Swiss Steak and All That Jazz

Another blog I occasionally read helped me realize that I need to be posting pictures of the dishes that I cook and write about. I think she calls it food porn. Anyway, I'll work on that. Soon. Or, eventually.

Tonight I'm preparing Swiss Steak the way my mom cooked it when I was little. It's browning now, and it smells good. The wonderful aroma of beef browning makes my mouth water. Pieces of round steak, dredged in seasoned flour and browned on both sides in a small amount of oil in a big braising pan; dump a big can of diced tomatoes over the meat, cover and simmer on low until the meat is tender. It's a very basic, old school meal. Consider the options, now that we're become this fabulous Food Nation. You can add things like onions, green peppers, various seasonings to orient it toward Spanish, Italian, or even Chinese.

My take on tonight's meal - to the original recipe, add onions, herbs de Provence, Sunny Paris (Penzey's), and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Instead of the usual light fluffy mashed potatoes, I'm going to serve it with white rice, a nice background for the flavors.

OK, on to my weekend plans. Since I don't work Fridays, my weekend has officially begun. I'm going to Matty B's in St. Paul tomorrow night, a group of four of us, to listen to a darling little jazz singer named Katie Gearty sing with an excellent local band, Steve Clarke and the Working Stiffs. I've known Steve for several years, and he's won several MN Music Awards, best horn player of the year for running years, including 2006. His band has won awards as well. I'm really happy that Steve is giving Katie this opportunity, and I hope it will further her career. We're staying at the Crown Plaza Hotel, just a half block from Matty B's. It feels like a special event. We're having drinks at the hotel, then dinner at Fabulous Fern's and then a quick walk over to Matty B's. This is the closest thing I've come to a vacation in 18 months. Gotta make the best of it!!