Surprisingly Delicious Sunday Supper

Growing up, Sunday dinners were either Roast Beef or Fried Chicken. I cannot remember having a roast chicken, but I haven’t a clue why. Perhaps it’s because Pops hails from Oklahoma, with a very southern country boy upbringing. I’m sure somewhere in the south there might be a chicken roasting, but more often than not it’s fried.

When I look back on my childhood, it makes me want to put on a red baseball cap. You know, the one that says MAGA. I hear a lot of talk from the left about how Make America Great Again equates to taking America backwards. Maybe to some extremists it does mean “Whites Only”. But I honestly think most MAGA supporters think it should be MAG. Make America Great. It’s the again portion that sends the left running for the hills. That’s because they look back and see an America with signs “Whites Only” and strange fruit hanging from the trees. While that was a part of our history as a country, it’s not what made America great. If anything, it’s what held America back from true greatness.

I want to live in an America that still enjoys the home-spun blue plate specials at the lunch counter. An America captured in Norman Rockwell paintings. Only this time around, everyone is seated at the counter side by side no matter the color of your skin. I want an America that embraces community gatherings and picnics in the park, with everyone invited. I want the America that Martin Luther King dreamed of – one that was colored blind. The color of your skin should never determine who you are as a person. If you look for racism, you will find it under every rock. If you look for the worst in people, people rarely disappoint to live up to your low expectations. But if you stop looking for the worst, and just except people as people, they might just surprise you.

Speaking of surprises, this fried chicken dinner was such a surprise. I’ve baked chicken coated in cornflakes before, and the flakes do give it that fried chicken crunch. What makes this recipe different from most is that you really are frying the chicken, but not deep fried. And that Evaporated Milk is used to moisten the chicken as well as to make the gravy. Canned milk – who knew that it would be so creamy and delicious in gravy? Who knew that it would compliment the natural flavor of chicken? Just you wait and have a taste. Wow!!!

Cornflake Country Chicken with Creamy Gravy
Cornflake Country Chicken
3/4 cup Cornflakes
1/2 teaspoon Poultry Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon dried Thyme
1/4 teaspoon White Pepper
2 tablespoons Evaporated Milk
4 boneless Chicken Breasts
2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
2 tablespoons Butter
1/4 cup Chicken Stock

Place a wire rack inside a rimmed baking pan to hold chicken before frying, Set aside.

Crush cornflakes, place in a shallow bowl. Add poultry seasoning, paprika, salt, thyme and pepper. Stir to blend well.

Place milk in another shallow bowl. Dip chicken in milk, then roll in cornflake mixture. Let chicken rest on the prepared rack for about 15 minutes for cornflakes to adhere.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter. Once the butter has melted, swirl the pan to blend and coat. Add chicken breasts, fry until cooked through, about 8 minutes per side.

Add chicken stock to the pan. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 5 minutes longer, turn and continue to simmer another 5 minutes or until cooked through.

While the chicken cooks, make gravy.

Creamy Gravy
1 tablespoon Butter
1 tablespoon Flour
1/4 teaspoon White Pepper
Pinch Kosher Salt
1/2 cup Evaporated Milk
1/4 cup Chicken Stock
Splash White Wine

In a small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the flour, pepper and salt until smooth. Gradually stir in the evaporated milk, stock and wine. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Plate chicken, drizzle with gravy and serve.

Suggested Sides:

Creamy Red Skin Mashed Potatoes
2-1/2 lbs small Red Potatoes
6 tablespoons Butter, divided
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1/4 cup Sour Cream
Kosher Salt to taste
White Pepper to taste

Scrub and quarter the potatoes. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add potatoes, and cook until tender but still firm, about 10 minutes. Drain, and set aside.

In same pan, combine 1/4 cup butter, cream and sour cream over low heat. Add potatoes and mash until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer mashed potatoes to a warm serving bowl or platter. Garnish with remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.

Buttery Green Beans
1 can Cut Green Beans
2 tablespoons Butter, divided

Open green beans, drain well. Rinse under cold water to remove as much salt as possible.

Place green beans in a small micro-wave safe bowl. Top with 1 tablespoon of butter. Heat in the microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes.

Stir to blend butter into the warmed beans. Top with remaining tablespoon of butter, letting butter melt into the beans. Serve with a slotted spoon and enjoy.