Carb Diva's Pork Steak and Cheesy Potato Casserole

We could dine out every night -- but we don't.

We could eat take-out every night -- but we never will.

I love to cook, and (even more importantly) I hate to spend money foolishly. I love a bargain. And my grocer is offering an amazing deal this week on pork chops, seasoned chicken breasts, and steaks "Buy 1, get 2 free".

How could I resist?

So now I have two packages of pork steaks in the freezer and one sitting in front of me. It's a small package--a little under a pound (2 steaks). Just the right amount for Mr. Carb Diva and myself. Yes, I could toss them on the grill with a slap of barbeque sauce, or sear them on the stove and serve with baked potatoes....or I could bake them in a casserole with onions and creamy potatoes, and cheese, and......

Be still my beating heart!

(Yes, I recognize that there is a cardiology joke hidden in there, but I'll ignore that for now and hope that you will do the same).

Carb Diva's Pork Steak and Cheesy Potato Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 pound boneless 1-inch thick pork loin steak
• 1 cup minced onion, about 1 medium
• 4 cups russet potato, thinly sliced, about 3 medium
• One 10.75-oz can cream soup, (see suggestions below for alternatives)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup shredded cheese, (cheddar, mozzarella, provolone, or parmesan)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Heat oil in the bottom of large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sear the pork steaks in the hot oil, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Turn heat to low. Add the sliced onions to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and begin to brown.
4. Lightly spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange one-half of the potatoes in the bottom of the dish. Cover with one-half of the onions. Repeat layers. Next place the seared pork steaks on top.
5. Stir together the cream soup and milk. Pour over the pork steaks. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
6. Remove baking dish from oven. Remove and discard foil. Evenly spread cheese over cream soup mixture. Return baking dish to the oven and bake 30 minutes more.

Suggested Cream Soups

• Cream of chicken
• Cream of chicken with herb
• Cream of chicken with Mushrooms
• Cream of mushroom
• Cream of mushroom with roasted garlic
• Cream of onion
• Cream of celery

What If You Can't Find Pork Steak?

This particular cut of meat has several different names. It might also be called:

• blade steaks
• shoulder steak
• shoulder blade steak

Unlike pork chops which come from the loin, the pork steak is cut from the blade Boston roast or the shoulder blade roast. Like the roasts, the steaks are flavorful and contain a significant amount of fat to keep them moist while cooking. Because the blade steak is cut from an active muscle location on the pig, it will be less tender. That makes it perfect for this recipe.