MOCK CHICKEN FRIED STEAK

 So far 2021's weather in Kansas City, MO hasn't been too severe. Don't get me wrong. We have had snow a couple of times, but not a lot. So far we have been in a pattern of colder weekends and warmer middle of the week days. I will take it any day over some of the winters we have had. We are already noticing it not getting dark until 5:30 when just a month ago it was 5.

My menu planning continues to work well, which is good. Hoping I will keep it up. Less stress is an improvement. Today I am sharing an old family favorite of ours for "kicking-up" ground beef. It shows how serving sizes have gotten larger when you read my recipe card that says the recipe serves 6. A quarter pound burger is normal nowadays. When I made it last week, I was hungry so I made four patties, but whenever I make it again, I will try six patties. I did include in the instructions the temperature for an electric skillet. That shows how old the recipe is. I haven't used an electric skillet in YEARS. You?

One thing I did this time when I made it is I made up the four patties and then froze two of them. I will put it on our menu for one day in February. I'm not sure why but I think the ones I cooked last week were the best ever! It might have been because I lowered the temperature on the stove just a little and didn't cook them quite as quickly. The cracker crumbs didn't burn like they sometimes do.

MOCK CHICKEN FRIED STEAK

1     beaten egg

1/4  cup milk

2     tablespoons finely chopped onion (I always omit)

1     teaspoon chili powder

1/4  teaspoon salt

1/4  teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1     lb ground beef

1     cup coarsely crushed saltines (20 crackers)

2     tablespoons cooking oil

Combine the egg, milk, 1/2 cup crumbs (10 crackers), onion, chili powder, salt, and Worcestershire sauce until combined. Add beef, mixing well.

Shape into 6 patties, 1/2 inch thick.

Coat both sides of the patties in the rest of the cracker crumbs. (If you run short, just crush a couple more crackers.)

In a skillet, cook the patties in hot oil over medium to medium-high heat about 3 minutes on each side.

As I said above, I cooked two for us to eat and put each one of the other two I made in baggies and froze them. I always put food in a storage bag and then put it all in a large freezer bag.

One more look...

(Electric skillet - 325 degrees F.) (I did cook with a little lower heat. Check side for brownness before flipping.)