Pea Gravy

      Rita was my best friend in high school.  She lived across the side street from Lincoln Library and I lived on Millman St.  She would walk over to my house or I to hers and we would stop on the corner on Howett - half way - and talk and talk and then each of us would go our own way back home.  After  school days were done, I got married - at 19 - and Rita remained working at Caterpillar.  We grew out of touch, only seeing each other on occasion until she retired and we became docents at St.  Mary's Cathedral here in Peoria.  When we were doing a tour and I would introduce her, my line was: "I got married and had six children and Rita remained single and had six trips to Europe."  Every year during Cat vacation, Rita took a trip to an exotic locale.  Our Cat vacations were a week at Al's Point Resort in Tomahawk, Wisconsin and the second week visiting Vern's folks in Missouri.  But that's another story.
   In 1993, Rita told me of a pilgrimage that was going to seven countries in 23 days and would I be interested.  Absolutely!!  My chance of a lifetime.  Vern said go and on July 14 we left JFK for London - our first stop.  In the Coliseum in Rome, I hugged Rita and said: "Who ever thought,  standing on that corner of Howett Street, that some day we would be standing here"!  An awesome, awesome memory.
   One of the places we visited was Geneva, Switzerland.  After Paris and London, it seemed more modern looking.  I noted that there was a lot of graffiti on walls and fences and such.  We saw a man on the street wearing lederhosen,  a short cape, big boots and knee socks and  a hat with a feather.  I was sure that the older bearded gentleman could have been Heidi's grandfather.
   We spent one night in Switzerland and the next day on our way, passed through the six mile tunnel under Mt. Blanc that took us to Italy.   This is from the journal I kept.  "This area is beautiful.  As we approached Mt. Blanc, one side was a sheer faced wall, while the other side of the road is high sloping hills with chalets dotted around them - lots of waterfalls - probably spectacular in the spring - there are many beautiful rushing streams".
  So where am I going with this and what has all this got to do with my title?  I'm going to give you our family recipe for 

                                               Swiss Steak

A flank steak (the size for your family) Sear in hot pan on both sides.
Season to taste
A medium onion - chopped finely
16 ounces of tomato sauce   - two cans
A #303 can of LeSeuer baby peas - juice and all


Bake in a 350 degree oven until done.  


   Only use baby peas, they just work better and serve the gravy over mashed potatoes.  My sister, Judy likes Ore Ida microwave potatoes;  I like Bob Evans Mashed from the grocery cooler.  And if you are a purest, you can always peel and mash them.     Enjoy!