The Cookbook Experiment: Quick and Easy Swiss Steak

Tonight's cookbook experiment is once again courtesy of Mr. Dick John. His Quick and Easy Swiss Steak intrigued me so I was determined to give it a try. The only problem? I really did not want to stand around and brown the steaks in shortening. No time for that! I work full time and I wanted it easier but not necessarily quicker.  I will fill you in on what I did after I tell you how to make it the way Mr. John makes it.

Quick and Easy Swiss Steak

(4) medium sized cubed steaks
(1) onion, sliced
(1) can cream of onion soup
(1) can beefy mushroom soup
(2) tablespoons shortening
(1) can water

Brown cubed steaks in shortening. Place in baking dish. Cover with sliced onions. Mix together onion and mushroom soups and water. Pour over onions and steaks. Bake in 325 oven for 45 minutes or until onions are cooked.

My take-a-ways for this recipe:

• I did not want to stand around and brown the steaks. I knew that today being Monday that I would not have time.  I loaded up the crock pot with the steaks and the onions.
• I could not find cream of onion soup. I am not even sure they make it anymore. I guess I should hit up the Campbell's website and find out.
• I used cream of mushroom in place of the cream of onion.
• I knew I would need more liquid since I was using the crock pot.  I used two cans of the Beefy Mushroom soup and two cans of water.
• I cooked this on high from 12:00 Noon until I served it at 6:30 tonight. The steak was so amazingly tender.
• I wanted a thicker, richer gravy so I did two things: I added about 2 tablespoons from a block of Philadelphia cream cheese. I also mixed a little bit of the hot gravy with a tablespoon of corn starch. I beat the corn starch really well into the little bit of gravy to make sure there were no lumps. I let that go for a while until the cream cheese melted into the gravy and the gravy thickened up.
• It turned out so good! I made white rice to go under it and we also had some corn. I had to walk away from the crock pot because all I wanted to do was get bread and keep dipping it in the gravy it is so good! Thanks Mr. John!! Again!!