Fried Round Steak

Let me just start off by saying that this is not a typical meal I like to cook.  It's fried. It's greasy. It's steak.  If you're a health nut, the next few pictures will not look appealing to you.  Just a little heads up.

So, this Valentine's Day, Tad wanted a meal instead of a gift.  He wanted his favorite meal, to be exact.  His favorite meal? Chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, and green beans.

I have an awesome sauteed green bean recipe. check. I have an oh-so-delicious garlic mashed potatoes recipe. check.

Fried steak?  Not so much.  I've always been a little turned off by recipes that require frying.  Since I don't have a fryer, I picture grease fires and flying oil droplets all over my arms.  Both have occurred during past attempts at frying, so I was a little hesitant to start this endeavor. All for the love of Valentine's Day, right? right??

Now, who better to go to for a fried steak recipe than The Pioneer Woman? She even has a section on her blog dedicated specifically to Cowboy food. If I was going to conquer the frying endeavor, I knew it would be with The Pioneer Woman.

Did I conquer it? Not entirely. Tad loved them, but I think I cooked them a little too much.  Cube steak is round steak that's been tenderized (from my understanding... correct me if I'm wrong).  It had the same consistency and look as hamburger meat, so I overcooked the steaks a bit, thinking there couldn't be any pink in the middle.  I still am not sure how thoroughly round steak needs to be cooked, so all advice is welcome.  Steak is not my forte.  Frying is even less so.

In the end, it was a pretty fantastic Valentine's Day meal.  Not too cheesy, not too corny, not too sappy...just right.  Doesn't get much more romantic than fried steak!

You can find the recipe here!

Fried Round Steak

Ingredients:
3 lbs cube steak (round steak that's been tenderized)
1 cup flour
1 tsp seasoned salt
3 tsp ground black pepper, more for seasoning meat
Salt, for seasoning the meat
1/2 cup canola oil
2 Tbsp butter

Directions:
-Mix flour, seasoned salt, and black pepper together in a bowl for dipping. Set aside.
-Heat oil in a skillet on medium heat.
-Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of each steak, then dip steak in flour mixture. Make sure to coat every part of steak with flour.
-When you're ready to start frying, place butter in the oil.  Oil is hot enough when the butter sizzles.
-Once butter is melted, place steak in oil.  Cook until side is golden brown, then flip and cook for about another minute.
-Place steak on paper towel lined plate.  Serve and enjoy!

Cherry Cake Pudding

Having trouble finding something for dessert? Something for breakfast? Something for every meal or snack of everyday? Search no longer.

Cherry Cake Pudding. Aka, the answer to all of your problems.

I, indeed, have had it for dessert, breakfast, every meal, and every snack of the day. In fact, this just might be my favorite thing I've ever made.  Have you all met the pioneer woman? She's a genius, I tell you.  I found this recipe on her site (as I have about every other recipe I've ever made).  I'm slightly obsessed.  The woman knows her stuff and she definitely knows how to make an awesome cherry cake pudding.

Have you all heard of cherry cake pudding? I sure had not, and I was pleasantly surprised when this turned in to a warm, gooey cake with sweet cherry syrup drizzled on it.  Oh, in case you hadn't heard, before you drizzle the syrup on the cake to serve, you let the cake soak up about half of the syrup when it's fresh out of the oven.  Yeah. It's actually warm gooey cake that's soaked with sweet cherry syrup.  

Swoon.

While the cake is baking, you make the syrup.  This is a recipe of perfect timing.  It is a Pioneer Woman recipe, after all.

This is the strangest picture... It's actually cherry juice and sugar boiling.  The camera captured it at an odd moment.  

All in all, this recipe took an hour to make.  And less than that to consume entirely.  

Absolutely delicious.

Recipe found here!

Cherry Cake Pudding

For the Cake:

1 cup sugar

2 Tbsp butter, softened

1 large egg

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup whole milk

1 15oz can cherries in syrup (not cherry pie filling)

1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped

Syrup:

1 cup cherry juice (add water to make 1 cup, if necessary)

1 cup sugar

1 Tbsp. flour

1 Tbsp. butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions:

-Preheat oven to 325°

-Butter a 9x9 inch baking dish

-Cream the sugar and butter

-Add the egg to the creamed sugar and butter and mix well

-Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt

-Alternatively add the flour mixture and milk to the butter/sugar mixture

-Add the cherries and nuts to the batter and mix gently

-Pour batter into the greased pan, smoothing out the surface

-Bake for 40 minutes or until the cake is gold-brown and no longer jiggles

While cake is baking, make the syrup:

-Add cherry juice, sugar, and flour to a small saucepan

-Boil mixture for 8-10 minutes, until thickened

-Turn off heat and add the butter and vanilla extract

As soon as the cake is taken out of the oven, pour 1/3 of the syrup over the cake, spreading it out evenly.  Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.  To serve, drizzle syrup over the slices. You can also serve it with whipped cream or icecream! 

Black Bean Taquitos

Let me just start off by saying these turned out more like burritos than taquitos.  They were fairly large in size but weren't terribly heavy in taste (so they could definitely still pass as an appetizer). Because of the massive snow storm that hit KC a few weeks ago, I had to improvise and use what I had in my fridge.  Instead of using normal, taquito-size corn tortillas,  I had to use burrito-size whole wheat tortillas.  While just as delicious, I will be using corn tortillas next time. Ya know, to keep the tortilla: filling ratio in balance.  It was a little off kilter with my version.  And I'm all about equal ratios on this blog. 

This recipe was super easy to make.  The only issue I had was the dipping the tortilla in steamed water step. My tortillas were not having it.  I don't know if the same would happen with the corn tortillas but the whole wheat version does NOT like to be dipped in water and rolled up.  They hate it, actually, and will fiercely protest by falling apart before you even add the bean filling.  I went through my entire package of whole wheat tortillas just to make four taquitos.  So sad.  

The four tortillas that survived though turned out to be utterly delicious.  I definitely recommend trying this recipe.  Maybe stick with the original recipe though... corn tortillas are the way to go. 

Black Bean Taquitos (recipe adapted from here)

Ingredients:

1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tablespoon sunflower oil (I used olive oil)

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed if using from a can

6-8 corn tortillas (I used whole wheat tortillas)

1/2 cup Colby Jack Cheese

Oil for brushing

*I omitted the jalapenos and cilantro from the original recipe (due to lack of ingredients) but feel free to add them!

(1 small jalapeno, de-seeded and finely diced, 1/4 cup cilantro)

Directions

-Pre-heat oven to 425˚ and bring a medium/large pot of water to a simmer.

-In a medium sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat.  

-Saute onion and pepper until onion becomes translucent.  

-Stir in garlic, cumin, paprika, salt, and continue to cook for 1-2 more minutes.  

-Add in black beans and cilantro, cooking until beans are heated through- two to three minutes more.

-Turn off pot of water.  Taking one tortilla at a time, dip in hot water for 3-4 seconds.  

-Place on a cutting board and scoop one spoonful of black bean filling and a hefty pinch of cheese on top.  Roll tight and place seam side down on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper.  

-Repeat for each tortilla until all the filling is used.  

-Brush each tortilla with oil.

-Bake for 12-15 minutes until the tortilla is a light brown color. 

-Dip in salsa, guacamole, or sour cream!

Taco Soup

It's been a whole two weeks since I've blogged... oh how I've missed it so. Med school finals week likes to strip you of everything fun and good.  But, I'm back. Ready to tell you about an oh-so-fabulous recipe.  My dear friend, Megan, from school shared this with me, and it has definitely gotten me through quite a few nights of studying.  It can feed a family of 10, I'm sure, and it is super tasty and easy.

There is also a lot of room for variation in this recipe... I didn't have any hamburger meat the last time I made this so I used pork sausage instead.  Super tasty!

You'll need a slow cooker for this recipe. My slow cooker is my new best friend.  It's amazing and makes my apartment smell divine.  If you have any fabulous slow cooker recipes, please send them my way.  I'm looking for more!

This recipe is great for any night of the week or any time of the day.... trust me.  It's incredible and I do hope you make it soon!

p.s... thanks, Megan, for sharing such a great recipe!

Taco Soup

1 lb hamburger, browned
1 onion, diced
1 can kidney beans, with juice
1 can black beans, drained
1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 can Mexican Tomatoes (Rotel works)
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 package dry taco mix
1 package dry ranch dressing mix

Add the meat and onions to a large saucepan over medium heat.  Brown the hamburger and onions together.  Add the hamburger and onions and the rest of the ingredients to the slow cooker.  Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low all day.  You can serve the soup with sour cream, cheese, green onions, or tortilla chips!