Cubed Steak with Gravy.

I bought some cubed steak on sale a few weeks ago and wasn't really sure what to do with it. I found this recipe for "Country Style Steak" but I don't like the name of it. To me anything with "country" in it's name should have a thick, rich gravy on top of it. And this, while it was good, just didn't make my "country" list.



My picture sucks. It just wasn't a good day for me. But I served it over mashed potatoes. I make my mashed potatoes the same way everytime. Three pounds of red potatoes, skins on, boiled just about forever. Or maybe 30 minutes. Then I melt a stick of butter in a small saucepan and add a cup of milk. I mash the potatoes and add the butter mixture a little at a time until it's a good consistency. I also throw in whatever cheeses I happen to have on hand and this time it was mozzarella.

The carrots... oh, the carrots. I went through 22 years of my life hating carrots. My mom knew not to make them, but when I'd stay with my Aunt Micki she'd bribe me with snow cones to get me to eat them. But once I started making potroasts for Spencer, I fell in love with the carrots I'd cook with them. I decided that I only like carrots if they're cooked so long that they're pretty much falling apart, and as long as they have some kind of sauce.

A few weeks ago we went to Fresh Market when they had their holiday tasting and they had these amazing orange glazed carrots. So I'm now trying to recreate them. This recipe was good. They were a little too sweet though. The ones from TFM had parsley on them but I stubbornly decided I didn't want green specks on my carrots.

Orange Glazed Carrots

1 pound of carrots, cut thinly
1/2 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoon butter
tiny pinch of salt

Boil carrots until tender. Drain and return to pan. Pour orange juice over carrots and simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in brown sugar, butter, and salt.