Swiss Steak Remix

One of my favorite dishes as a child was Mom's Swiss Steak.  She seasoned round steak with garlic salt and pepper, cut the meat into strips, rolled the strips in flour and browned them in about a cup (!) of Wesson oil in a cast iron skillet   Next, she threw in onion chunks and cooked them until softened.  She mixed in flour for thickening and stirred in water, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce.  She slapped on a lid and allowed the beef to cook slowly for at least two hours.  Buttered rice and garlic bread were the go-withs.

I was craving that flavor but had to make it healthier--less oil, more vegetables.  Here is my version, with southwestern seasonings. (Weight Watchers-friendly; 7 POINTS.)

1 pound round steak, cut approximately 3/4" thick
3/4 teaspoon fajita seasoning
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning (or 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 medium Vidalia onion, peeled and sliced into half-moons
1 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into thin strips
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups Newman's Own Farmer's Garden Salsa (Medium)*
1/2 cup water
2 cups hot cooked white rice

Spread plastic wrap over a large cutting board.  Cut steak into four pieces.  Place the pieces of steak on top of the plastic.  Cover with another sheet of plastic wrap.  Pound with a meat mallet to 1/2-inch thickness.  Combine seasonings and flour in a large zip-top bag.  Add the pieces to the bag one at a time, seal it up and shake to coat evenly. Set the meat aside.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add the meat and brown well on both sides.  Remove the meat to a plate.

Add the onions and peppers to the pan drippings; lightly brown the vegetables.  Add the minced garlic; cook for one minute.  Deglaze the pan with the salsa and water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat.  Return the steaks to the pan.  Cover and cook for 1 1/2-2 hours, or until tender.  Serves 4.

*Note:  Any tomato-based salsa would be great.  I love this particular salsa because it contains grated carrot, which adds a lot of richness to the dish.

Also, you can transfer this to a slow cooker and cook on High heat for four hours.