Hospital Cafeterias

Everyone always says that hospital cafeteria food is terrible. Well, I spent over ten years eating that food and loved every minute of it!! Turkey Divan, Corned beef hash and Swiss Steak are the dishes I remember. When I saw this recipe, it brought back memories of the Winthrop Hospital cafeteria food. Another easy one........

Swiss Steak
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Ingredients

1 round steak (approximately 1 1/2 pounds), see note

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and pepper

All-purpose flour, for dusting

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 (14-1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 medium onion, cut into strips

1 medium bell pepper, cut into strips

Directions

Cut steak into serving-size pieces.
Season, to taste, with garlic powder and salt and pepper.
Dust meat with flour. In heavy skillet, brown both sides of meat in vegetable oil.
Transfer to Dutch oven.
Combine garlic, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, and 1 tomato-can measure of water.
Pour over steak and simmer over low heat until meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours adding water, if necessary to keep meat partially covered.
Season, to taste, with additional salt and pepper.
Hint: Cook this in a slow-cooker, according to manufacturers instructions, on low for a most fabulous dinner. Low heat on a slow cooker is about 200 degrees F and high heat on a slow cooker is about 300 degrees F.

Note: to ensure tenderness, it is necessary to have the butcher run the round steak through a cuber.

Another Comfort Food Recipe

Ooooey, gooey, smooth and creamy........ Who doesn't like Macaroni and Cheese? Paula Deen keeps bringing them on!! I can't wait to try this one!! Best part of this recipe is thay you make it in a slow cooker!!

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

12 servings

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (an 8-ounce box isn't quite 2 cups)

4 tablespoons (1/2 stuck) butter, cut into pieces

2 1/2 cups (about 10 ounces) grated sharp Cheddar cheese

3 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup sour cream

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed Cheddar cheese soup

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup whole milk

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Boil the macaroni in a 2 quart saucepan in plenty of water until tender, about 7 minutes.
Drain.
In a medium saucepan, mix butter and cheese.
Stir until the cheese melts.
In a slow cooker, combine cheese/butter mixture and add the eggs, sour cream, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper and stir well.
Then add drained macaroni and stir again.
Set the slow cooker on low setting and cook for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Spring has sprung...

I am finally seeing the buds on the trees and the bulbs sprouting in the ground. I am glad to know that the winter will finally be leaving us. All of the comfort foods will be leaving too which is sad. Let's get a few more in before BBQ season starts. This one is courtesy of Paula Deen and looks easy to prepare. You have to get your daily allowance of fruit in you know!!

Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Ingredients

2 (16-ounce) cans sliced peaches in heavy or light syrup, or in fruit juice, your choice

1 pint fresh blueberries, optional

1/2 cup baking mix (recommended: Bisquick)

1/3 cup sugar

Ground cinnamon

Topping:

2 1/4 cups baking mix (recommended: Bisquick)
1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

1/2 cup milk

Cinnamon sugar (1/4 cup sugar combined with 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; store in an empty spice shaker jar; shake well before each use)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a Dutch oven with vegetable oil cooking spray
Drain 1 can of the peaches.
Combine both cans of peaches, including the juice from the undrained can, the blueberries, if using, the baking mix, sugar, and a sprinkling of cinnamon.
Place this mixture into the Dutch oven.

To make the topping: Combine the biscuit mix, sugar, butter, and milk in a resealable plastic bag.
Drop bits of dough, using your fingers, on top of the peaches. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Place the Dutch oven into the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and crusty.