Name: Chicken-Fried Steak with Sausage Gravy
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 1 cup whole-wheat flour; 2 cups whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs, such as lan's All-Natural; 3 large egg whites; Four 3-ounce portions lean filet mignon, pounded about 1/3 inch thick; Nonstick cooking spray; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; One 6-ounce link hot Italian turkey sausage, casing removed; 1 cup low-fat,low-sodium chicken broth; 1 tablespoon cornstarch; 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt

Image may contain Rocco DiSpirito Human Person Advertisement Magazine Burger and Food

Chicken-Fried Steak with Sausage GravyCookbook cover image courtesy of Random House

This dish is emblematic of great home-style Southern cooking. Some say its origins are in Europe, where wiener schnitzel was invented, and there are some similarities. The connection ends, though, with the country-style sausage gravy with which we smother our pan-fried cutlets. Europeans serve their version with a humble (and lean) wedge of lemon. I retained the gravy but lightened it up dramatically—and instead of pan-frying the cutlets in bacon fat as they do in some parts of the South, I chose to bread and bake them.

Recipe notes

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Salmon With Sizzled Nut Salsa

A savory-hot salsa made with mixed nuts (like the kind dubbed cocktail nuts meant for snacking) gives roast salmon a kaleidoscope of textures and flavors.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

White Bean Turkey Chili

A dash of cocoa powder adds depth and richness to the broth of this easy turkey chili.

One-Pot Chicken Thighs With Cilantro Rice and Beans

This one-pot dinner cooks chicken thighs directly on top of a bed of flavorful cilantro rice studded with black beans for a complete dinner.

Butternut Squash–Kale Salad With Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.

Dulce de Leche

Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.

Golden Mushroom Soup With Orzo & a Pat of Butter

This is the type of soup that, at first glance, might seem a little…unexciting. But you’re underestimating the power of mushrooms, which do the heavy lifting.