Q: Do you have any tried and true recipes for beef cube steaks? I purchased some on sale, but do not really have any recipes. I came across one using mustard as a coating, but lost it. The last time I just ended up cooking them in a pan and they turned out so blah.

Jean E. Sabbagh, Miami

A: Cube steaks, also known as minute steaks, are simply round steaks that otherwise would require long slow cooking to be tender. They are mechanically tenderized, via pounding and piercing. My favorite way to use cube steak is to pan-sear it with a splash of Worcestershire and top with sautéed mushrooms and onions. The cut also can be tossed in a crock pot.

The key is to first sear both sides to develop flavor. Since you mentioned mustard, here's a recipe for an upscale version of classic Swiss steak. I clipped it from Southern Living magazine in the early '80s and did a little tweaking. I've also made this recipe substituting a can of cream of mushroom soup for the tomatoes.

Q: My contribution to your request for ideas of thrifty meals is to remind you of a wonderful salad I clipped from your column many years ago. I stock up on tuna when it is on sale, so I'd estimate the cost at less than $1 per serving.

Maureen, North Miami

A: Tuna Ziti Salad appeared in 1990, and came from Antipasto Express in Fort Lauderdale. The recipe also can be made with leftover chicken or turkey. I've made it with whole grain pasta and substituted oil-cured olives to give it more of a salade nicoise interpretation. The salad keeps better if you don't mix in the tomatoes until just before serving. You can substitute a cup of grape or cherry tomatoes.

Q: At a wedding shower recently the hostess served a piña colada cake that was unbelievably moist. She said she'd send me the recipe, but I never heard from her. She told me it was incredibly easy, made with a cake mix and a can of cream of coconut. I'd like to make this for a family reunion potluck. Can you help?

Cathy Summerset, Huntsville, Ala.

A: It just so happens this is my daughter's favorite cake, which I always make for her birthday. I'm not sure where I originally got the recipe, but it is always a hit.

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