Beer-Baked Brisket, Country-Fried Steak, and Coconut Layer Cake

I just want to say it’s good to be back. We’re all doing fine, and Deb is doing absolutely SUPER!
We’ve been so busy with the peas coming in now, plus, for the last two days we’ve had NO internet service. We live out of town, and the best we can do is a satellite connection. No type of cable provided internet available to us…we live too far out.
With this being the case, we’ve had no way to post, as our provider was having major problems with one of their satellites…or at least that’s what we were told.
Anyway… “We’re Back!!
Our first recipe today is going to be a “how to” in regards to Beer-Baked Brisket.
I’m no longer a drinking man, and haven’t in 20 years, but I was SO aggravated in regards to our internet being down, if I would have fixed this particular recipe it would have been done a little differently…I’d of DRANK the beer, and just ate plain brisket!!
Today’s recipes come from “The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook.”
Beer-Baked Brisket:
1 (3-4 lb.) beef brisket ¼ teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 medium onion, sliced
1 (12 oz.) can of beer ¼ cup chili sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar 1 clove garlic, minced
½ cup of water 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Trim excess fat from brisket. Place brisket in a 13×9 inch baking dish; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with onion slices.
Combine beer, chili sauce, garlic, and brown sugar; pour over meat. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake on 350 for 3-1/2 hours. Remove foil; bake 30 more minutes, basting occasionally with pan juices. Remove meat to a platter; keep warm.
Skim fat from pan juices; drain, reserving 1-1/2 cups. Combine water and flour in a saucepan, stirring until smooth. Gradually add reserved pan juices; cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Slice meat across the grain into thin slices, and serve with gravy.
Country-Fried Steak:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper 1-1/2 lbs. cubed steak
¼ cup vegetable oil 2 small onions, sliced
1 cup of water ¼ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup of milk ¼ cup brewed coffee
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce ½ teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of pepper
Combine 1/3 cup flour, salt and pepper; cut steak into serving size pieces. Dredge in flour mixture.
Brown steak in hot oil in batches in a 10 inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Remove steak from skillet; set aside. Add onion to drippings in skillet; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
Return steak to skillet; add water, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 45 minutes, or until tender. Remove steak, reserving drippings in skillet.
Add ¼ cup of flour to drippings in skillet, stirring until smooth. Gradually add milk and coffee; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until gravy is thickened. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Serve steak with gravy.
Coconut Layer Cake:
1 cup shortening 2 cups of sugar
4 large eggs 3 cups sifted cake flour
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk 1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract **Pineapple filling (below recipe)
***Boiled Frosting (below recipe)
1 small, fresh coconut, grated, or ½ cup flaked coconut
Beat shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to shortening mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix at low speed after each addition until blended. Stir in flavoring (almond and vanilla extracts).
Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9 inch round cake pans. Bake on 375 for 20 to 25 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.
**Spread Pineapple Filling between layers; spread ***Boiled Frosting on top and sides of cake, and then sprinkle with coconut.
**Pineapple Filling:
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour ½ cup of sugar
1 (20 oz.) can of crushed pineapple, undrained 2 tablespoons butter, or margarine
Combine flour and sugar in a small saucepan; add pineapple and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened.
***Boiled Frosting:
1-1/2 cups sugar ½ cup water
½ teaspoon cream of tartar 1/8 teaspoon of salt
4 egg whites ½ teaspoon of almond extract
Combine sugar, water, cream of tartar, and salt in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is clear. Cook without stirring until mixture reaches soft ball stage or candy thermometer reaches 240 degrees.
While syrup cooks, beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form; continue to beat egg whites, adding the hot syrup mixture in a heavy stream.
Add almond extract. Beat until stiff peaks form and frosting is thick enough to spread.