MISS MILLIE'S SWISS STEAK

 This is the story of Miss Millie’s Swiss Steak. 
Miss Millie is Billy’s mom.  We have been visiting her and the June Bug (Billy’s dad) in Montana along with Billy’s Big Brother and sister in-law, D.D.  We typically all get together in Montana, in July or August to enjoy country life, and each others company for a couple of weeks.  It’s those couple of weeks of the year that Miss Millie loves more than any other time of year; she has all her boys at home with her.






 These are two of her boys, the June Bug and Billy!







Neither boy grew up in that Montana cabin, but there have been  weekends, Christmas’, and summer vacations spent there for over 3 decades; and home really is where family is.  Billy and Big Brother are 17 years apart in age, so they really grew up, each one, as only children, they never really lived together.  They have their own memories and stories of growing up with Miss Millie and the June Bug.  It’s funny how food brings back such memories, and one thing the boys reminisce about is their Momma’s Swiss Steak.


 Early on in their marriage, the June Bug sold, door to door, the latest and greatest in modern cooking, Lo-Heet cookware.  While the pans are long gone, the well loved cook book, circa 1954 is still on the shelf of cookbooks.



  





 This cook book holds the recipe to Miss Millie’s Swiss Steak!  She is embarrassed because the book looks old, but I tell her it just looks loved.












Millie likes to put the steak into the bag of seasoned flour before she tenderizes it.  She feels that the seasoning really gets into the meat, and who am I to question the maker of this most beloved dish.









Then she pounds the meat with the side of the saucer, even though Big Brother had bought a meat mallet for her; ‘cause that’s the way she’s always done it!  She says this meat it too thick, so pound it thinner.











Miss Millie likes to use an electric skillet to brown the meat in. 












Then she tops each piece of meat with tomato sauce…











Adds 1 tsp. of Worcestershire mixed with ¼ cup of hot water…











Sprinkles a can of mushrooms including the juice…













½ of a onion…












And the Cream of Celery soup.  She likes the cream of celery soup, because she feels there is enough mushroom flavor from the can of mushrooms.











Now cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes.













Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.








Serves 4

1 ½     lbs    Top Round, about 1 inch thick, cut into 8 equal sized pieces
2/3    cup    Flour
1 heaping tsp    Paprika
½     tsp    Garlic powder
1    tsp    Salt
½    tsp    Pepper
1 ½    Tbsp    Olive oil
¼    cup    Tomato Sauce
1    tsp    Worcestershire sauce
¼    cup     Hot water
1- 4 oz    can     Sliced mushrooms
½    cup    Onion, small dice, about ½ onion
1- 10 oz    can    Cream of celery or cream of mushroom soup

1.  Mix the flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper into a bag, or a medium sized bowl.
2.  Toss the pieces of steak into the flour and seasoning mixture to coat.
3.  Remove the seasoned pieces of meat from the flour and tenderize the meat using the ridged side of a meat mallet, or; Millie likes to use the edge of a saucer, to pound the meat to about a half inch thick.
4.  Return the meat to the seasoned flour and coat the meat again.
5.  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high, and brown the meat on both sides.
6.  Add the Worcestershire sauce to the ¼ cup of hot water.
7.  Top the meat with the tomato sauce, the Worcestershire and water mixture.  Cook for about 3 minutes.
8.  Sprinkle the mushrooms ( including the juice ) and the onions over the sauce covered meat.
9.  Lastly, pour the cream of celery soup over the top.
10.  Turn the heat to medium-low to low, cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes.

Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.