Swiss Steak

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 pound boneless round steak (1/2 inch thick)
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 can (8 ounces) stewed tomatoes
1 medium green pepper, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced

In a resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.

Cut steak into two pieces; place in bag and shake to coat. In a skillet over medium heat, brown steak in oil. Add tomatoes.

Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Add green pepper, onion and remaining salt.

Cover and simmer until meat is tender, about 30 minutes.

Yield: 2 servings.

Taco Salad

1/2 lb. ground beef
1 (8-oz.) can tomatoes
2 cups torn lettuce
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup sliced green onions
6 pitted ripe olives, sliced
1 (3-1/8-oz.) can jalapeño bean dip
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup crushed corn chips

In skillet brown meat; drain off fat.

Drain tomatoes, reserving liquid. Cut up tomatoes.

In salad bowl, combine lettuce, cheese, onion, olives, tomatoes and corn chips.

To meat in skillet, stir in reserved tomato liquid, bean dip, chili powder and salt. Bring to boiling. Add to lettuce mixture. Toss well.

Serve at once.

Serves two.
 

Teriyaki Chicken

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 thumb sized piece of ginger root minced
1 clove of garlic smashed and diced
1 shot glass (4 tablespoons or 50 mls) of soy sauce
2 shot glasses (8 tablespoons or 100 mls) of dry sherry
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of cooking oil

Slice chicken length wise into four pieces, and thread onto two thin skewers or sharpened chop sticks. Mix the rest of the ingredients and use to marinate the chicken in a shallow dish for at least two hours.

Turn the meat at least once after the first hour. Broil 5 to 6 inches from heat, turning once, or on a charcoal grill for about 10 minutes.

Heat marinade until it starts to bubble and pour over cooked meat after it has been removed from the skewers.

Serve over rice.... 1/3 cup of raw rice grains, 2/3 cup of water. Heat until it just starts to boil, cover and reduce flame to the lowest level. Cook for 20 minutes without lifting the cover, and then let sit for an additional 5 minute with no heat before serving.

Serves 1
 

Tomato Basil Chicken Milano

2 Chicken breasts -- boneless skinless
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 14 1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 1/4 cups water
1 6.8 oz package rice pilaf mix
1 1/2 teaspoons basil

If using individually fresh frozen chicken, remove protective ice glaze by
holding under cool running water for 1 - 2 minutes. Heat oil in a large
skillet. Add chicken, cook over medium high heat 8 - 10 minutes or until
lightly browned. Add tomatoes, water and rice with contents of seasoning packet. Bring to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat and simmer 15-18 minutes or until internal juices of
chicken run clear and liquid is absorbed. (Internal temperature should read 170 degrees.) Stir in basil. Slice chicken and serve over rice.

Tomato Dill Bisque

1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup water
1 chicken bouillon cube
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. dried dill weed
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup mayonnaise

In medium saucepan, sauté onions and garlic in oil until tender.

Add remaining ingredients, except mayonnaise. Cover and simmer 10 minutes, or until tomatoes are tender.

Remove from heat; cool.

Purée in a blender or food processor.

Return to saucepan and stir in mayonnaise. Cook and stir or over low until heated through.

If you don't like a creamy type soup, leave out the mayonnaise.

Tropical Pork Chops

1 firm banana
2 tsp. vegetable oil, divided use
2 lean pork chops (1/2-in. thick)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
2 tbsp. raspberry jelly or honey
2 tsp. prepared mustard
1/2 cup water

Cut banana in half crosswise, then lengthwise into 4 pieces.

Cook bananas in 1 tsp. hot oil, in nonstick skillet. If necessary, add 1/2 tsp. additional oil. Remove browned bananas to a warm plate.

Rub pork chops with garlic. Sprinkle with ginger.

Add remaining oil to skillet. Brown chops on both sides. Remove chops to warm platter.

Melt jelly or honey in skillet; add mustard and water. Stir to blend.

Return chops to skillet; spoon sauce over them. Cover, simmer 8 to 10 minutes or until cooked thoroughly.

Remove chops to dinner plates; top with bananas. Spoon remaining sauce from skillet over pork chops.

Serve with green and yellow beans. Garnish with raspberries and thyme, if desired.

Serves two.
 

Twice-Baked Potatoes Caesar

2 small baking potatoes (about 6-ozs. each)
2 tbsp. margarine or butter
1 small garlic clove, crushed with press
1/2 cup sour cream
2 anchovy fillets, minced, or 1 tsp. anchovy paste
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. grated fresh lemon peel
1/8 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
1/2 cup plus grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450ºF.

With fork, pierce potatoes in several places. Place potatoes on oven rack and bake 35 minutes or until fork-tender.

Cut each potato in half, lengthwise. With spoon, carefully scoop out potatoes, placing flesh in medium bowl and leaving potato-skin shells intact.

In small saucepan, melt margarine over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 15 seconds.

With potato masher, mash potatoes with margarine mixture, sour cream, anchovies, salt, lemon peel, pepper, and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Spoon mixture into 4 reserved potato-skin shells, mounding slightly.

Place potatoes in shallow baking pan; sprinkle with remaining 2 tbsp. Parmesan.

Return potatoes to oven and bake about 15 minutes or until hot on the inside and golden on top.
 

Tuna Casserole

1-2/3 cup can evaporated milk
1 cup (12 small) coarsely crumbed soda crackers
1 (8-oz.) can whole kernel corn
1 tbsp. instant minced onion
1 tbsp. instant parsley flakes
1/8 tsp. oregano, savory or thyme
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 (6-1/2-oz.) can tuna
Paprika

Pour milk over crackers in bowl. Let stand to soften.

Stir in corn, seasonings, lemon juice and tuna. Turn into 2 (1-pt.) casseroles. Sprinkle with paprika.

Bake at 375ºF. for 20 minutes.

Serves 2
 

Tuna Melts

1 (3-1/2-oz.) can water-packed tuna (1 cup)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp. chopped green pepper
1-1/2 tsp. dill weed
1-1/2 tsp. sweet relish
1/4 tsp. seasoned salt
4 slices white bread
4 slices Cheddar cheese
4 slices tomatoes

In medium bowl, combine tuna with mayonnaise, onion, dill, relish and salt. Mix well.

Layer 2 slices of bread with equal portions of tuna mixture, cheese and tomato slices. Top with remaining slices of bread.

Spread both sides of sandwiches with margarine. Grill on both sides, covered, to heat filling and melt cheese.

Makes two sandwiches.
 

Vanilla Custard Cups

1 egg
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt -- optional
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

In a bowl, beat egg, milk, brown sugar, vanilla and salt if desired until blended. Pour into two ungreased 6-oz. custard cups. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

Place cups in a 9-inch square baking Pan. Fill pan with hot water to a depth of 1 inch. Bake, uncovered, at 350°F for 30 - 35 minutes or until a
knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Yield: 2 servings.

Vegetable Beef Soup

1 medium onion
1 stalk of celery
2 medium carrots
1 potato
1/2 cup canned tomatoes
1/4 lb. chopped beef
Salt
Pepper
A few parsley flakes
1 beef bouillon cube
Lawry's seasoning salt
1/4 cup barley

Cut onion, celery, carrots and potato in small pieces. Add tomatoes; add water to cover; heat. When it comes to boil, add beef, broken up. Add salt, pepper, parsley flakes, bouillon cube and seasoning salt to taste. Let cook 15 minutes, then add barley. Let cook 15 minutes more. Simmer slowly, adding more water if necessary.

Serves 2.
 

Vermont Pork Chops

2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 (6-ounce) boneless, butterflied pork chops
Nonstick cooking spray
Salt
Freshly ground pepper

Combine maple syrup, brown sugar and mustard to make a sauce; set aside.

Remove fat from pork.

Heat a small nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Coat with cooking spray. Brown 1 side of pork for 2 minutes. Turn pork; salt and pepper the cooked side to taste. Brown the second side 2 minutes. Lower heat to medium, cover with a lid, and cook 2 minutes or until the pork is cooked through. A meat thermometer should read 160 degrees.

Remove to a cutting board; cut into 2-inch slices. Add sauce to skillet.  Heat 1 minute, scrapping up brown bits. Serve pork with sauce spooned on top.

Yield: 2 servings

Wiener Schnitzel

1/2 lb. veal leg cutlets, cut 1/8 to 1/4-in. thick
2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 cup unseasoned dry bread crumbs
1 egg, well beaten
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Fresh lemon juice

Pound veal cutlets to 1/8-in. thickness.

Combine flour and 1/4 tsp. each of salt & pepper in shallow dish.

Place bread crumbs and egg in separate dishes.

Lightly coat cutlets with flour mixture. Dip into egg, draining slightly, then into bread crumbs, to coat both sides.

Heat 1/2 of butter and olive oil in large nonstick skillet over med.-high heat until hot.

Add 1/2 of cutlets; cook 3 to 4 min. or until cooked through, turning once. Remove cutlets; keep warm.

Repeat with remaining butter, oil and cutlets.

Just before serving, sprinkle with lemon juice; season with salt & pepper.

Makes 2 servings.
 

Wild West Steak

1 1/2 tsp canola oil, divided
1/2 Spanish onion, cut in half, lengthwise & thinly sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, cut into thin strips
1 tbsp. coarse grained mustard
Salt/pepper to taste
2 (4-oz.) beef tenderloin steaks, about 1-in. thick, trimmed of fat

Prepare charcoal fire or gas grill.

Heat 1 tsp. of oil in large nonstick skillet over med. heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.

Add red peppers, cook 'til onions are golden, about 10 min. more. (If the mixture becomes too dry, add 1-2 tbsp. water.)

In a small bowl, whisk mustard with 1/4 cup water. Add to onion mixture; cook 'til most of liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Brush steaks lightly with remaining oil; season to taste with salt and a generous grinding of black pepper.

Grill steaks to desired doneness, about 3 min. per side for med-rare.

Serve with the onion/pepper mixture.