Beef...it's what's for dinner

One of my most favorite meals in the whole wide world is beef stroganoff. I loved it as a child, and I love it as an adult, still. In fact, I can remember that while my younger sister was requesting Mac and Cheese from the blue box for her birthday meal, I was requesting my mother's homemade stroganoff.

And, way back then onions were the anti-christ. When I found out that my favorite meal had a whole onion in it...I didn't care. That stuff tasted so good!

If you think homemade beef stroganoff is hard - think again. You can also take this same recipe and jazz it up a bit by playing around with the ingredients.

(BEEF) STROGANOFF

1 lb good quality beef (*1)
1 lb mushrooms (*2)
2 cups water
3 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup sour cream
2 beef boullion cubes (*3)
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp garlic powder
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup flour

In a large skillet, heat oil and butter. Add onion and mushrooms, and cook until onion is translucent. Remove mixture from heat, and transfer to a bowl.

In the same pan, brown beef. Add garlic powder, ketchup, boullion cubes and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and cook for approximately 15 minutes, uncovered. Sprinkle flour into pan, and stir to thicken. (At this point, if you feel that your "gravy" is too thick, add more water; too thin, add more flour.) Once your mixture has come to temperature, add your reserved mushroom mixture and thoroughly combine. Take off heat, and gently stir in the sour cream. Season as needed with salt and pepper. Serve!

In my humble opinion, the only way to serve beef stroganoff is over wide egg noodles.



(*1) I splurge a little and use some filet mignon as my beef. I've tried it with cheaper meats, and because it's not a slow cooking dish, the meat can come out tough. If you don't want to spend the money on the filet mignon, try a nice sirloin...or go vegetarian and omit the meat all together.

(*2) My mother always made this dish with canned sliced mushrooms, but my tastes are a little more adventurous, so I like to use at least two different kinds of fresh mushrooms. Use whatever suits your taste...I like white button mushrooms, portabellos, oyster, shitake - or a mixture of any. If fungus is not your thing, you can omit it - though don't tell me, because I think I may cry!

(*3) Instead of high sodium boullion cubes and water, you can also use beef broth/stock (still 2 cups) or go vegetarian by using vegetable stock and omitting the meat. I've even used chicken stock in a pinch, although the beef stock does have a deeper flavor in the dish.

It's stick to your ribs comfort food, for sure.