Mock Chicken Fried Steak

The other day I made biscuits and gravy.  Apparently, those gravy packets make way more gravy than you can use on a dozen biscuits, so I had lots of leftovers.  In my quest to not waste any food, I got online and searched for things I could make using country gravy.  To my delight, I found this recipe for mock chicken fried steak that goes perfectly with country gravy.  Because it uses ground beef instead of real steak, it's much less expensive than the original version.  But never fear!  What you sacrifice in meat quality is not sacrificed in taste.  Give it a shot, and you might be surprised at how close to the real thing this tastes.

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Mock Chicken Fried Steak
(adapted from this recipe on allrecipes.com)

1 lb ground beef
2 Tbsp parsley
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup oil for frying (unless you're going to bake them to be healthier).

1. In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef, parsley, chili powder, salt, egg, and about 1/4 cup bread crumbs.  Mix until well combined.  Divide into about 6 balls, then flatten each ball into a patty. 
2. Place the remaining 1/4 cup bread crumbs in a small, shallow bowl.  Dip each patty into the bread crumbs to coat completely.  Chill coated patties in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.  This helps the patty solidify into one solid mass so it doesn't fall apart during cooking.
3. Here's where you can go one of two ways:
          Option A: Fry them (after all, it is chicken fried chicken).  In this case, warm the oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Fry until each side is golden brown and the meat is thoroughly browned inside each patty.  Drain patties on paper towels.
          Option B: Bake them (after all, it's a "mock" recipe anyway, so who cares if you don't fry it to make it healthier).  In this case, bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes, or until meat is cooked thoroughly.
4. Top patties with an abundant supply of country gravy, and eat it with some good old corn on the cob (or maybe even some sweet cornbread).