Save-ory Swiss steak

photo by Tom Higgins

Weekend cooking is the perfect time to make a hearty meal. You have more time to prepare dinner. The meat doesn’t need to be pounded, so there’s a mini-shortcut on time, but not on flavor. The following recipes can be altered to suit your tastes. For example, the meat tastes especially delicious with smoked paprika, the addition of mushrooms and could be placed into a slow cooker. The bread can include your own combination of herbs, and the potato dish can be made with canned soup or your own homemade version.

Swiss Cube Steak

2 pounds cubed steak
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
flour
1/4 cup cooking oil or bacon drippings
1 large thinly sliced onion
2 cloves minced garlic
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 cups beef broth

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper, then coat in a thick layer of flour. Add the oil to the Dutch oven over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Brown the steak on both sides for about three minutes. Remove the steaks from the pan, and add the onions, garlic and celery. Saute one to two minutes. Add the tomato paste, and stir. Then add the remaining ingredients and return the steak to the pan. Cover and put in the oven for two hours. — Ann, Florida

Herb Bread

1-1/8 cups water
2 tablespoons butter
3 cups white-bread flour
2 tablespoons dry milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons chives
2 teaspoons marjoram
2 teaspoons thyme
1 teaspoon basil
2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Use flaked herbs, not ground. If using fresh herbs, double the amount. Can also be made as traditional bread or started in a machine, then baked in an oven. Put the water and butter in the machine. Mix all the dry ingredients (except yeast) together. Add to the machine. Make a small well in the dry ingredients. Add the yeast to well. Start the machine. If you want to make mini-loaves, let the machine do the kneading and rising, then remove the dough and make as many mini-loaves as you would like. (I make eight loaves.) Bake at 350 F for approximately 20 to 25 minutes. — Donna, California

Cheesy Potatoes

4 cups thinly sliced potatoes
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 can cream-of-chicken soup
3/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Layer the potatoes and onion in a 9-by-13-inch dish. Mix the soup, milk, salt and pepper, and pour over the potato mixture. Top with the shredded cheese. Bake for one hour or until the potatoes are tender.

Cream-of-Chicken Soup

2 cups powdered milk
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup chicken bouillon granules
2 tablespoons dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil or marjoram
1/2 teaspoon black or white pepper

Combine all the ingredients, and store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. To use as a substitute for one can of creamed soup, combine 1/3 cup soup mix with 1-1/4 cups water in a pan. Bring to a boil for three minutes, stirring occasionally. — Kathy, Indiana

Posted by Sara Noel on December 30 2009. Filed under Frugal Cooking.
Sara Noel owns Frugal Village, LLC and is a nationally syndicated columnist with Universal Uclick. Bio, Follow me on Twitter, Join us on Facebook