Chicken Fried Steak, compliments of Carla Hall!

ingredients
CHICKEN FRIED STEAK:
4 (8-ounce) cube steaks (cut in half and pounded 1/8-inch thick)
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup rice flour
2 teaspoons paprika
3 teaspoons onion powder
3 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs (beaten)
vegetable oil (for frying)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
SAUSAGE CREAM GRAVY:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 pound loose breakfast sausage
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 and 1/2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt (to taste)
TO SERVE:
8 slices white bread
1 white onion (peeled, thinly sliced into rounds)
dill pickle chips

directions
For the Chicken Fried Steak: Fill a large cast iron skillet with 2-3 inches of vegetable oil and preheat to 360ºF. Line a baking sheet with a baking rack and set aside.
In a medium bowl combine the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Set aside until ready to use.
Prepare your dredging station with 3 baking dishes. In the first baking dish add the cornstarch. In the second baking dish add the buttermilk, and eggs and season with salt and pepper to taste. Whisk to combine. In the third baking dish add all-purpose flour, rice flour and half of the spices.
Season both sides of the pounded steaks with the remaining spice mixture. Dredge the steaks in cornstarch, coating both sides, then dredge in the buttermilk mixture. Dredge in the seasoned flour mixture and gently place in the preheated oil. Fry until golden brown and crispy, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove to the prepared baking sheet and repeat until all steaks are fried.
Serve with a side of sausage gravy, white bread, onions and pickle chips.
For the Sausage Cream Gravy: In a medium saute pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the sausage and use a wooden spoon or potato masher to break into very small crumbles. Cook until sausage is deeply browned, about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour and cayenne on top of the sausage and stir to coat, allowing flour to toast for 1 minute. Slowly add in the milk, continuously whisking until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook until gravy has thickened slightly, about 4-5 minutes.
Tip: Make this dish kid friendly by cutting the steak into strips before dredging and frying.