Oklahoma’s Date of Statehood – November 16th, 1907
OOOOOOOOOOOKLAHOMA WHERE THE WIND COMES SWEEPING DOWN THE PLAINS… It is a reflex, sorry about that. Oklahoma is the only state in the project that has an OFFICAL state meal. Well, it really like the official state buffet. In 1988, the legislature declared the OFFICAL state meal to consist of fried okra, cornbread, barbecue pork, squash, biscuits, sausage and gravy, grits, corn, strawberries, chicken fried steak, pecan pie, and black-eyed peas. That makes me sleepy just thinking about all that deliciousness! So, for the sake of my sanity, I picked three from the above; chicken fried steak, black-eyed peas, and yellow squash. YUM!
Tips and Tricks
- When dealing with cube steak or round steak, the trick is to pound them thin. This is also the secret to tender, juicy chicken breast! To do this:
- Place each steak between two pieces of plastic wrap.
- Using a meat mallet, rubber mallet, rolling pin, or empty wine bottle, beat the steak until it is very thin, less than 1/4-inch thick.
- Turn the steak often, as you pound, and make sure you stretch out the plastic wrap every so often; it will wrinkle as you work.
Chicken Fried Steak and Gravy
Serves 4
Chicken Fried Steak
- 4 Quarter-Pound Cube Steaks
- 1/2 tsp Salt, for seasoning the steaks
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 tsp Salt, for the breading
- 1 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 2 Eggs
- 1/2 Cup Milk
- Vegetable Oil, for frying
Gravy
- 3 Tbs Frying Oil, once steaks have been fried
- 3 Tbs Flour
- 1/4 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 3/4 Cup Milk
- 1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Step 1: Place a metal rack over a large baking sheet and place both the rack and baking sheet into the over. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. (This is where the fried steaks will stay warm while we make the gravy.)
Step 2: Sprinkle the 1/2 tsp of salt evenly over both sides of all the steaks.
Step 3: Place a skillet with deep sides over medium-low heat. Add enough oil to come up about 1/4 of an inch up the sides of the pan. You want to heat the oil to 350 degrees.
Step 4: Place two shallow dishes (I prefer pie pans) on your work surface. Into the first dish, whisk together the 2 eggs and 1/3 Cup of milk. In the second pan, whisk together the 2 Cups of flour, 1/2 tsp Salt, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.
Step 5: Take one steak and dredge it in the seasoned flour. Shake off any excess. Then, take that steak and dip it in the egg mixture. Then, take the now wet steak and dredge it again in the seasoned flour, gently shaking off any excess. Set this steak aside and repeat until all cube steaks have been breaded.
Step 6: Once the steaks have been breaded and the oil is 350 degrees, add two steaks to the hot oil and fry until the edges turn golden brown, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip the steaks over and fry for another 3 minutes. Once both sides are golden brown, remove the steaks from the oil and place them on the wire rack in the warm oven. Repeat the frying process until all the meat and been fried.
Step 7: Now it is time to make the gravy. Take 3 Tbs of the frying oil and place it in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the 3 Tbs of flour to the oil and whisk constantly until the roux turns a light brown color, about 4-5 minutes.
Step 8: Once the fat/flour mixture is a light brown color, add the heavy cream and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Add 1 cup of the milk and whisk until combined. Then, continue to add milk, 1/4 cup at a time, until the gravy reaches a texture you like. Season with pepper.
Step 9: Serve the chicken-fried steaks warm, covered in gravy.
Oklahoma Black-Eyed Peas
Serves 8-10
- 2 Strips of Bacon, chopped
- 1 Small Yellow Onion, peeled and diced
- 1 Green Bell Pepper, stems and seeds removed and diced
- 3 Ribs of Celery, leaves and root removed and diced
- 2 Large Tomatoes, stem removed and diced
- 1 Tbs Sugar
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 Handful Fresh Basil, chopped (about 1 Tbs)
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1 15oz. Packages Frozen Black-Eyes Peas
- 1 Cup of Water
Step 1: Place a large pot on a cold stove. Lay the chopped bacon in a single layer in the cold pan. Turn the heat to medium and cook the bacon, turning occasionally, until the crispy and brown, about 5-6 minutes.
Step 2: Once the bacon is crisp, use a slotted spoon to remove the meat from the fat and allow it to drain on a paper towel lined plate. Set aside.
Step 3: Add the chopped onion, green bell pepper, and celery to the bacon fat and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
Step 4: Once the vegetables are browed and soft, add the water, crumbled bacon, chopped tomatoes, sugar, bay leaf, basil, salt, and pepper. Stir to thoroughly combine.
Step 5: Increase the heat to high. Once the water starts to simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 1 and 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Step 6: Serve hot once the beans are soft.
Sautéed Squash and Onions
Serves 4
- 2 Medium Yellow Squash, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
- 1 Medium Yellow Onion, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
- 2 Tbs Unsalted Butter
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1 1/2 Tbs Brown Sugar
Step 1: Place a large skillet on the stove over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the butter and allow it to melt. Once the butter has melted, add the sliced onions and cook until they are soft, about 5 minutes.
Step 2: Add the squash, salt, pepper, and brown sugar to the onions. Gently stir to thoroughly combined.
Step 3: Once combined, cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice during cooking.
Step 4: After 20 minutes, uncover the squash and allow to cook for 8 additional minutes. Allow the liquid the reduce into a slightly thick glaze.
Step 5: Serve hot.
Fun Facts about Oklahoma: 1. The world’s first parking meter was installed in Oklahoma City on July 16, 1935. 2. Per square mile, Oklahoma has the most tornadoes of all U.S. states. 3. Okmulgee owns the world record for largest pecan pie, pecan cookie, pecan brownie, and biggest ice cream and cookie party. Each June, Okmulgee host the annual Pecan Festival. 4. Oklahoma’s Cimarron County is bordered by more states than any other U.S. county: Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and Kansas. 5. Oklahoma is the only state in the U.S. that produces Iodine. It is also one of the only four states that produce Helium. 6. Shopping carts were first invented and used in Oklahoma before they were used anywhere else in the world. Sylvan Goldman, the owner of the Humpty Dumpty supermarket chain in Oklahoma City, came up with an idea to build shopping carts to assist his customers in shopping. 7. With more than 200, Oklahoma has the largest number of man-made lakes of any state in the United States. 8. After California, Oklahoma has the second largest Native American population in the country.
Edible U.S. 