And I know, everyone else puts Parmesan cheese in their polenta. Well I do too! Most of the time! But there are just times when I want cheddar cheese in my polenta, darn it! And for this dish, cheddar cheese is perfect. And yes, I do know that potatoes are traditionally served with Swiss steak. But serving Swiss steak with polenta is my nod to staying current with culinary fads. (Plus Mr. C. loves polenta. Potatoes, not so much!)

Of course serving Swiss steak in the first place is kind of Betty Crocker 50s. But I’m hoping by posting this recipe that those who have never tasted Swiss steak will be so enraptured by the whole ease of preparation and use of fairly inexpensive ingredients that they will gravitate to this recipe like cats to a Christmas tree. Or that those who may remember their mother’s Swiss steak, but have relegated it to the past along with bell-bottom jeans and Cracker Jacks, might just be forced to recall how delicious Swiss steak actually is. And of course learn how easy and relatively inexpensive it is to prepare. (Oh wait, I already mentioned that! Too late, it’s already in print. But truly, can you ever say something is easy and inexpensive to prepare too many times? Especially right after Christmas? I think not!)

This Swiss steak simply melts in your mouth and the cheesy polenta has a wonderful flavor along with a delightful mouth feel. And truly, who cares if Swiss Steak may only appear on the menu of a roadhouse somewhere along Route 66 along with Chicken Fried Steak and Liver and Onions. Good old- fashioned road houses still know what’s tasty and “down home”. And so will you if you give this recipe a try.

So if you want a wonderful “new” and delightful combination of dishes to serve to your family, especially now that it’s officially winter, give these two recipes a try. Each is wonderful on its own. But in combination with a green veggie or salad, you have a winter dinner your family is sure to love. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! Ho ho………..

• 1½ lbs. London broil or thick round steak, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 7-9 pieces
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
• 2-3 T. olive oil or bacon grease
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 6-8 button mushrooms, sliced
• ½ c. dry red wine
• 2 T. tomato paste
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. sweet paprika
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 T. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 c. beef broth

Tenderize the pieces of meat with a table fork, pricking the meat on both sides. Season with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a paper or plastic bag and shake until all the pieces are coated with flour.  Heat the olive oil or bacon grease in a large covered Dutch oven. Add the meat and brown on both sides.   Remove the steaks to a plate and repeat until all of the steaks have been browned.

Add the onions, garlic, celery, and mushrooms to the pot. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine and tomato paste and stir to combine. Add the canned tomatoes, smoked and regular paprika, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, and beef broth; stir to combine. Return the meat to the pot, submerging it in the liquid. Cover the pot and place it in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 1½ to 2 hours or until the meat is tender and falling apart. Check after an hour and make sure there is enough liquid. Add a bit of water if necessary. Serve with polenta, mashed potatoes, or noodles.

CHEDDAR CHEESE POLENTA

• 1 c. whole milk
• 3 c. water
• ½ tsp. kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 c. polenta/cornmeal
• 2 T. unsalted butter
• 1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Bring the milk, water, salt, and pepper to a boil in a medium saucepan. Pour polenta slowly into boiling liquid, whisking constantly until all polenta is stirred in and there are no lumps. Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking often, until polenta starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Polenta mixture should still be slightly loose. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, whisking every 5 to 6 minutes. When polenta is too thick to whisk, stir with a wooden spoon. Polenta is done when texture is creamy and the individual grains are tender. Turn off heat and gently stir butter into the polenta until butter partially melts; then mix cheese into polenta until cheese has melted completely. Cover and let stand 5 minutes to thicken; stir and taste for salt before transferring to a serving bowl.