Skirt Steak Stroganoff

2 pieces skirt steak (6 ounces ea.)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp minced peeled shallots
2 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, sliced 1¼ in. thick
¼ cup homemade beef stock or canned broth
¼ cup crème fraîche
2 tspn tomato purée
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce


1. Season the steaks lightly with salt and pepper.
2. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium-size heavy skillet, and sauté the steaks until browned on the outside and pink and juicy on the inside, 2 to 3 minutes per side, depending on the thickness. Transfer the steaks to a plate and keep warm.
3. Pour off the fat from the skillet. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, and sauté the shallots and mushrooms over medium heat until just softened, 2 minutes.
4. Stir in the stock, crème fraîche, tomato purée, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over high heat until slightly thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Add any juices that have accumulated from the steaks.
5. Quickly slice the steaks across the grain and at an angle, into thin strips. Pour the sauce over them and serve.

Serves 2.

Conclusion: This is the most amazing recipe for beef stroganoff ever. It's pretty much our favorite meal that we cook. I grew up eating beef stroganoff and when I moved out I tried recipe after recipe but I just wasn't satisfied. My boyfriend (Sam)'s mom just decided to buy him a cookbook for Christmas one year, and this is the only recipe we've used from it. It's beats the shit out of my mom's recipe.

Italian Chicken w/ Rotini

1 lb boneless chicken cutlets
1 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tbspn extra virgin olive oil
1 tbspn roasted garlic
1/4 white wine
12 oz. tri-color rotini pasta
1 (26 oz.) jar tomato/basil pasta sauce

1. Fill large saucepan half full of water. Cover and bring to a boil on high for pasta.
2. Preheat large saute pan on medium-high 2-3 minutes. Season both sides of chicken with seasoned salt and Italian seasoning (wash hands). Place oil in pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken (wash hands); cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned.
3. Stir pasta into boiling water. Boil 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally or until tender.
4. Add roasted garlic and wine to chicken; cook 3-5 minutes or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165º F. Use a meat thermometer to accurately ensure doneness.
5. Meanwhile, drain pasta and return to same pan. Stir in pasta sauce; cook on medium-high 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until thoroughly heated. Serve chicken over pasta.

Serves 4.

Conclusion: I loved this! I liked the texture of the rotini. And I absolutely loved the italian chicken. I'm not a very good cook, in fact I'm pretty terrible and I usually leave most of the actual cooking to my boyfriend and I help him out with prep and washing dishes. But this recipe is so easy that I've since made the chicken all by myself with other sides. It tastes amazing over Uncle Ben's instant rice.

My boyfriend wasn't as big a fan. He doesn't really like red sauce, but he really liked the chicken. I think.