Thursday's Blue Plate Specials

Breakfast: Steel-cut Oats
Sliced Peaches
Heavy cream

Oatmeal: Cook according to package directions. (You might have to look for steel cut oats at the local health food or whole foods store. It’s worth the effort, even if you have to go out of your way. Very tasty!)
Peel & slice the peaches and keep chilled until serving time.
Pass the cream in a nice creamer.

Dinner: Jell-O Salad
Chicken Fried Steak
Mashed Potatoes
White Gravy
Green Beans

Jell-O Salad (Like Mom used to make)
Drain a can of fruit cocktail, reserving the juice. Dissolve one 3.5 ounce package cherry Jell-O in 1 cup boiling water. Add enough water to fruit cocktail juice to measure one cup and stir into Jell-O. Stir the fruit cocktail in and chill 3 hours.

Chicken Fried Steak: In a flat bowl, mix together 1 cup flour, 1 Tblsp paprika, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper and ¼ tsp garlic powder. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup buttermilk and 2 beaten eggs. Pound 4 servings of round steak and sprinkle with tenderizer. Let rest about 5 minutes. Dip each steak into batter, then flour, then back in the batter and again in the flour. Brown both sides in ¾-1 inch melted bacon fat or vegetable oil. Cover and place in 350 oven for 20 minutes. Turn and cook another 10 minutes.

White Gravy: Melt ½ stick butter in saucepan. Stir in ¼ cup flour and whisk until smooth. Whisk in 1 cup chicken stock or broth and ½ cup heavy cream. Stir until thickened and then stir in a generous amount of cracked pepper.

Warm the green beans (canned or frozen) in saucepan and serve hot.

Lunch: Caramel Apples

In top of double boiler, melt one 32 ounce package of caramels. Wash apples thoroughly and insert a stick at the blossom end. Dip apples in caramel and place on sheet of waxed paper. Serve when caramel coating is cooled and set.

Supper: Grilled Brats or Italian Sausage
Eggplant Parmesan
Anadama Bread

Anadama Bread: As soon as the dinner dishes are done, mix ½ cup yellow cornmeal with 1 cup water. Bring 1 cup water to boil and add cornmeal/water mixture to it. Boil, reduce heat and cook and stir until mixture is thick. Add 1 tsp salt, 4 Tblsp butter and ½ cup molasses. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, stir 2 Tblsp (1 package) yeast and 1 tsp sugar into ½ cup warm water. Let stand 10 minutes and stir into tepid cornmeal mixture. Stir in enough sifted flour to make a stiff dough – about 5 cups. Knead for 10 minutes. Place in greased bowl, cover and let rise until double. (Might take 2 hours) Punch down and divide into two pieces. Shape into nice round loaves and place on greased baking sheet. Cover, let rise until double; 30 minutes. Bake at 350 60 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when thumped. Immediately slather with butter if you want a soft crust.

Eggplant Parmesan: Sauce: Mix one 28 ounce can each diced tomatoes and crushed tomatoes, one 8 ounce can tomato paste, 2 cloves mashed roasted garlic, ½ tsp oregano, ¼ tsp thyme and a pinch of basil. Simmer 1 hour. Peel and slice fresh eggplant and cook slices in melted butter or bacon fat until soft. Place in greased casserole and cover with sauce. Sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese. Cook in 350 oven 15 minutes. Sprinkle with Mozzarella cheese and broil until cheese is melted.

Cook brats or sausages on grill until well browned and cooked through.