Win a Copy of "Just Food" by James McWilliams

I am giving away 5 copies of this book on my book review blog - Review From Here. Head over there to check out what you need to do to win and good luck!

Country Fried Steak Courtesy of Kim Smith, Author of "A Will to Love"

About the Author:

Kim Smith is the hostess for the popular radio show, Introducing WRITERS! Radio show on Blog Talk Radio. She is also the author of the zany, Shannon Wallace mystery series available now from Red Rose Publishing and also the new romance novel, A Will to Love.


You can visit Kim’s website at http://www.mkimsmith.com/


About the Book:

Benton Jessup wants his bed and breakfast to be successful. He will go to no lengths to insure that it does. But when Kitty Beebe, a famous romance author, arrives at The Inn, his desire for success becomes a struggle of wills with love.


Kim Smith’s Country Fried Steak

Country fried steak is my best friend. As a writer, I am always looking for quick, nutritious, and tasty stuff to cook, so I can get on with the business of putting words to paper. So, it just doesn’t get any better than this, yall! *Yes, I am channeling Paula Deen here, because well, she’s a Southern gal, too! Serve these steaks with some form of potato, like mashed with gravy, yum yum, and a bagged salad and you are set for the night. Oh, and fresh from the garden, home-grown tomatoes would be right as rain, too!

Ingredients:

1 lb. Round steak, or sirloin tip steak
½ cup flour
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup milk
1 large egg
oil for frying

Gravy:

3 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
½ cup chicken broth
salt and pepper

Cut meat up into about four pieces and use meat pulverizer on each. Pound until about a fourth of an inch thick. Heat oil in skillet. In a bowl, beat egg into milk. In separate bowl, place ½ cup of flour with paprika, pepper, and about ½ teaspoon of salt. Dip meat into egg mix, then flour mix, then place in hot oil. Brown on both sides for about 2-3 minutes then lower heat to medium, cover the skillet, and let steak fry like chicken for about 10-12 minutes. Remove cover and let steak crisp for 2 mins. Remove from skillet.

Leave the crispies in the skillet and about 2 tablespoons of oil. Place the 3 tablespoons of flour in the skillet and cook, stirring until all the flour is brown. Slowly add the milk and broth and cook for a few minutes until bubbly and thick.

Okay, now I have to go eat. I am starving just thinking about this! I hope you enjoy it!

Kim Smith is the author of the romance novel, A Will to Love. You can visit her website at http://www.mkimsmith.com/

Chuck's Favorite Mac and Cheese

It's been too long - life has been pretty hectic and I'm sorry about that. But, here's one of my favorite recipes. I found it on Allrecipes years ago and have made it numerous times and my family never gets tired of it. Here goes:


INGREDIENTS:

1 (8 ounce) package elbow macaroni
1 (8 ounce) package shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 (12 ounce) container small curd cottage cheese
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, add pasta, and cook until done; drain.
2.In 9x13 inch baking dish, stir together macaroni, shredded Cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix together bread crumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle topping over macaroni mixture.
3.Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until top is golden.

Overnight Caramel French Toast

This is one of my family's favorite recipes. We make it every few months not only because it's easy but delicious as well. You have to try this one - no need for syrup as the caramel glaze is perfect on the top (once you invert the pieces after baking). Enjoy!


INGREDIENTS

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
12 slices bread
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1.In a small saucepan, bring the brown sugar, butter and corn syrup to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Top with six slices of bread. Combine sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle half over the bread. Place remaining bread on top. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar; set aside.

2.In a large bowl, beat the eggs, milk, vanilla and remaining cinnamon. Pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

3.Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes.

Danish Pudding Dessert

This is my Uncle RJ's favorite dessert. I don't think about it too often because we usually only have it for his birthday. I love it and think I'll start making it more.

Crust:

1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup nuts

Mix like a pie crust and put into a 13x9" pan patting down. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes and let cool.

1st layer:

2-8 ozs. packages cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup nuts
5-6 bananas

Combine well and spread over the pie crust. Cut 5-6 bananas into slices and place over the creams cheese mixture.

2nd layer:

2 pkgs danish dessert (Junket)

Add 3 1/2 cups cold water to the danish dessert and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Let cool and pour over bananas. Refrigerate until set.

Four Foods Meme 82

I finally hit the jackpot and found a site that deals only with meme's. I admit it, I love these! This meme can be found at Fun, Crafts, and Recipes.

Here are this week’s four questions. I’m trying something a little different again.

#1. Lynne’s question. Do you cook items besides meat on the bbq grill, and, do you prefer gas or charcoal grills?

We do cook vegetables occasionally on the grill, mostly corn on the cob or potatoes. In the words of my husband, if it's not charcoal it's not grilling out.

#2. Name a food that begins with A.

Angus beef

#3. Name a drink that begins with A.

Ale

#4. Share a recipe for something that calls for American Cheese.

My oldest daughters favorite breakfast is cheesy eggs, which is truly just scrambled eggs cooked until they are almost done. Then you take american cheese (we use Kraft) and tear it into strips until it melts. Yummy!

Chocolate Banana Cake

Ingredients:

2/3 cups shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
4 Tbsp. cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
2 or 3 mashed bananas
1/2 cup sour milk - 1 tsp. vinegar
2 1/4 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Sift dry ingredients and set aside. Cream shortening. Add sugar and cream well. Add eggs one at a time and beat after each. Add vanilla and cocoa and beat until blended. Alternate adding the dry ingredients, banana, and milk until well blended.

Grease and flour a 13x9" pan. Add mixture and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until done.

This cake (along with the Banana Spice Cake) are delicious alone. But a good chocolate frosting on this is delicious. Or cream cheese. Whatever you prefer. Enjoy!

Mumpy's Coffee Cake

This coffee cake is a recipe from a friend of mine and is delicious and couldn't be easier!

Ingredients:

1 cup butter at room temp
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, beat well
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder

Combine dry ingredients. Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each. Gradually add the dry ingredients until well blended.

Grease and flour a 13x9" pan. Add the mixture and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until done. Top the coffee cake with pats of butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Yummy!

Banana Spice Cake

I was visiting my Nana and Papa this past weekend and due to her ill health she was unable to bake. She had me bake two cakes to use up the leftover bananas. The other will be posted tomorrow - not sure I could pick a favorite!

Ingredients:
2 0r 3 bananas =1 cup
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 1/4 cups sifted flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup shortening
2/3 cup sour milk (1 tsp. vinegar to regular milk)
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup nuts

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside. Cream together the shortening and sugar. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each. Add lemon juice, sour milk, and vanilla and beat well. Alternate between adding the bananas and dry ingredients until well blended.

Grease and flour a 13x9" pan. Add the banana mixture and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until done.