Easy classics III

EASY BEEF STROGANOFF

                                                  

This is a very simple way to make a light version of this classic dish.

We usually have it at restaurants, but my husband never asked his famous question about it.. he prefers to have a huge chunk of meat on his plate, and minced meat for him is not meat, even if he sees the original huge chunk from which I cut the strips. But it turned out that this, and osso buco, are one of my mom's favorites. The meat is already cut in strips and it is cooked to melt in your mouth. What's not to like? It is also a hit among children, they get their meal all in one bowl, it's well seasoned and they don't have to ask anybody to cut it for them. You'll notice that this version is very light on fat. Don't be afraid, just follow me and you'll see that you'll never miss the added fat. You'll need:

1 1/2 lb beef cut across the grain in 1/2 inch strips (I use top sirloin)

1 tbsp frozen onion/garlic mixture

A handful of flour (about 1 1/2 tbsp) 

1 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced or quartered

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large non-stick skillet, season the beef strips with the onion mixture and salt and pepper. Sprinkle with some flour to lightly coat the beef. Brown the beef on high, turning constantly to make sure that the strips are browned on all sides. Don't worry if some browning forms in the skillet, this will be the base of the sauce. Reduce the heat, and stir again to make sure that there is no pink in the beef strips. You'll see that a brown sauce is starting to form when the beef renders its liquids. Add the mushrooms and a dash of salt. Keep stirring until the mushrooms are incorporated. Add about 1/2 cup of water and stir to release all the bits stuck to the pan and let cook on medium heat. Add more water if needed, and repeat until the meat is tender. Add the sour cream and fold it in the sauce. Lower the heat and cook until the beef is fork tender.

Serve over fettuccine cooked according to package directions. You don't need to add butter to the pasta, the sauce is creamy enough. You may sprinkle a tablespoon or so (but not too much to be able to taste it) of grated parmigiano and toss the whole thing.

MAC AND CHEESE

To tell you the truth, that was not one of the dishes I used to eat growing up. But since family and friends "discovered" that I can cook, many have asked my husband's favorite question "can we make this?" about mac and cheese. Of course I ended up with my usual lighter version that I think does not compromise on taste. There is no fat added, simply because I think that the cheese is more than enough to flavor the dish without any addition. You'll need:

3 cups small pasta (elbows for example)

1 1/2 to 2 cups skim milk

3 tbsp flour

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (white or yellow)

1 cup grated parmigiano cheese

1 pinch nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

In a big pot cook the pasta in salted water. In a bowl, dissolve the flour in the milk until there are no lumps. In a large skillet, preferably non-stick, start cooking the milk on medium high heat, stirring frequently to dissolve any remaining lumps. Add salt and pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Reduce the heat and add the cheese, stir until it is completely melted. Add the pasta and mix to coat it with the cheese sauce. Enjoy.

TIP 1: you can add some frozen peas to the pasta while you are mixing it with the sauce on low heat until it cooks.

TIP 2: you can also add a cup or so of browned ground meat (seasoned with the onion/garlic mixture and salt and pepper, cooked until it absorbs all its liquid without any added fat) to the pasta at the last step.

TIP3: you can pour the pasta in a baking dish, sprinkle with some bread crumbs and grated parmigiano and bake in a 375 degree oven until the top is browned.