How far would you go for Chicken Fried Steak?
Would you...BOIL WATER!?!
I'm a Native Texan, born and raised. To a Native Texan there are few meals more sacred than the venerable Chicken Fried Steak. So, as you might be able to imagine, I spent my 10 years in Upstate New York, largely in withdrawals. Beyond the rare trip to an IHOP or a Denny's, you just never saw Chicken Fried Steak on the menu. Oh and trust me, Denny's and IHOP don't count.
So, imagine my excitement when a friend told me about a frozen dinner I could buy at any grocery store that would deliver a decent substitute for homemade Chicken Fried Steak. Hell yeah I wanted that!
I was off to the Frozen Foods section of my local grocery store to track down a Marie Callender's Chicken Fried Steak dinner. Now, I had to try two stores, but I wasn't deterred, this is Chicken Fried Steak we're talking about here, with Mashed Potatoes, Corn and Creamstyle gravy. The Holy Friggin' Grail of dinners.
Finally, two packages in hand, I'm off to the house for my treat.
I step up to the Microwave, open the package and slide out the contents...and arched an eyebrow in confusion.
Why wasn't there a single, plastic wrap covered, microwavable dish to be nuked? Why do I have two bags of something or another?
Directions, directions...aha...*read, read* What the *$#%@?
"Pierce Bag A with a tiny hole to create a steam vent, then place in boiling water for 5 minutes..."
Friends, dinner was on hold. If I wanted my Chicken Fried Steak...I had to cook it? Seriously, who shops in the "frozen dinners" section with cooking on their mind.
Now, I'm not going to argue whether or not boiling water counts as cooking...it requires a pot, it counts, period.
I fumed, I stomped, I pondered. Finally, I boiled water after washing a pot out. And eventually I had a Chicken Fried Steak dinner that I had to begrudgingly admit was a decent frozen substitute for home.
In years to come I would highly recommend Marie Callender's to others (always with an appropriate warning that cooking is required).
So I guess in the end I decided it was worth it to boil water...or maybe not, I never bought another one. I did however cherish each Chicken Fried Steak dinner that I had in Texas on trips home...that much more.
I'm a Native Texan, born and raised. To a Native Texan there are few meals more sacred than the venerable Chicken Fried Steak. So, as you might be able to imagine, I spent my 10 years in Upstate New York, largely in withdrawals. Beyond the rare trip to an IHOP or a Denny's, you just never saw Chicken Fried Steak on the menu. Oh and trust me, Denny's and IHOP don't count.
So, imagine my excitement when a friend told me about a frozen dinner I could buy at any grocery store that would deliver a decent substitute for homemade Chicken Fried Steak. Hell yeah I wanted that!
I was off to the Frozen Foods section of my local grocery store to track down a Marie Callender's Chicken Fried Steak dinner. Now, I had to try two stores, but I wasn't deterred, this is Chicken Fried Steak we're talking about here, with Mashed Potatoes, Corn and Creamstyle gravy. The Holy Friggin' Grail of dinners.
Finally, two packages in hand, I'm off to the house for my treat.
I step up to the Microwave, open the package and slide out the contents...and arched an eyebrow in confusion.
Why wasn't there a single, plastic wrap covered, microwavable dish to be nuked? Why do I have two bags of something or another?
Directions, directions...aha...*read, read* What the *$#%@?
"Pierce Bag A with a tiny hole to create a steam vent, then place in boiling water for 5 minutes..."
Friends, dinner was on hold. If I wanted my Chicken Fried Steak...I had to cook it? Seriously, who shops in the "frozen dinners" section with cooking on their mind.
Now, I'm not going to argue whether or not boiling water counts as cooking...it requires a pot, it counts, period.
I fumed, I stomped, I pondered. Finally, I boiled water after washing a pot out. And eventually I had a Chicken Fried Steak dinner that I had to begrudgingly admit was a decent frozen substitute for home.
In years to come I would highly recommend Marie Callender's to others (always with an appropriate warning that cooking is required).
So I guess in the end I decided it was worth it to boil water...or maybe not, I never bought another one. I did however cherish each Chicken Fried Steak dinner that I had in Texas on trips home...that much more.
Boil the damn water! Marie's dinners are delish! They're little artery cloggers, frozen and packaged for your convenience.
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How rude! I really hate it when they get sneaky in the frozen food section. Course I really, really hate to cook.
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I must admit...I have never had chicken fried steak...and that water-boiling process you describe sounds complicated and frightening to me. Great blog, man! I don't comment as often as I should, but I'm here reading, eh?
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