Eating steak has always been a symbol of prosperity. During the turn of the century, steak houses were patronized by the elite. The cattle and the oil barons ate their thick cuts of sirloins smothered with oysters or stuffed with them making it too expensive of a place for the common folk. Nowadays, steaks are as popular a meat item as a hamburger. From the various cuts of steaks cooked rare or medium and also done, everyone has their own way of enjoying them.

The steak eaters meal begins with a Steak And Potato Soup that is made with sirloin tips that have been sliced very thin.

Steak And Potato Soup
(Serves 6)

6- sirloin tips , tenderized and cut into thin strips
1-medium yellow or white onion, chopped
2-cups potatoes, cut into chunks
2- cups green beans, fresh or frozen,
1-cup stewed tomatoes, chopped
3-cups chicken broth or stock
3-cups water
3-Tlbs. cooking oil
1/2-cup flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
2-Tablespoons parsley flakes

Directions: Saute onions in one tablespoon of the cooking oil until they are transparent. In another skillet add two tablespoons of cooking oil and brown the sirloin tips that have been combined with the seasoned flour. After the steak and the onions are finished cooking transfer them to a soup or large pot and add the potatoes, green beans and stewed tomatoes. Cover the ingredients with the chicken broth and water. Simmer on medium-low until the sirloin strips are cooked through and the vegetables are tender. When the soup is almost finished cooking, add the dried parsley flakes. Serve the soup with a side of cheese bread and a Cesear salad.

For the cattle and oil baron or baroness within us, the recipe below is a tribute to the tender and flavorful Porterhouse steak.

Porterhouse Steak (Serves 2)

1-Porterhouse steak-cut 1.25 inch thick
1-can beef broth
2-jars button mushrooms
Mixture of seasonings:
? tsp. salt
? tsp. cracked black pepper
?-tsp commercial meat tenderizer

Directions: Rub the seasoning mixture on both sides of the steak and place on a broiler rack with a drip pan. Broil for nine minutes on each side. After the steak is finished cooking remove from broiler rack and cover with foil to keep the steak warm. In a medium sized pot: add the meat drippings with the beef broth and the two jars of button mushrooms. Cook the liquids for five minutes stirring frequently. Pour into a serving bowl to spoon over steak. Serve with side dishes of mashed potatoes and buttery corn on the cob.

Filet Mignons are a tender cut of a steak but not the most flavorful and need to be well seasoned and seared in hot butter for a better tasting steak. If grilling them use a gas grill for a better flavored steak.

Filet Mignon

For each individual cut filet mignon:
In a bowl with a mixture of seasonings:
1-Tlb. cracked black pepper
1-tsp. salt
1-tsp garlic powder
1-Tlb. parsley flakes
1-tsp. meat tenderizer
In a separate measuring cup:
?-cup white wine
1-Tlb.worchestershire sauce
In a skillet:
2-Tlbs. butter, melted and browned

Directions: Roll each individual cut filet mignon into the seasoned mixture and then drizzle some of the liquid mixture on both sides of the steak. Cook two filets at a time in the butter on medium high heat searing on both sides to desired doneness from two to four minutes on each side in the skillet. The steaks are best eaten medium-rare so don't' overcook them. Serve with a side of stuffed baked potatoes and a bowl of tossed salad with blue cheese dressing.

For the cholesterol conscious, the recipe below is a mock sirloin using a lean ground beef that is wrapped with a slice of turkey bacon then seasoned with cracked pepperand herbs for a lower calorie version of a chopped sirloin that has been wrapped with real bacon and also highly seasoned.

Mock Sirloin

(Makes 4)

1-lb. lean ground beef
1- tsp. parsley flakes
1-tsp. tarragon leaves
1-tsp cracked black pepper
1-tsp garlic powder
?-tsp salt substitute
4-slices turkey bacon
1-tsp worchestershire sauce

Directions: Mix the seasonings into the one pound of ground beef. Make four thick patties and wrap them with the slice of turkey bacon. Arrange the mock sirloin on a broiler pan rack with a drip pan. Set the broiler to 350 degrees and broil for about thirty minutes. Serve with sides of boiled broccoli and lemon and salad greens with a classic vinaigrette dressing.

T-bone steaks are better tasting when well seasoned and grilled on a gas grill or a indoor stove top one for a better flavor.

T-Bone Steak

For each T-bone steak, season generously with salt and pepper and garlic powder on both sides of the steak. Drizzle some soy sauce on both sides of the T-bone and grill for five minutes on each side. Serve with homemade cottage fries and cole slaw.

For a dessert classified as pure decadence, the recipe below is from Lindy's Restaurant once a famous landmark of New York City where they served their famous cheesecake.

Lindy's Famous Cheesecake (Serves 16 to 20)

Crust:
1-cup sifted all-purpose flour
?-cup sugar
1-tsp grated lemon peel
?-tsp. vanilla extract
1-egg yolk
?-cup soft butter or margarine
Filling:
5-packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1-3/4-cups sugar
3-Tlbs. all-purpose flour
1-1/2-tsp grated lemon peel
1-1/2-tsps grated orange peel
?-tsp vanilla extract
5-eggs
2-egg yolks
?-cup heavy cream

Directions: To make the crust: In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar,lemon peel and vanilla. Make a well in the center and add the egg yolk and the butter. With fingertips, mix until the dough leaves the side of the bowl.Form dough into a ball and wrap with plastic wrap. Refridgerate for one hour.Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease the bottom and the sides of a springform pan and remove the side. Remove one-third of the dough from refridgerator. Roll out on the bottom of the springform pan.and trim the dough evenly with the edge. Bake eight to ten minutes or until golden. Let cool. Divide the remaining dough into three parts. On a lightly floured surface roll each part of the dough into strips of two and one-half inches wide. Press and line the strips joining the ends alongside the sides of the pan. Trim the dough three-fourths to the top of the pan. Refridgerate until ready to fill. Preheat the oven at five hundred degrees. In a large bowl of an electric mixer: combine cheese with sugar, flour, lemon peel, orange peel and vanilla. Add the eggs and the yolks, one at at time beating well after each egg is added. After the mixture is thoroughly combined add the heavy cream and combine it. Turn oven down to two hundred and fifty degrees. Pour in the filling and bake for ten minutes. Then bake for an additional one hour. Cool in pan on wire rack. When ready to serve, remove the sides of the springform pan and slice into individual pieces

Cooking since the age of fifteen, the author has always enjoyed cooking steaks and making cheesecakes.