Country Fried Steak and Gravy

I hadn't made this for a long time! I had forgotten to take anything out to thaw for dinner before leaving for work the other day, so I thought I'd just swing by the grocery store and see what was on sale. Nothing was that caught my eye, and then I saw the cubed steak. I love country fried steak, or some people call it chicken fried steak, but no matter what you call it, it's good! I've tried other recipes for this but haven't been too impressed, this is how I've always made it and how we always like it. Hope you enjoy!

Country Fried Steak and Gravy
4 cubed steaks (or how ever many you need)
1/2 cup flour
3/4  teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 eggs (or 1 egg and 1/4 cup egg beaters egg product)
hot sauce
vegetable oil
1 1/2 to 2 cups milk

In a medium size bowl, whisk together the eggs, a dash of salt and pepper, and a dash or two of hot sauce. Set aside. In another medium bowl or deep-sided plate, stir together the flour, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat about a  1/2 cup vegetable oil over medium heat. When hot, dip one steak into the egg mixture, then dip into the flour mixture until well coated. Place in skillet and continue so all 4 steaks are in the pan. Save any leftover of the flour mixture to make the gravy. You can toss out any leftover of the egg mixture.

Cook over medium heat until steaks are golden brown, then turn over and continue to cook until golden brown on that side.
Remove from pan and let drain. I like to place mine on a cooling rack with a cookie sheet underneath. Keep steaks warm in warm oven. I heat my oven to the lowest temperature that it will go.

Now it's time to make the gravy. If there is a lot of oil left in your skillet drain some off, you want about a 1/4 cup left in the skillet. Keep the crumbs and little bits of steak in the pan. Next, add your leftover flour mixture (you want about a 1/4 cup of flour, so if you didn't have that much left add a Tablespoon or two of flour to what you had left) to the hot oil in the skillet and whisk over medium heat for a minute or two until the mixture is combined and bubbly.

Now slowly add the milk, I start with about 1 1/2 cups, to the skillet over medium heat while whisking to prevent lumps. Cook and stir over medium heat until you reach your desired consistency for gravy.

If it gets too thick add more milk. Taste to check seasonings, and add more salt and pepper if needed. Also you can add a dash or two of hot sauce if you like. I think hot sauce inhances the flavor of things if you add just a dash or two.

When serving, place steaks on a plate and top with gravy.

I like to serve this with baked potatos or hashbrowns and steamed veggies! YUMMO!