So you pick up a magazine and its pretty good. You like the articles and the other stuff it has for content. You decide to make a commitment. That’s right subscription. No more trekking to your local bookstore, or supermarket to grab the latest issue. Nope it comes to you. Everything is going well, you even decide to renew the subscription. Then you get the letter inserted into one issues. The magazine is ceasing to publish. Which sucks especially for those who just renewed. Now if your lucky the magazine that you subscribed to is part of a company that has more than one magazine offering and they offer to continue your subscription with something else or a refund. This happened to me not once but twice.
So now the current dilemma. Just finished reading an issue of Otaku USA and I really liked it. I am considering subscribing, its a start up and they look like they might actually hang around for a while. Well that’s the same thing I thought when I subscribed to Newstype-USA then this happened. Of course it had to happen just after I renewed my subscription. Then I saw this posting. So now I’ll just wait and see how this replacement magazine works out and regarding Otaku USA.. Hmm I’ll wait a while before I make the commitment. For now it’ll be if I see it on the magazine rack I’ll grab it.
So the last post was a piece of fiction that popped into my head. As I mentioned in on my other postings these things usually come to mind as I walk to the convenience store to grab the morning paper. Still working on a title for it. Maybe something like the Return Of The Beasts…yeah because that’s hella original. Not sure. Got another chapter or paragraph floating around in the head. Maybe I’ll commit it to paper soon.
Random Food Thing
This past Saturday night sista brought home some cube steak. I thought she was going to cook up. Oh no that didn’t happen. She kind of asked me. Usually with cube steak I browned it then braised it for a while in a thick gravy. But since it was kind of to late for that I decided to try something different. Chicken Fried Steak.
Here are the ingredients: flour, onion powder, granulated garlic, paprika, freshly cracked black pepper, a wee bit of salt, four eggs, vegetable oil and shortening.
Since I was pressed for time I really didn’t measure things out. Just did the eyeball it thing. Fill up your cast iron skillet (yeah like everyone has one of those, we don’t even have one anymore) ok well just use a pan that’s deep enough for frying. Or like in our house a wok. Fill your cooking item with vegetable oil and some shortening if you have it. About 2 or three inches worth. Let it heat up. (not sure which temp, did the flour test) when the flour starts a bublin in then you oil is hot. Could’ ve grabbed the thermometer but it was Saturday Night, I was a bit aggravated and just didn’t want to deal with it.
While your oil is heating up preheat your oven to 250 or so. This is just to keep the cooked steak warm Especially if the persons who are planning on consuming said steak decide to head out to the movies whilst you are in the process of cooking. Did I mention that I have to get up hella early to be at work on Sunday Mornings. But I digress. Put some flour in a shallow dish, good sized mixing bowl or zip-lock bag, I used the bag for easy clean up. In another bowl crack your eggs and beat em briefly. Your not scramblin them, you just want them mixed together. Grab another bag and add some flour, a wee bit of salt, onion powder, granulated garlic, paprika, freshly cracked black pepper, and oh yeah some old bay seasoning mix if you have it. Close the bag and mix those ingredients well. This is your seasoned flour mix. Now you are ready.
Hmm I could leave yall hangin like I did last time, but hey I’m on a roll so might as well continue.
Set up an assembly line if you have the space, or make do with what you got like I did. First dredge the steaks in first bag of unseasoned flour. In other words drop em in the bag, close it then shake, turn over and over until the steak is covered with flour. Then open the bag take out the steak shaking off the excess flour and drop in the egg wash (the bowl with the slightly beaten eggs) make sure you get the meat well coated in the egg wash. Then grab the meat once again (tongs come in very handy) and drop it into the bag with the seasoned flour mixture. Close the bag then shake, rattle, and roll the steak (thank ya thank very much) Once the steak is coated with the seasoned flour mixture take it out of the bag, give them a little shake to get rid of the excess and drop them into the oil.
Depending upon the size of your skillet, pan or wok. You may be able to get 3 or four in at a time. Try not to crowd em. Let them cook on one side for a few minutes then turn them over to finish cooking. Usually five to seven minutes for the whole process. Was vaguely watching the time, I just wanted to be done with it so I could watch some telly before the oblivion of sleep hit me. But I digress again. Once your meat is cooked remove from the oil to a paper toweled lined pan or cookie sheet to drain. I usually put a piece of aluminum foil down first then the paper towel. Don’t ask me why, I saw sista doing it when she fried up some fish so I did the same thing with the chicken fried steak.
Place the steak in the oven to stay warm or just serve it after it s drained for a bit. Sista made some gravy later on but I was already watching Torchwood, I think so I wasn’t paying attention to how she prepared the gravy. I did notice a can of beef broth on the counter and some saute’d onions and peppers in a small pan on the stove before she headed out the door.
Speaking of Torchwood and things related, looks like the folks at the have decided to pick up the fourth season of Dr. Who. How cool is that. And as an added bonus they’ve grabbed the Sarah Jane Adventures. Peep the article . Wow Sarah Jane. Talk about blast from the past. I remember those old Doctor Who episodes when they were broadcast on the PBS station outta Boston. Channel 44 I think. Davros, the Daleks, U.N.I.T. , ahhh and K-9. I used to have a poster commemorating the five doctors. Can’t wait for the new season. And I thought BBC America was going to start to show the fourth season new season Torchwood but I was wrong. Oh well.
And this looks like a good spot to end for now. Who knows I might actually get into a routine of updating this spot more often. Next time around maybe I’ll talk about…hey Jim can you cook the fish…yeah that’s right had to cook some talapia and catfish for Ash Wednesday.
Be well citizens.