of meat at a time. Sprinkle both sides with kosher salt and black pepper, then place it in the flour mixture. Turn to coat. Place the meat into the milk/egg mixture, turning to coat. Finally, place it back in the flour and turn to coat (dry mixture/wet mixture/dry mixture). Place the breaded meat on the clean plate, then repeat with the remaining meat.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter. Drop in a few sprinkles of flour to make sure it's sufficiently hot. When the butter sizzles immediately, you know it's ready. (It should not brown right away, if it does, the fire is too hot.) Cook the meat, 3 pieces at a time, until the edges start to look golden brown, about 2 minutes each side. Remove the meat to a paper towel-lined plate and keep them warm by covering lightly with another plate or a sheet of foil. Repeat until all the meat is cooked.

After all the meat is fried, pour off the grease into a heatproof bowl. Without cleaning the skillet, return it to the stove over medium-low heat. Add 1/4 cup of the grease back to the skillet and allow it to heat up.

For the gravy: When the grease is hot, sprinkle the flour evenly over the grease. Using a whisk, mix the flour with the grease, creating a golden-brown paste. Add more flour if it looks overly greasy; add a little more grease if it becomes too pasty/clumpy. Keep cooking until the roux reaches a deep golden brown color.

Pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Add the seasoned salt and black pepper to taste and cook, whisking, until the gravy is smooth and thick, 5 to 10 minutes. Be prepared to add more milk if it becomes overly thick. Be sure to taste to make sure gravy is sufficiently seasoned.

Serve the meat next to a big side of mashed potatoes. Pour gravy over the whole shebang!


Notes:


Closely adhere to frying for 2 minutes. I thought the meat looked undercooked at 2 minutes so I cooked for 3 on each side and it was too much. Definitely taste and adjust seasoning with gravy. Serve with mashed potatoes, green beans.  Also, you could put dry ingredients in a ziplock, shake and then put in a dish for dipping.  This would help quickly mix ingredients and allow you to skip that step for faster prep.

Collard Greens

Collard Greens:
Tyler Florence

Ingredients:
2-3 large bunches collard greens
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 bay leaves
1 Honey Baked Ham Bone (defrosted)
2 quarts chicken broth
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar

Directions:

To prepare the greens:  cut away the tough stalks and stems from the collards so all you have is the green leafy part.  Discard any leaves that are bruised or yellow.  Wash the collards thoroughly to remove the grit, 2 or 3 times, until water runs clear.  Tear the leaves into large pieces.  Dry in salad spinner.

Place a large stock pot over medium heat and add the olive oil.  Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, and ham hock.  Cook until the onions are soft and starting to brown, about 8-10 minutes.  (Make broth while this is going on).  After about 10 minutes, pack in the greens, pushing them down into the pot.  Add the broth, vinegar, and sugar.  Bring up to a boil turning the greens occasionally as they wilt.  Lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and let cook for 45 minutes.  Taste the broth and add salt and pepper (if needed).  Cover and cook for 15 minutes more.  Remove the bay leaves and serve.

Notes:  Serves 6.  Takes about an 1 hour, 20 minutes total cooking time.  Taste before salt and pepper.  Ham made the collard greens salty enough, so there was no need to add additional salt.