Skillet Beef Stroganoff

This recipe is amazing. It's just...it's THAT GOOD. I originally saw it over at A Taste of Home Cooking -- and when she made it in back-to-back weeks, I knew it had to be good!

And it definately lived up to the hype. I could've eaten the whole skillet full, it was THAT good. In fact, now we're having it back-to-back weeks!

I do reccommend sucking it up and buying the brandy for the recipe, though. I think it adds a nice depth of flavor (and I usually don't say things like that!). I live in Pennsylvania, which means I have to go to a specific store to buy alcohol...so if I can do it, so can you! (And it only cost me $5)

I also used the ground beef, rather than steak (Same reason -- I don't like steak chunks in my pasta dishes) -- and DH and I really enjoyed it that way. Using the ground beef also makes this about a 30-minute meal, which makes it perfect for weeknights.

Finally, I added some frozen peas/carrots mixture to my plate of stroganoff. I hate mushrooms, but added them for DH. So I picked them out of mine -- but wanted some kind of veggie included!

Skillet Beef Stroganoff

(America's Test Kitchen Easy Skillet Suppers, by way of A Taste of Home Cooking)

1 1/2 pounds sirloin steak tips, pounded and cut thin across the grain (I used ground beef)

Salt and pepper

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

10 ounces white mushrooms, sliced thin

1 onion, chopped fine

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups beef broth

1/3 cup brandy

1/3 pound wide egg noodles (3 cups)

2/3 cup sour cream (I used reduced fat)

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Directions

- Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook half of beef until well browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to medium bowl and repeat with 1 tablespoon more oil and remaining beef. (I browned my ground beef and transferred it to a bowl)

- Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in now-empty skillet until shimmering. Cook mushrooms, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until liquid from mushrooms has evaporated, about 8 minutes.

- Stir in flour and cook for 30 seconds, then add both broths and the brandy, and return beef and accumulated juices to pan. Bring to simmer, cover, and cook over low heat until beef is tender, 30 to 35 minutes. (Once I added the ground beef I continued right on to the next step).

- Stir noodles into beef mixture, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until noodles are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in sour cream and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.