Mikki's Crockpot Southwestern Swiss Steak

This is variant of Traditional Style Swiss Steak by Pam. I jiggered it around with what I had on hand and threw it in the crockpot. It was yummy and comforting on a cold winter night.

• Ready In: 4 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 lbs eye of round roast, sliced into 1/2-inch slicesagainst the grain
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons  meat tenderizer
• 1  cup flour
• 3  tablespoons  cooking oil
• 1 (14 1/2ounce) can  diced tomatoes and green chilies
• 1 (12 ounce) jar  beef gravy
• 2  teaspoons  knorr  tomato bouillon with chicken flavor
• 2  teaspoons Mexican oregano, crushed
• 2  tablespoons potato starch
•  water

Directions

1. Spray crock with cooking spray.
2. Place flour and meat tenderizer in zip lock bag, close bag and shake to blend. Add one or two steaks to bag at a time and pound with the side of a plate or with a meat hammer until steak is thoroughly coated and about 1.5 times itso original circumference. Remove pounded steaks to a plate and repeat process until all meat has been coated and tenderized.
3. Heat oil in large, heavy skillet over medium high heat. Quickly fry steaks until browned on all sides.
4. Meanwhile, in the crock pot, mix tomatoes, gravy, boullion and oregano to create a sauce. Place browned steaks in crockpot and ladle some sauce over them.
5. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Before serving, remove meat to a serving dish and thicken the sauce with potato flour mixed with enough water to form a milky liquid. Stir this into the sauce a bit at a time while stirring until the sauce reaches desired thickness. Potato starch will thicken the sauce much quicker and using less thickener.
6. Note: The recipe I mangled to create this dish called for onions and green pepper strips sauteed and added to the sauce. My family does not like the stringy, limp veges that result so I took a different route.