Quick and (Relatively) Skinny Stroganoff

Who doesn't love Beef Stroganoff? Beef, mushrooms, booze, noodles? I mean, come on - that is food heaven! That said, I have about a 20 minute tolerance for cooking food after work due to "starvation" and my guilt-complex over the heaviness of this meal has kept me away for years. But, I bring you a solution! I made a few tweaks to a recipe that I found to make it relatively skinny and within my window of patience. Win-win.

I recommend gathering and chopping all your ingredients before you begin since this dish really comes together quick! You'll need a 12-inch saute pan and a pot to boil the noodles.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tbsp. Canola oil

12-oz white mushrooms, wiped clean and cut in not-to-skinny slices (about 1 1/2 cartons of 'shrooms)

12-oz beef tenderloin, cut into 1/4-in strips

1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth (I use organic)

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 small onion, minced (1/2 cup)

1 tsp. tomato paste

1 1/2 tsp. dark brown sugar

1 tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/3 cup plain non-fat yogurt (if you want to be a purist, try light sour cream)

8 oz. egg noodles (I use No Yolks)

Directions:

1. Put a pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil while preparing the rest of the meal.

2.. Heat 1 tbsp oil in 12-in. skillet over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering but not smoking (about 2 min), swirl to coat pan. Add mushrooms and cook over med-high heat without stirring for 30 seconds; season with salt and pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are lightly browned, about 4 min longer. Transfer to a medium bowl.

3. Return skillet to high heat, add remaining 1/2 tbsp oil; swirl to coat pan. Place sliced tenderloin strips in skillet. Using tongs, spread meat into a single layer, making sure that the strips to not touch, and cook without turning until well-browned on first side, 2 minutes. Turn strips and cook on second side until well-browned, about 1 minute longer. Season with salt and pepper to taste and transfer to bowl with mushrooms.

4. Add beef broth to skillet, scraping up browned bits on pan bottom with wooden spoon; simmer until broth is reduced to 1/4 cup, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer broth to bowl with mushrooms and beef, scraping the skillet until "clean" with rubber spatula.

5. Return skillet to medium-low heat and add butter; when butter foams, add onion, tomato paste, and brown sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is lightly browned and softened. Then, stir in flour until incorporated. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and wine; increase heat to med-high and bring to a boil (this happens fast), whisking occasionally, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. During this time, drop your noodles into the boiling water you started in step #1.

6. Pour the liquid from the bottom of the bowl with the mushrooms and beef into the beef sauce in the skillet, and whisk to incorporate (try not to let the beef and 'shrooms fall into the skillet when you do this). Then, in a separate bowl or large measuring cup, stir about 1/2 cup of the hot sauce into the yogurt (I do this one large spoonful at a time - the point here is to keep the cool yogurt or sour cream from curdling if you throw it right into the skillet), then stir yogurt mixture back into the sauce.

7. Add mushrooms and beef to the skillet; heat to warm through, about 1 minute. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper and serve over your drained noodles (you can butter them if you want, but I skip that.)

Mushroom Risotto

My husband and I honeymooned in Italy and now crave the delicious risotto we ate in Rome, Florence and Venice. Paired with a flavorful Ribeye steak and a great Brunello, this meal is guaranteed to impress all your dinner party guests.

Ingredients:
6 cups chicken broth, divided (I use low-sodium chicken broth for 3 of the 6 cups to cut down on the salt-intake)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 lb. Portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 lb. white mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 shallots, diced
1 ½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
Sea salt or kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
4 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. In a medium-to-large saucepan, warm the chicken broth over low heat.
2. Meanwhile, on another burner, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Remove mushrooms and their liquid, and set aside.
3. In a large skillet, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, and stir in the shallots. Cook 1 minute. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes. When the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, pour in wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed. Add 1/2 cup of the warmed broth to the rice, and stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 20-25 minutes.
4. Remove the skillet from heat, and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, chives, and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.