Day 350: Beef Stroganoff

A couple of years ago, I bought my mom and my mother-in-law recipe cards. They were supposed to fill them out and have them ready for me when I got married. Well, I'm a few months from the wedding and I have just a few recipes from them that I'd like to share with you.

We were invited to a relative's house for dinner the other night... and, just so you know, Armen has a tendency to tell people when there is something wrong with their cooking. I think this is a personality trait because he comes from a family of rich foods. His grandfather was a chef and his mom... well, being the sweet woman that she is, she also thinks she's the best cook in the world. Honestly, she is a very good cook, but I don't tell her that...

So, because he comes from a family that cooks food I can't pronounce, he feels that it's okay to talk about what's wrong with other people's cooking.

We sat down for dinner and the lady of the house brought out Beef Stroganoff, which is one of Armen's favorites. I watched as a couple of people spooned some out of the dish and, right then, I poked Armen, who was sitting to my left. I whispered, "Not one word..." He nodded and said, "I have no idea what you're talking about..." as I answered, "Yes, you do... not a word..." Well, to help you understand my situation, the dish of Beef Stroganoff was not cooked properly... Usually, its consistency is supposed to be thick and creamy, but this dish was a bit watery and discolored. So, I gave him the eye and hoped he wouldn't say anything. My mother-in-law, sitting to my right, heard what I had said to him and whispered, "He's right... why don't you admit my son is right..." I couldn't help but laugh quietly, still hoping there wouldn't be any comments. A few minutes went by and I kept busy eating and making conversation. Just as I thought he had forgotten, Armen picked up his empty plate and said, "Can you please give me some beef and potatoes... please..."

Today, I decided to cook some Beef Stroganoff myself and have everyone come home to a hot dinner. I thought it would be good practice in case I have any guests like Armen in the future...

Here is the recipe to Anahid's famous Beef Stroganoff if you'd like to try it out:

Ingredients: serves 4-5 people

Boneless Beef Fillets (1 or 2 depending on size)

Onions (3)

Flour (1 tbsp)

Milk (1 cup)

Lemon (1)

Salt & Pepper

Crema Mexicana (1 1/2 cups)

Piknik Shoestring Potatoes/Homemade Mini French Fries

Cut beef fillets into thin strips, rinse in water, then, soak in water. Rinse out beef, empty into pot, and put to boil (low heat) with 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Rinse 3 onions, and chop them to bits. Fry onions in a pan, add flour and lemon (no seeds), and mix together until consistency thickens. Mix onions in with cooked meat and stir on high heat. Add salt and pepper, slowly adding Crema Mexicana and milk until desired amount. Keep stirring until desired consistency and hot enough for serving. When done, pour mix into a serving plate and add Piknik or homemade french fries on top to serve. Enjoy!

Tip of the Day: Learn how to cook a couple of dishes you could enjoy and share.