Beef Stroganoff........Soup

In addition to Monday night being a hectic time for me our family, Wednesday night is a rush.

The normal routine of coming home, playing and relaxing for a bit, eating dinner, doing homework, taking baths, and bedtime with a story is thrown off by Wednesday night church. NOT that we don’t all love and are committed to our church’s Wednesday night program; but, we have to be flexible. Not my our best trait. Totally a different post all together.

Okay, back on track. In order to save money by not eating at the church (yea, we are that pathetic frugal we won’t spend $12 to save time) I try and make something in the crockpot on Wednesday nights, especially if we have TD’s kids that night……2 more just adds to the rush and routine implosion….once again off topic.

Back to it.

I took a recipe from a Crockpot Cookbook but added to it because I am smarter than a published author no one in my family likes mushrooms (c'mon they are like biting an earlobe, shiver). This soup smelled so delicious when we came in the door and the kids could not wait. The meat just fell apart and the kids gobbled it up. Leftovers for lunch the next day were even better!

The list of ingredients and instructions are at the end of the post. I still have yet to learn Document Imaging for linking to a Word Document, the knowledge will come but I am still at the "Wax On, Wax Off" stage of blogging.

Slice the meat in approx 1/4 inch strips. I cut the strips into 2-3 pieces. This saves time when cutting up the kids food.

Slice up the onion. It cooks for so long and is so saturated the kids might not even notice the onions in the sauce. So someone I know could maybe even hide them from her husband. :)

Now to the list of ingredients. Very simple and easy to put together. You do not have to add the wine. I do not think my mother cooked a single thing with wine when I was growing up. There are a lot of Betty Crocker recipes that call for wine and we never even missed it. Personally, I do not like the smell of wine, especially port, cooking but it does enhance the flavor----said in a Okyfied Julia Child voice.

Since my family does not DO mushrooms I added the cream of mushroom soup. Not super fond of the reduced 98% fat free but it is what I had. Probably another reason why it was not thick enough as expected.

Here it is!! Your three components of the meal. I made this the night before so that in the morning I could just throw it all in when I am running walking out the door for work.

Put it in your Crock Pot on High for 6 hours, Low for 8-10. Mix 3 tablespoons of cornstarch in a bowl with 1/4 cup of cold water. You have to mix vigourously because it hardens up fast. Once cornstarch is dissolved then pour into Crock Pot and cook on high an additional 15 minutes.

Now make noodles or rice. I used wide egg noodles (kids love them). Before serving stir in a 1/2 cup of sour cream (I use more because I LOVE sour cream). Spoon over noodles in a bowl. So good and VERY comforting. Grab a quick made salad and some french bread and you are set!

Beef Stroganoff
(From Mable Hoffman’s Crockery Cookery with small changes by me)

2lbs of Round Steak
½ tsp Salt
¼ tsp Pepper
1 sliced onion
½ tsp garlic powder
1 tbls of Worcestershire
½ tps Paprika
1 can of condensed Beef Broth (I would half this if I did it again)
1 tbls Ketchup
2 tbls Dry Red Wine (for quick reference Cabernet is a good dry and wine is optional)
1 can Condensed Cream of Mushroom soup
*the recipe calls for ¼ lb. of fresh mushrooms, sliced , Yuck!
3 tbls of cornstarch mixed in a bowl with a ¼ cup of water
1 cup of sour cream
Cooked noodles or rice

Cut the steak into strips and season with salt and pepper. Slice up the onions. Put onions and meat into your crockpot.

In a bowl mix Worcestershire, paprika, beef broth, ketchup, wine, and cream of mushroom soup together. Pour over meat and onions.

Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8-10.

To thicken the sauce stir cornstarch into cold water, stirring vigourously until cornstarch is dissolved; pour into crockpot. Turn crockpot on high for 15 minutes and allow to thicken.

Cook noodles or rice per package instructions. When ready to serve stir in sour cream into crock pot. If soupy like mine serve in a bowl and call it SOUP!

Sooooo good the next day.