The Joy of Cooking

Cooking with fresh herbs and vegetables is so rewarding. I thought it was high time I make Beet Borscht after reading how much Annie and her kids enjoyed it--- so I did.

I used fresh beets for the first time-- and oh how wonderful they smelled and tasted. Totally worth it for this recipe.

After adding carrots, potatoes, cabbage, sauteed beets and onions, and fresh tomatoes I pureed the borscht.

I added some dill then a dollop of sour cream which I gently stirred in.

Oh did this turn out sooooooooo good! And the color was a rich, deep red which made it seem all the tastier. Move over old borscht recipe -- you've got competition!

I also made a quick Swiss Steak using London Broil I bought at Costco.

I first dredged the cut up chunks of meat in flour, salt, and pepper. Next, I pounded them very thin into little cutlets. Next I fried them, drenched them in Worcestershire sauce, and finally topped them with onions. Then I slow cooked the dish in the oven for two hours.

Since this house doesn't have double ovens, I pulled the meat out of the oven while Julia baked up a double batch of TollHouse Cookies.

Back in the oven my meat went-- never missing a beat. During the last half hour of cooking, I added a jar of Turkey gravy to my Swiss Steak-- hey it was all I had.

Tenderizing meat with a hammer before cooking it ensures it will be fork tender.

Served over a bed of simple rice pilaf-- this is a sure crowd pleaser.

I can't wait for lunch. John and I will get to eat up the leftovers together since he is stopping by after his dentist appointment.