Maw Maw's Country-style Steak

Maw Maw's Country-style Steak

1-1¾ pounds cubed steak

1 large onion (for 1 cup sliced rings)

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 can (10¾ ounce) 98 percent fat-free cream-of-mushroom soup (see note)

1 envelope (0.15 ounce) reduced-sodium brown-gravy mix (see note)

1 cup water

Cut any large pieces of steak into roughly 4-inch-wide pieces. Place a single layer of steak in the bottom of a slow cooker. Peel and slice the onion into ¼-inch-wide rings. Place half of the onion rings over the steak. Sprinkle half of the pepper over the onions. Layer the rest of the steak over the rings and top with the remaining onion slices and pepper (see note).

In a small bowl, combine the soup, gravy mix and lukewarm water, and mix well. Pour the gravy mixture over the steak, and cover the slow cooker. Cook on high heat for 6 hours or low heat for 10 hours. Remove steak to a large platter, and spoon the gravy over the steak. Serve immediately.

Serves four.

Cook's note: For testing purposes, we used Campbell's 98 percent fat-free cream-of-mushroom soup and McCormick's 30-percent-less-sodium brown-gravy mix. We used a Crock Pot 6-quart oval slow cooker. Other brands and sizes will also work; adjust cooking times to accommodate. Times stated here are for the oval Crock Pot brand. You may have three layers of steak and onions if your slow cooker is not the oval size.

Nutrition values per serving: 302 calories (29 percent from fat), 9 g fat (3 g saturated), 11 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 40 g protein, 100 mg cholesterol, 850 mg sodium.