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Menu Plan for the week of March 29, 2013:  Thursday's Recipes

Beef Stroganoff
Saute Mangetout (Snow Peas) and Carrots

Cooking time:  30 minutes for menu          Cooking schedule: see below for instructions

     One of my favorite pasta / beef dishes; vastly different than the version I made in college with ground beef and... I won't even say it.  And my version of another childhood staple: peas and carrots.

Beef Stroganoff over Pasta                              Preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes
    The paprika, Worcestershire and tomato paste add a depth of both color and flavor to this Stroganoff that you won't find in the more traditional, paler versions.

10oz (300gr) flank steak or other beef appropriate for stir frying or quick cooking
1 medium onion
4oz (125gr) mushrooms
4 tsp olive oil
1 tbs paprika
1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) beef broth
2 tbs tomato paste
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dried basil
1 1/2 tbs cornstarch (maizena) dissolved in
2 tbs beef stock
1/2 cup (4oz, 125gr) Greek yogurt, plain yogurt or sour cream
1 1/4 cups pasta, bite-size

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain.
Peel and cut the onion, vertically, into 6ths.  Brush any dirt off the mushrooms (see techniques) and slice, trimming off the tough stem ends.  Slice the beef on an angle across the grain, then cut the slices into large bite-size pieces.  Put flour and paprika into a medium food bag - large enough to easily hold the beef.  Mix the flour and paprika, then add the beef.  Shake to coat well.
Heat 2 tsp oil in large nonstick skillet and sauté onions and mushrooms until onions are tender.  Remove to a plate.   Heat remaining 2 tsp oil in same skillet.  Add beef and sauté until starting to brown, 3 - 4 minutes.  Add beef stock, onions, mushrooms, basil, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce to skillet, stir to combine, cover, reduce heat and simmer 5 - 10 minutes.  Dissolve cornstarch in remaining 2 tbs of beef stock and stir into pan.  Continue stirring until quite thick.  Remove from heat, add yogurt, mix thoroughly. 
Put the pasta in large pasta bowl, spoon the Stroganoff over and serve.

Stir-Fried Carrots and Mangetout                  Preparation and cooking time:   20 minutes
   Remember canned Peas and Carrots?  This isn't it....  Stir-frying is a method of cooking, not a cuisine. Nothing says we can't use maple syrup rather than soy sauce as our flavoring.

1 - 2 carrots
4oz (125gr) snow peas, mangetout, sugar snap peas
1 shallot  
1 tbs olive oil
2 tbs chicken stock
2 tsp maple syrup  substitute honey or brown sugar

Cut carrots into matchsticks.  Slice shallot.  Trim snow peas, cutting off the stem end.  Slice diagonally into wide strips if large.  Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add carrot and shallot; stir-fry about 5 minutes.  Add snow peas and stir-fry another 3 minutes.  Add maple syrup and chicken stock, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 3 minutes.  Uncover and cook off any liquid.  Carrots should be just tender.  Serve.

Cooking schedule: 35 minutes Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives, large skillet with lid, medium skillet with lid, pot and colander for pasta, large pasta bowl to serve Put water on high heat for pasta Slice onion Slice shallot Peel, cut carrot Trim, cut mangetout Trim, slice mushrooms Mix flour, paprika Slice beef, add to flour/paprika, coat well Heat oil in skillet, add onion, mushrooms, sauté Start to cook pasta

Remove onions, mushrooms Sauté beef Sauté carrot, shallot Return mushrooms, onions to skillet Add stock, basil, tomato, Worcestershire, stir well Cover, simmer Add snow peas to carrots, stir-fry Dissolve cornstarch in stock Add syrup, stock to veg. cover, simmer      Pause a second while it all cooks Thicken sauce for beef Uncover vegetables, cook off liquid Drain pasta, put in bowl Add yogurt to Stroganoff Spoon Beef Stroganoff over pasta, serve

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By Katie Zeller

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