Texas Style Chicken Fried Steak with Milk Gravy

I loved my grandmother so much.  She was the perfect grandmother, soft and round with loving arms.  Whenever you had a tummy ache or were sick, she'd rub your tummy and sing Swing Low Sweet Chariot until you fell asleep.  The thought still brings tears to my eyes.  She also was a terrifc cook.  My husband, who is 100% I-talian, often talks of the meals his mother would make with meatballs and sausage in gravy (marinara to us Southerners), a big bowl of pasta, a simple salad of cucumber, iceberg lettuce that she finsihed with salt and peppr and oil and vinegar. They'd finish with an expresso with sambuca or anisette and simple cookies, like biscotti.   I, on the other hand, tell of my grandmother's Sunday suppers of fried chicken, chicken fried steak with milk gravy, mashed potatoes, fresh from the garden sliced, juicy tomatoes, green beans and wonderful desserts of pies or cakes.  One thing we did as kids that today you think back on and say, "how did I eat that?"  We used to take two slices of my grandma's homemade WHITE bread and put leftover milk gravy between the slices and eat away.   Ummmmm fat!  We loved it.  Here is a recipe for Chicken Fried Steak which is similar to the one my grandma used to make.  I assure you I won't be eating the gravy between two pieces of white bread.  Well, how about whole wheat!

Texas Style Chicken Fried Steak with Milk Gravy

2 lbs round steak, tenderized
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
black pepper
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup whole milk
Vegetable oil

Milk Gravy:
6-8 tbls pan grease (use fat from frying the steak)
6 tbls all purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Trim the steak and cut into serving sizes of the same size.  Combine flour, salt and pepper.  Dredge the steak pieces in the flour mix until lightly coated.  Combine eggs and milk.  Dip the steak into the egg mix and dredge again in the flour, getting a good coating that sticks to the steak.  Heat 1/2 inch oil in a cast iron skillet and fry steak pieces until golden brown.  To make the gravy, remove the steaks to a warming drawer, retaining some pan drippings.  Add flour and cook and stir until the flour begins to turn brown.  DO NOT BURN!  Slowly add the milk and stir until thickened.  Season with salt and pepper.  There you have it!  A true comfort food!