Chicken Fried Steak and The Donald

While cooking chicken fried steak with bacon-horseradish smashed potatoes and collard greens (yeah, even elitist libruls luv this kinda food — recipes are below) I got to thinking about The Donald.

The amusing aspect of Mr. Trump’s rise among the rank and file of the GOP is that it is accompanied by an angry burst of disbelief and dismay from the party bigwigs — you know, the ones who think of themselves as moderates. The Republican king makers are freaking out over Mr. Trump who is spouting some pretty ugly stuff about immigrants, Latinos, women, gays and the sainted John McCain. They understand that a politician who aims for the highest office is making life difficult for himself when attacking these groups — they vote.

Reince Priebus, Roger Ailes, Karl Rove, George Will — you know, the usual suspects — are aghast that the Republican faithful could ever embrace someone like this.

Well, my friends at the zenith of the GOP, as you have sown so shall you reap. You have all just replayed Mary Shelley’s little farrago. You built the laboratory and found the willing subjects. Eventually someone would come along, seize this moment and catalyze the ignorant, fearful, mistrusting band you crafted.

Two decades of lies, deception and misrepresentation set the stage for The Donald. You created this monster.

Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Hannity, O’Reilly, Doocy and scores of others have flooded the airwaves, the Internet and cable TV with hatred, suspicion, distrust, bias and anti-government rhetoric for decades. They have belched tens of thousands of hours of vicious, homophobic, xenophobic right-wing banter and bullshit. And, it worked.

Congratulations to all you hard-working, dedicated Republicans. Good job. Enjoy the monster you made.

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Chicken fried steak:

tenderized steak cuts — about 1/3 lb per person

1 egg and 1 t of milk mixed on a platter

4 T of flour with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder mixed on a platter

dredge steaks in flour mixture (shake excess), dip in egg mixture, back in flour (shake excess)

pan fry in a couple Ts of canola oil — when done put in warm oven while making gravy

in the same pan add 1 or 2 T of flour to remaining canola — use the leftover flour mixture and add oil or flour to get a one-to-one balance.

stir over moderate heat to make a roux

add 1 c chicken broth/stock and 1/2 c milk to make the gravy

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Bacon, horseradish smashed potatoes:

cook 4 oz bacon, crumble and set aside

cut up and boil 2 lb potatoes (Yukon Gold or Red Bliss are both good) — keep skins on

smash with wooden spoon

add 2 T butter and enough cream to get a nice texture

add 2 T (or more) horseradish

return bacon

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Collard greens:

cook 4 oz bacon, crumble and set aside

1 onion sliced into half rounds

3 garlic cloves smashed and chopped

1/3 lb mushrooms sliced

1/2 t red chili flakes (or other hot spice — cayenne, Shiracha, Thai chili, whatever)

1+ lb collard greens (rough chop) — cut stems off if hard or thick and chop

sauté onion, garlic, mushrooms, chili flakes and stems in olive oil till onions and mushroom begin to caramelize

add collard greens, stir as they cook down, cover and cook for half-hour (or maybe more depending on toughness), stirring occasionally

return bacon at the end

optional: a splash of red wine vinegar or lemon juice