Ingredients:
Turning a Swiss steak into a meal everyone will love I don’t know what happened to the Swiss steaks in the butcher’s case over the years. There was a time when you could select from a few on most any day when you went to the local market. Now with so many markets having prepackaged meats, you either get what they have in a package or do without. I don’t know if it’s a profit problem that has led to the scarcity of Swiss steaks or if it’s a matter of portion size. Maybe singles and couples don’t want to have such large pieces of meat that take some time to cook right. Going through a nearby town, I noticed a sign in a market parking lot touting a special on Swiss steak. I swear I could hear a Swiss steak calling my name – and the only polite thing to do was to answer the call. Maybe 20 years ago I put my electric skillet into the pantry and forgot about it. But it’s what I always used to prepare Swiss steaks. So, I found the electric skillet … and it was still in good working order. It didn’t take long for me to fix up an old-time supper, and I really did enjoy it. So can you. Swiss steak, cut 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 inch thick Flour seasoned with spices you like best Vegetable oil Water 1 medium onion, chopped 9-ounce can Red Gold diced tomatoes with juice 2 tablespoons minced garlic in oil 25-ounce can Veg-All mixed vegetables 12-grain, whole wheat or rye bread slices, torn up Dredge the steak in the seasoned flour, covering both sides of the steak. Brown it on both sides in vegetable oil. Add enough water to the skillet to just about cover the steak.

Instructions:
Put the chopped onion, diced tomatoes with their juice and the minced garlic in oil into the skillet, around the edges of the steak. Cover your skillet with the lid and fry the contents of the skillet, set at about 325-350 degrees, for 1 hour. Check to see if you need to add water. After 1 hour add your canned veggies with their water to the skillet. Check to be sure the pan gravy is the right texture; don’t let it dry out. Add more water as needed. Cover and fry for another hour. Check the liquids every now and then. Tear up a slice of bread and put it on the bottom of each person’s plate. Spoon the pan gravy and veggies over the bread pieces. Top with a nice portion of the Swiss steak. (I like to add a little gravy on top of the meat.) That will be a wonderful old-fashioned meal. I hope you can find a nice Swiss steak every now and then. This is what made country boys grow up to become country men, and country girls to become country ladies. Readers with questions or comments for Dave Kessler may write to him in care of this publication.